REPOll' OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
23 
All the States have a common interest in the birds. No State can escape a 
share of the harm that will result from continuing to furnish our milliners 
with the worse than needless annual supply of ornaments so offensive to bird 
lovers. 
1 have, however, great hopes for the birds, if all the boys and girls in our 
public schools can he induced to take a proper interest in them, and learn to 
appreciate their beauty and usefulness. 
Audubon societies have been organized in many of the States, and bird clubs 
in some of our colleges, whose object is the study and the preservation of bird 
life. I can see no reason why we should not have our own “Wake Robin. - ’ 
“Song Sparrow,” “Whip-Poor-Will” and “Barn Swallow” clubs in the public 
schools for the same purpose. 
All who have begun the study of birds find it a constant and ever increasing 
delight. The more you know about them the more you will love them. If all 
our school children should espouse the cause of the birds it would give these 
most beautiful, innocent and helpless of God's creatures at least one champion 
and friend in nearly every home in New Jersey. 
I want you to be not only as constant and true friends to the birds as they 
are to you, but to grow up in harmony with bird life. Then our girls and 
future women will refuse to obey fashion’s most heartless mandate, and when 
our boys shall become men they will know how to enjoy a holiday in the 
country without killing something. 
The man who can fiud no higher pleasure in the forests and fields than the 
pursuit and destruction of harmless life knows nothing of the delight of those 
who intelligently study and observe it. 
There are no doubt bird hooks in your school libraries in whose use your 
teachers are more than willing to aid you. The titles of many others are given 
in the catalogue of approved books for school libraries which your district 
will ere long receive. 
Begin now the study of birds. In the useful information you will gain, the 
influence for good it will exert upon you, the new source of pleasure it will 
add to your lives and in the broader and more beautiful horizon that will be 
revealed to you, you will be rewarded a hundredfold for your efforts. You will 
also be better prepared to observe “Bird day” in conjunction with “Arbor day” 
next year. 
With best wishes for the happiness and welfare both of the birds and your¬ 
selves, I am 
Very sincerely yours, 
C. J. BAXTER, 
State Superintendent. 
Circulars relating to our native birds may be obtained by 
addressing 
Miss Mary A. Mellick, 319 Jut Grande avenue, Plainfield, A*. J. 
Mrs. Edward Robins, 111 South Twenty-first street, Philadel¬ 
phia, Pa. 
Humane Education Company, 61 Westminster street, Provi¬ 
dence, R. I. 
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 19 Milk 
street, Boston, Mass. 
