Page:Oklahoma Arbor and Bird Day, Friday, March Twelfth, 1909.pdf/37

 

Courtesy Sturm's Oklahoma Magazine.

 

"Native labor is of little value to us because nearly every other day is public or religious holiday." Thus spoke a prominent contractor of the present conditions in South America. Too many holidays! The same complaint has been urged against the schools. Too many holidays! Celebrations of birthdays, anniversaries, special days, etc., are said to be taking up too much of the time of school children. Then it must indeed be for a very good reason that a new holiday is proposed.

Superintendent C. A. Babcock, of Oil City, Pa., thought he had a good reason for a new holiday and so proposed the observance of Bird Day. As far as is known he was the first to publicly propose the setting aside of one day in the year for the study of birds. In 1894 he wrote the Secretary of Agriculture at Washington, urging the establishment of such a day, and in reply, Mr. J. Sterling Morton, at that time the Secretary, said the suggestion had his "cordial approval." Then we may say that May 4, 1894, was the first Bird Day. Exercises were held in Oil City, Pa., and consisted of compositions, poems, talks and discussions about birds. The interest was good and the idea seemed to be one which would be very generally accepted.

The following year the Oil City schools had another Bird Day, and it has since become a regular event in the schools of that city. Of course the papers discussed the new holiday, some calling it a fad, others commending the idea.

The discussion spread to the west, and in 1896 we find Ft. Madison, Iowa, celebrating Bird Day. Superintendent Morrill, in describing the first Bird Day in Iowa, said, "I never saw children so enthusiastic in 