In April of 1918 , while the creation was at war , the children of California set about systematically slaughter over 100,000 squirrel .
Californian ground squirrel were deal a pest by the state , given their habit of devouring around 30 million dollars Charles Frederick Worth of crops every year . After years of farmers trying to chase them down like Elmer Fudd had go wrong to get them under restraint , the state stepped in with its own idea : Get children to murder every last one of the adorable picayune irritants .
As you ’d imagine , acquire kids to go outside and wipe a species off the nerve of the planet is n’t the easiest matter in the human beings – even in the days before the PS5 and Shrek . As well as the struggle of do them go outside , stress telling a kid " here ’s a leaning of animals I desire you to down " and see what sort of look you get in return . luckily , the state had a plan . They would just plunge a $ 40,000 propaganda campaign against the squirrel , likening them to top - ranking Germans .
The campaign , which would involve creating competitions between schools and schoolchildren for who could kill the most critters , was give up off by the state commissioner George H. Hecke whocalled for childrento phase " a troupe of soldiers " to get out there and destroy " the squirrel USA " , which is an outstandingly combative term for " squirrels " .
Speeches were given to tantalize the troops , and some of the most deranged posting you ’ll ever see propagate to ( presumably quite baffled ) kids . As well as painting the squirrels as prehensile jerks under catchy slogans such as " vote down the squirrel " and " slay the female parent squirrel during education season " , squirrels were primp up as Kaiser Willhelm .
After the propaganda campaign descend the killing . In what was term " squirrel week " – which was a lot more genocidal than the adorable name imply – kids were ask to bring thetails to schoolsas proof of the kill and subsequent taking apart . This was because in the lead - up to squirrel hebdomad , the direction had been to send off them instantly to the horticultural commission , which had begin to fume of death due to the " accumulation of ground squirrel backside " in the authority .
The method acting of kill ranged from poison to shooting and everything in between .
" All the killing devices of modernistic war will be used in the effort to annihilate the squirrel army let in throttle poison barleycorn and other destructive agents , " a news reportread at the fourth dimension .
" Large measure of these supplies are being rushed to the fronts where the fighting will be the violent . The battle will pull in in intensity as days exit and will be at its height during state “ Squirrel hebdomad ” to be proclaimed by the governor from April 29 to May 4 . "
The leaflet campaign had clearly been good , as the week - foresightful delirium brought in an astonishing104,509 tail . The Commissioner congratulated the children in the local paper for their " loyal service " and encouraged them to do it in their superfluous time for fun now that the contest was over , rather than , for example , turn over badminton a endeavor .
With the week over and the prizes give out , the cleanup nevertheless continue in some counties unabated , with one frankly terrific youngster bringing in3,780 beat squirrels , which I judge at least help with his math .
[ H / T : Atlas Obscura ]
