State Audubon Reports 451 



three sets, two containing 100 slides each and the other 60. The libraries 

 have not reached so many people as the slides, owing to the fact that they 

 have to be left at a school for a longer period. There are now five libraries 

 in use, and they have been sent to six schools. One teacher in Rochelle, who 

 has been using the books, writes the following to a friend: "The children 

 are very enthusiastic about bird-study. We went out one day this week, 

 and are going to spend two hours tomorrow afternoon. There is a hedge 

 quite near the school-house which is just overgrown with bushes and grape- 

 vines, and is certainly a good place for birds which nest in bushes or on the 

 ground. I am becoming so interested in bird-study myself that I listen to 

 every call note and song I hear, and even send some of the children out in 

 school-time to take observations. Even then I cannot learn so much as I 

 should like to in a month. Those books are certainly great!" 



The picture collections have traveled to twelve schools, and they also have 

 been highly appreciated. There have been 10,893 leaflets sent out to schools 

 and like institutions, and 3,890 to members and individuals. Twenty-five 

 bound volumes of leaflets have been distributed among libraries in the state. 

 Many encouraging letters have been received from the people using these 

 collections, as the following quotations will demonstrate: "We have enjoyed 

 the pictures, and I believe the Audubon Society is rendering a real service 

 in furnishing them to the schools." "The children manifest much more in- 

 terest in birds since we have had the pictures. I am sure they have made the 

 acquaintance of several birds that were unknown to them before." "I feel 

 that your Society is doing a great work, and trust that it will continue in 

 the course." "The bird slides have been here a week, and we have made good 

 use of them, reaching hundreds of children in La Grange and Hinsdale." 



These collections have covered rather a large area in Illinois, reaching 

 places in the southern part. Many leaflets have been sent to teachers in rural 

 communities where birds are abundant, but where museums, public libraries 

 and other helps in their study are wanting. The collections hava not, however, 

 reached so many schools, and are not in so great demand, as their value would 

 warrant. Either teachers do not know of them, or else they do not realize 

 the value of such material in their schools. Through the kindness of Mr. 

 Parker, editor of 'The School News,' the Society has been permitted to an- 

 nounce its work in his paper. In this way, some teachers who would otherwise 

 not have known of the collections have been reached, and have availed them- 

 selves of the use of our loan sets and leaflets; but we feel that much remains 

 yet to be done toward bringing these collections into wider usefulness. — Mary 

 Alma Hardman, Secretary. 



Indiana. — The sixteenth annual meeting of the Indiana Audubon Society 

 was held at Logansport, May 2, 1913. Notices and programs were sent 

 to the leading papers and farm journals over the state. 



