The Audubon Societies 



157 



At the summer schools he is surrounded by congenial companions. Add to this 

 the inspiration of a new environment and new birds, and what at first seems 

 like work, in that it is 'going to school,' becomes a continual round of pleasure. 



In only a few of the summer schools is the work in bird-study designed to 

 take all of one's time. There is usually opportunity to take work in other 

 natural sciences, in literature, history, mathematics, or almost any other study 

 that one desires, although experience has shown that it does not pay to try 

 to carry too many courses. If one attempts too much he gets but little good 

 out of any, for all university courses are thorough and require considerable 

 preparation. 



For the benefit of those who have never attended summer schools, a word 

 about the customary organization of the work in ornithology will be given. 



AN EARLY MORNING TRIP FOR MARSH BIRDS 

 Conventionalities of dress are usually not observed on iield trips; common sense and comfort take first place 



Courses are ordinarily divisible into three parts: lectures, laboratory, and 

 field work, the field work naturally playing a very important part. The sum- 

 mer term is divisible into weeks, and classes meet a certain number of times 

 each week, each meeting of the class being called a 'period' or an 'hour' whether 

 it be for a fifty-minute lecture or for a two- or three-hour field-trip. Depend- 

 ing upon the completeness of the course and the 'university credit' given, the 

 class meets from two to ten times a week. Ordinarily the class meets together 

 for the lectures but is divided into smaller sections for laboratory and field 

 work. The field work is often given in the early morning, or a choice may be 

 offered, but always a definite schedule is followed so that one can select several 

 courses in the summer school and arrange his program of work as he 

 deems best. 



