4 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



The Formative Years of the Illinois Audubon Society 



It is probable that the first Audubon Society in Illinois was composed 

 of a class of some nine boys in Oak Park and certainly the Rev. George 

 B. Pratt of Grace Church in that town, who is still an "honorary" and 

 honored member of the present Board of Directors, was one of the first 

 members. This was in 1886 in connection with the "Forest and Stream" or- 

 ganization. 



In 1890 a Chicago Society was started under the able presidency of 

 Mrs. E. Irene Rood. About seventy persons joined and the Society was 

 incorporated in 1893. Its most important work was that it inspired and 

 largely managed the Audubon Congress held in Chicago during the Co- 

 lumbian Exposition in October, 1893. Dr. Elliot Coues, though unable 

 to be present, was chairman of the Congress. About twenty-seven valu- 

 able papers, afterward published, were contributed by distinguished or- 

 nithologists, and letters of greeting came from various parts of the world. 

 Unfortunately after this congress Mrs. Rood's work took her away from 

 Chicago with the result that the Society's activity diminished and after 

 a life of about four years its work was taken up' by the Illinois Society. 

 It should not, however, be forgotten nor should we fail to honor the names 

 of certain of its workers. Mrs. Rood, Mrs. Oscar Oldburg, Mrs. Clara 

 E. Buxbaum, the Rev. M. Pratt, Prof. David Swing and W. A. Mitchell, 

 Rev. Mr. Johonnot and Mr. Edward B. Clark were good friends of the 

 birds and helped lay foundations for the larger work that followed. 



In 1896 and '97 another strong bird protection movement was started. 

 Illinois was approached by the newly organized Massachusetts Society with 

 the result that, through the efforts of such working bird lovers as Mrs. 

 Sara A. Hubbard, Mrs. John V. Farwell, Jr., Mr. Ruthven Deane, Rev. 

 George B. Pratt and Mr. Edward B. Clark to whom we largely owe the 

 fact that there is an Illinois Audubon Society to have its story told — the 

 work was organized and on April 1, 1897, the Illinois Society, the fourth 

 of the State Societies, began its existence. A good Board of Directors, 

 with Mrs. Henry W. King as President and Miss Emily S. Rumsey as 

 Secretary-Treasurer took the reins, with the result that at the first annual 

 meeting in 1898 Miss Rumsey could report a membership of 580 adults 

 and 2800 juniors, the publication of several leaflets, a wide campaign of 

 publicity among milliners, teachers, and newspapers and the fact that the 

 Society was provided with constitution and by-laws and was incorporated. 

 In 1898, the first President and Secretary-Treasurer having resigned, Mr. 

 Ruthven Deane was elected President, a position he held with great honor 

 and benefit to the Society for sixteen years. Miss Mary Drummond was 

 elected Secretary-Treasurer and served for fourteen years. During these 

 fourteen years many matters were taken up which are mentioned, not 

 in order of time but of subject. Numbers of leaflets, warnings and 

 notices were published. Among them "Birds in Horticulture" by Prof. 

 Wm. E. Prager, "The Study of Birds" by Alice Hall Walter, a list of 

 books by Mr. Deane, "John James Audubon" by Mr. Clark, etc., etc. 

 Through the joint activities of the State Game Commission and the 

 Society, notices of the state laws on birds with a warning against 

 breaking them were placed in every post office in the state. Programs 



