The Fly Campaign in Springfield, Illinois 



Isadora Bennett 



Member of the Zoology Class of the Springfield High School 



Many, many cities have waged their wars on the house-fly, 

 and have met with more or less success. Springfield, too, has 

 had her fly campaign, — and won, — won, because, while she has 

 not completely routed the invader, she has learned to put forth 

 organized and concentrated effort. She has learned the method 

 of his tactics, located his magazines, crippled his batteries, and 

 opened the gates of his citadel. And this is victory. The actual 

 war with the fly can have but one termination, now that we have 

 conquered our greater enemy, — the enemy within our gates. 

 We fought our hardest fight to convince the type of "Doubting 

 Thomas," whose chief business in life it is to promptly and relig- 

 iously condemn all that is new, and, especially, all reform. Our 

 campaign, then, was, largely, a campaign for education, and to 

 win the confidence of the public. Without these we could accom- 

 plish absolutely nothing, — and with them — everything! But 

 we have fought our fight, — and it was a good fight. We have 

 won the confidence of the people, and with their help have 

 found for Springfield the means whereby she may solve her prob- 

 lem. The day of the campaigner is done. Now it remains for 

 us to watch as the forces we have inaugurated move to their ul- 

 timate conclusion. We believe that the main purpose of the 

 campaign has been accomplished, that the campaign, itself, is 

 history, and that we may now recount that history. 



The war on flies in Springfield began in December of 19 13. 

 It was carried on by the Biology Department of the High School, 

 under the leadership and guidance of Miss Nettie M. Cook, 

 head of that department. Encouraged and supported by the 

 other classes, the Zoology students, from the first, took on them- 

 selves the responsibilities of the undertaking, and, at the end, 

 carried it to success. 



We were prepared for our work by a careful study of the house- 

 fly, his life, his habits, the dangers he represented, possible means 

 of extermination, and the most practicable methods of fighting 

 him. 



Then the time came for action. As the undertaking was to 

 be purely a school activity, our only way to reach the public 



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