Bird lore - Project Puffin

The Audubon Societies 277
THE EDUCATION OF THE SHARP-EYES
By MISS FAY A. USTICK
SOME OF THE SHARP-EYES IN COLUMBUS
The first part of this little history ma}^
prove of interest to anyone who thinks
children of three and four years too young
to be taught to know birds, for the nucleus
of this flourishing little Audubon Society
was a class of six little kindergartners;
and let me say that, from the first, their
interest and enthusiasm have kept pace
with that of the older children.
For a number of years our study of
birds was 'language work.' We studied
flowers, insects, animals, and in i^ct all
life, but the children loved the 'birdies'
best. We have an advantage over city
children, for we live in a very beautiful
suburb where there are a great many forest
trees. The birds call back and forth all
day long.
Through the winter of 1914-15 we had
been making birds of stiff paper. We
made the wings and tails separately. After
the birds were colored as naturally as
possible the wings and tails were pasted
on, and then the birds were suspended
from a hair-like wire that was stretched
across the room. A breeze would set them
fluttering. They delighted the children,
who worked indefatigably to make tnore
birds. They would have made the same
birds over and over if they had been per-
mitted.
In that way the children became ac-
quainted with the coloring of the Robin,
Bluebird, Cardinal, Scarlet Tanager,
White-throated Sparrow, Oriole, and most
of the common birds. After we had made
the Red-headed Woodpecker and the
Nuthatch, we fastened them on the curtain
in natural positions, the Nuthatch
with his head pointing downward.
When spring came, it was just a step
to go out into the yard and listen and
watch until we knew which bird was
making the whistle we heard. At the age
of four, some of the children could imitate
the Cardinal almost perfectly, and loved
to do it. We were never too busy to stop
work and go out into the yard if we heard
a bird.
In the spring of 1915 the offer of the
National Association of Audubon Societies
was brought to my attention. The leaf-
lets and buttons were sent for. They came.
They were so beautiful and instructive
that it seemed selfish to have them just
for the kindergarten children, so I offered