Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-07-17
PRErrY SCHOOL GROUNDS.
a Constant Object Lesson 20 the Eyes 4
Every Boy and Girl.

Un6lbI 0C0OOI GhOONDSs
A COnStaht Object Lesson 60 the Eyes q
Every Boy and Girl.
For several months In the year large
proportion Of the children of this country
spend at least half Of the hours Of daylight,
for I'VE days Of the week, In or about the
schooi-house. At the most susceptible
period Of life the influence of these sur
roundings must in the aggregate be consid-
cradle, concludes Garden and Forest. A
neat and tidy room, with simple and cheer
full decorations. win be . constant object
lesson to every eye. A room with decrepit
furniture upon an unclean floor, and with
walls and ceiling broken and stained, viii
teach lts lesson, too, in taste and morals,
but Il viii be quite different one. It is
due to the health Of children that they be
supplied With abundant light and air. This
means detached building with ample open
space about II, even In the city. Exercise
Is also essential to the healthy development,
as well as TO the happiness Of children, and
play II the natural and spontaneous exer-
else and refreshment for both their minds
and bodies. A playground may, therefore,
be considered necessary adjunct to every
school. Children will play wherever they
havo 1Aom, but II VIII hardly be argued
that bare space Of earth, which win be
dusty or muddy as the weather changes,
offers every advantage that children should
be able 20 derive from their school grounds.
II the 0choolroom can be made 70 give les
sons In cleanliness and order and taste the
surroundings Of the building ehould be ar
ranged to enforce the same Lessons.
That properly ordered school grounds can
aid In this direction, and, besides this, be
mado an important educational auxiliary In
some branches Of natural science, was the
thesis Of IN interesting paper read before
the Massachusetts Horticultural Society By
Mr.. Leverett II. Chase, master Of the Dud.
ley School, In Roxbury. Mr. Chase argued
that the ideal School-ground should Be
separated into two distinct portions.
one devoted to the purposes Of an outdoor
gymnasium, and the other an area Of green
sward, properly planted with trees, shrubs,
vines-in short, pleasure garden for the
children. They should be taught that the
garden IL theirs, and feeling Of responsf
bility for It should be encouraged. That
this sense of ownership will engendeR such
Q personal interest that the exuberant de-
structiveness, so often manifested by school.
boys, will give place TO . sentiment Of affec-
ton, and desire to protect their shrubs
and flowers, has been proved in many In
stances. II the plants are all carefully L.
beled and catalogued; If tho children are
invited TO aid In cultivating them, under
proper direction, they win gain much prac-
tical information ~ to the laws Of plant
growth, and IL . serious attempt ct system
ATTIC instruction in certain branches Of bot
any Is connected with the care of the
grounds, many lessons which Il would be
IN irksOWe task to acquire otherwise will
be learned without effort, and even with
positive delight From the knowledge thus
gained, and the interest aroused in
the school-garden, we may reasonably
look for q growing love Of nat
ure-an increasing appreciation Of tho
beauty OF trees and their value. II this gen.
GRAFTON OF children were reared under such
influences ours would be land OF fair gar.
dens In q quarter Of century, and there
would be no difficulty in securing proper
legislation for the preservation Of our for.
ests. Indeed. 1t is to be feared that q dis
tinctively American forest-policy which
shall embrace in its scope the wisest ad-
ministration Of the Nations forests, and the
most intelligent care Of the farmers wood
lot, will never be adopted until the interest
and sympathy Of the children are enlisted,
80 that they will grow up with sound views
and generous sentiments a. to the import
Ance Of trees and forests as an element Of
the National welfare.
OF course grounds sufficiently spacious
for garden can not now be found connect
ed with every school-building, and In
crowded cities large school-gardens will not
be practicable. But there Is room for be-
ginning everywhere. A narrow border
along the foundation Of the school-house
may be made beautiful with flowers from
the time when snowdrops appear until
frost kills the latest aSter. There are few
school-yards where place can not be found
for some tree or shrub, or where q vine can
not be trained so as to show its own beauty
and hide some unsightly object At ali
events, some house-plants can be used
to brighten up the school-room and
to Illustrate by living examples the
elementary facts in botany and horticulture.
One disadvantage will be that of the teach
ers and trustees who must take the lead in
this enterprise know so little themselves of
the subjects in which it is proposed to in.
terest the children. The beginnings of this
reform-for q genuine reform it will be-
will be feeble, and much honest effort will
be misdirected. Unsuitable trees and
shrubs will often be selected and they will
be badly planted In improper places. But
the very fact that the lack of knowledge ON
these points is so lamentable is the strong
est reason that beginning should be made.
The attempt will excite inquiry and criti.
cism, and knowledge will come from the
study and discussion thus aroused. Fortu.
nate are those places already provided with
teachers like Mr., Chase, and Mr. Endicott,
master Of the Gibson School In Dorchester,
who, at the meeting above mentioned,
added some valuable testimony to the sound.
ness Of the positions taken in Mr.. Chase's
paper.
A final suggestion made by Mr.. Chase Is
worth considering in other States as well a.
In Massachusetts. It was that prizes be
offered for the bestkept and most tastefully
embelllshed school-grounds.