ILLINOIS AUDUBON BULLETIN 30 
T. E. Musselman was educated at the University of Illinois where he 
received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1910 and a Master of Arts degree in 
1913. As a student, he was a co-founder of Kappa Delta Pi honorary 
educational fraternity and was elected its first president. Kappa Delta Pi has 
since grown to be the largest and best known honorary educational society 
in the United States, with a present-day membership near 300,000. 
T. E. wrote numerous articles on birds and nature study. In the 1920's 
he wrote daily columns on bird study in the Quincy Herald. In addition, 
articles by him or about him were published in Country Life in America, 
Ford Times and Readers Digest. His best-known effort was ‘‘A History of the 
Birds of Illinois’, published in 1922 in the Journal of the Illinois State 
Historical Society. T. E. maintained a daily nature diary for most of his 
career. Although regrettably never published, his diary has been willed to 
the University of Illinois. 
In his long and colorful life, T.E. received many honors. He was listed in 
Who’s Who in America for three decades. In 1934, he was awarded an 
honorary doctorate from Carthage College in recognition of his contribu- 
tions to the study of natural sciences. For his work with Boy Scouts, he 
received the Hornaday Award for Conservation in 1955 and the Silver 
Beaver Award in 1958. In 1965, T.E. received a citation for his outstanding 
work in ornithology and conservation from the Illinois Audubon Society, 
and in 1969 he was honored on a special ‘‘T. E. Day’’ by the city of Quincy 
and the Wild Bird Society of Griggsville. 
As a conservationist, T.E. was a member of the ‘‘first wave’’. In the early 
part of the century, he worked with William Hornaday and others to end the 
wanton slaughter of birds that was still typical of day. He was a contem- 
porary and friend of John Burrows, John Muir, and Aldo Leopold with whom 
he often corresponded. T. E. served on the Board of Directors of the Illinois 
Aubudon Society from 1936 to 1949 and was an active member of both the 
Illinois and National Audubon Societies. 
Although in declining health and restricted in his outdoor activities in 
the twilight of his career, T. E. was always available to cheerfully identify a 
bird, answer nature questions or advise a young protege on his or her 
bluebird trail. , 
In our travels in Illinois and surrounding states, we frequently encounter 
individuals who respond: ‘‘Quincy, oh yes, T.E.. . .”’ 
—Thad Godish and Wallace Elmslie 
Musselman Audubon Society 
