THE PHILLIPS EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE BIRDS.—­Quite recently there has come under my notice an episode in the education of school children that has given the public profound satisfaction.  I cite it here as an object lesson for pan-America.

In Carrick, Pennsylvania, just across the Monongahela River from the city of Pittsburgh, lives John M. Phillips, State Game Commissioner, nature-lover, sportsman and friend of man.  He is a man who does things, and gets results.  Goat Mountain Park (450 square miles), in British Columbia, to-day owes its existence to him, for without his initiative and labor it would not have been established.  It was the first game preserve of British Columbia.

Three years ago, Mr. Phillips became deeply impressed by the idea that one of the best ways in the world to protect the wild life, both of to-day and the future, would be in teaching school children to love it and protect it.  His fertile brain and open check-book soon devised a method for his home city.  His theory was that by giving the children something to do, not only in protecting but in actually bringing back the birds, much might be accomplished.

[Illustration:  BIRD DAY AT CARRICK, PA.  Marching Behind the Governor]

In studying the subject of bringing back the birds, he found that the Russian mulberry is one of the finest trees in the world as a purveyor of good fruit for many kinds of birds.  The tree does not much resemble our native mulberry, but is equally beautiful and interesting.  “The fruit is not a long berry, nor is it of a purple color, but it grows from buds on the limbs and twigs something after the manner of the pussy-willow.  It is smaller, of light color and has a very distinct flavor.  The most striking peculiarity about the fruit is that it keeps on ripening during two months or more, new berries appearing daily while others are ripening.  This is why it is such good bird food.  Nor is it half bad for folks, for the berries are good to look at and to eat, either with cream or without, and to make pies that will set any sane boy’s mouth a-watering at sight.”—­(Erasmus Wilson).

Everyone knows the value of sweet cherries, both to birds and to children.

Mr. Phillips decided that he would give away several hundred bird boxes, and also several hundred sweet cherry and Russian mulberry trees.  The first gift distribution was made in the early spring of 1909.  Another followed in 1910, but the last one was the most notable.

On April 11, 1912, Carrick had a great and glorious Bird Day.  Mr. Phillips was the author of it, and Governor Tener the finisher.  On that day occurred the third annual gift distribution of raw materials designed to promote in the breasts of 2,000 children a love for birds and an active desire to protect and increase them.  Mr. Phillips gave away 500 bird boxes, 500 sweet cherry trees and 200 mulberry trees.  The sun shone brightly, 500 flags waved in Carrick, the Governor made one of the best speeches of his life, and Erasmus Wilson, faithful friend of the birds, wrote this good story of the occasion for the Gazette-Times of Pittsburgh: