_Personal Experiences._--Another pleasant part of the program will be the short statements of facts about birds, by the pupils, obtained from their own observation. Birds of the Bible may also be given in short extracts.
_Prose Selections._--John Burroughs' 'Birds and Poets,' and 'Wake Robin;' Bradford Torrey's 'Birds in the Bush;' Olive Thorne Miller's 'Bird Ways,' and many other books, abound in suitable passages for Bird-Day.
The pupils will enjoy preparing a Bird-Day program much more than learning little set speeches from one already prepared. The preliminary observation of birds will arouse an enthusiasm that will be of great value in all educational work.
The Bureau of Nature Study of Cornell University offers to assist all boys and girls who want to take bird boarders this season. By addressing this Bureau, at Ithaca, N. Y., one may receive a copy of an admirable leaflet entitled 'The Birds and I,' containing numerous designs for houses which may be constructed for the occupation of the expected 'boarders.'
Birthdays, red letter days, memorial days, arbor days and bird days!
The two hundred days of the school calendar are hardly sufficient to meet the special demands made upon them in the interests of history, literature, and philanthropy. After all, is not this call for specialization something of a reproach to both home and school? If the child is symmetrically developed, harmoniously educated, will not all these influences find their proper place and expression in his life in the _regular_ course of events?
But in the meantime since 'days' are ordained, it is highly important that they shall be celebrated in a manner to make lasting impressions on the minds and hearts of children. The mental hysteria resulting from the spasmodic, sentimental fervor worked up for this cause to-day, and for that to-morrow, is to be strongly condemned.
As in every other subject, an interest in _birds_ should be based upon the knowledge gained by the child primarily through his own observations and experiences, supplemented and enriched later by what he reads or has told him. The interest thus aroused leads to sympathy and love as enduring as life itself.
Hence the Bird-Day program should mark the culminating rather than the initial point of bird study for the year.