The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1896-01-23
PRETTY sattgoL GROUNDS.


=
Every hoy and Girl.
For several months in the year large
proportion Of the children Of this country
spend at leas. half Of the hours of daylight,
for five days ,ftho week, in OF about tho
school-house At the most susceptible
period Of life the influence OF these sur
roundings must in the aggregate be consld,
cradle, concludes Garden and Forest. A
neat and tidy room, with simple and cheer.
full decorations, will be constant object
lesson to every eye. A room with decrepit
furniture upon an unclean floor, and with
walls aud ceiling broken and stained, will
teach Its lesson, too, in taste and morals,
but 1t will be Nrite q different one. It IS
due to the health ofchildren that they be
supplied with abundant light and air. This
means detached building with ample open
space about 1t, even in the city. Exercise
Is also essential 10 the healthy development,
as well as to tho happiness Of children, and
play is the natur. and spontaneous exer-
else and refreshment for both their minds
and bodies. Aplayground may, therefore,
be considered necessary adjunct to every
school, Children will play wherever they
have room, but it will hardly be argued
that o bare space Of earth, which will be
dusty or muddy as the weather changes,
offers every advantage that children should
be able to derive from their school-grounds.
II the schoclroom can be made to give les
sons In cleanliness and order and taste the
surroundings Of the building should be ar
ranged to enforce the same lessons,
That properly ordered school-grounds can
aid In this direction, and, besides this, be
made an important educational auxiliary in
some branches Of natural science, was the
thesis of an interesting paper read before
the Massachusetts Horticultural Society by
MIR. Leverett NJ. Chase, master of the Dud-
ley School, in Roxbury. Mr.. Chase argued
that the ideal schoolground 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 a pleasure garden for the
children. They should be taught that the
garden is theirs, and feeling Of responsi-
bility for It should be encouraged. That
this sense Of ownership will engender such
apersonal interest that the exuberant de-
boys, will give place to sentiment Of affec-
ton, and desire to protect their shrubs
and flowers, has been proved in many in
stances. If the plants are all carefully la
neled and catalogued; II the children are
invited to aid in cultivating them, under
proper direction, they will gain much prac-
teal information as to the laws Of plant
growth, and il serious attempt at system
ATTIC instruction in certain branches Of bot
any Is connected with the care of the
grounds, many lessons which 1t would be
an irksome 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 growing love Of nat
ure-an increasing appreciation Of the
beauty Of trees and their value. If 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, it is to be feared that O dis.
tinctiyely American forestpolicy which
.-,;.s;..-a.:.,- .s.n n-...Ss sAe "AseS. au'
a.4 ;n,a,,; un =. .ue Na..oI, forests, ana tne
=. IN, nI.e ~ oase u .ne ia,ners Woou-
.o', WI neser pe suop.eu Until tne interest
anu y ~ pa'iis VI ing cnilareh are enlisted,
sothat they will grow up with sound views
and generous sentiments as 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 schoolhnilding, and IN
crowded cities large eschool-gardens will not
be practicable. But there is room for be-
ginning everywhere. A narrow border
along the foundation Of the schoolhouse
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 vine can
not be trained 80 as to show it's own beauty
and hide some unsightly object. AT all
events, some house.plants can be used
to brighten up the school-room and
to illustrate by living examules the