ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 33 



Prize Contest for Junior Clubs 



In the hope of inspiring Junior Clubs with zeal for extra effort, the 

 Illinois Audubon Society, in 1916, again offered valuable prizes for the 

 best work of such clubs and met with much better response than the year 

 previous, — though still disappointing as a representative State Contest. 



In reviewing the matter it is interesting to note that the clubs entering 

 the contest varied in size from seventy to seventeen members and that the 

 age of the individuals in the various clubs ranged from pupils of second 

 grade to those in Grammar School. 



One club represented a large city school in the heart of a foreign dis- 

 trict. Another came from an exclusive private school in a cultured and 

 wealthy suburb, — while a third contrast is provided by a club consisting 

 of an entire Country School of pupils of all ages. 



Each one of the competing clubs sent in something interesting and 

 worth while. 



One leader from Streator reported a wigwam constructed for a feed- 

 ing station in winter by her Juniors and set up by permission of the au- 

 thorities in a public park. Another club which failed of a prize sent in 

 such excellent individual lists of birds identified that they deserve special 

 mention. These boys and girls live in St. Charles and had lists varying 

 from fifty-two to eighty-five. The leader of the Junior Audubon in Hins- 

 dale, where they won a first prize last year, submitted a fine migration list 

 as usual and she said that she had never had such early reports of so many 

 species identified from so many individuals as in 1916. 



After most careful consideration of all reports and work submitted, 

 the committee decided that the first prize consisting of ten pairs of Bird- 

 glasses would have to be divided between the Roycemore School Club of 

 Evanston, Miss Julia Henry leader and the Junior Audubon Club of the 

 Gary School, Chicago, Miss Lillian Wiggins leader. The work of both 

 of these schools was so excellent and along such entirely different lines, that 

 it seemed necessary to honor them equally. 



In the award of the second prize the committee met with a similar con- 

 dition. Two clubs seemed equally deserving. This difficulty was met, 

 however, by the generous offer of the original donor to duplicate the second 

 prize, which consists of ten dollars' worth of Bird books. These two prizes 

 will go to the Junior Audubon Club of Peoria, Miss Mildred Foster leader, 

 and the Buffalo Prairie Audubon Club, Mr. W. C. Harris leader. 



The club from Buffalo Prairie submitted an excellent general report but 

 failed to supplement it wdth written work of any kind. One very good 

 idea of the leader there is to have the members of his Junior Club study the 

 relation of insects to bird life. They have a case of mounted insects speci- 

 mens for reference. 



The Peoria Club is a very large one and in their report showed good 

 general work both in study and practical efforts. They also gave an espe- 

 cially gratifying report of their work as "Bird- Police." Peoria should be- 

 come a bird refuge if these boys and girls continue their efforts. 



The bird identification record of the Roycemore School is so unusually 

 good as to make city bird lovers envious. These lads and lasses had the 



