The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-01-30
IN OUR COUN-
TRY SCHOOLS.

W
constructed in the same manner. the
boys and girls grew to be men and
women of great force of character and
strong personality.
Although the strictly mental train
ing at this time was confined to short
hours, the manual training received iii
clearing the forest, building homes,
making farms, as we'll As the tools and
implements to work them, called forth h
the best efforts and developed ele-
ments of success. But the pio-
ueer period is past, the
lani has been cleared, the
farms have been made the towns To-
Gated. Building and manufacturing
are now done by trained mechanics;
farm work is done mainly by machin-
cry; and there is comparatively little
for the boy or girl to do. Little at
least to call forth energy, develop oo-
servat:ol or mature judgment. What
we need. in addition TO the mental
traininr given at the schools OF our
time, is the force and skill developed
By the manual training of our fathers.
Manual or industrial training is fast
becoming popular adjunct to our
city schools. ami i, helping to solve
the problem of what to do with the
city BOY. Ii something similar was
introduced into our country schools 1t
wor'd be equally helpful in solving
the problem of what to do with the
boy and girl in the country.
Our countr schools are being
graded. and in many rural townships
nigh schools have been established. 1t
is here that | especially urge the in
PRODUCTION OF stuiy AMI training IN
horticulture. TIE necessary land for
such purposes could be easily secured,
and the necessary tools and appliances
would be comparatively inexpensive.
The cultivation of flowers and orna-
mental shrubs and trees, minia-
ture model kitchen. or vegetable
garden; small plantations of fruit,
could be easily undertaken. The oper.
alton of propagating plants ts seeds
cuttings, grating, budding. etc; the
collection and study of weeds, and OF
the more common. injurious and bene-
fetal insects; together with the best
with our native forest trees and shrubs;
our common birds, grasses, etc. All
this might be accomplished and could
not fail to crouse interest and develop
taste for scientific thought and investi-
CATION.
In addition to the direct practical
value of such training. it woul culti-
vate the children's aesthetic faculties
and develop an appreciation OF
the beautiful in nature and in
art 1t would mean an improve
ment in our school -ho use grounds and
the proper adornment of these would
tend to sweeten and purify the
lives of the whole community. BY the
adornment OF our school grounds, l do
not raean any costly expenditure, fo-
it is the conception OF an uneducated.
not to say vulgar. mind that thinks
tnat the beautiful ami the costly are
Identical. / should like to see the
grounds about every country school
house so managed as to give them
landscape effects. What we mean BY
a landscape is a picture; picture with
one central thought or idea running
through it. We have all seen places
that we ins.inctively call cosy and
home-like, and may have wished that
we were skilled enough to sketch the
scene, or at least have camera to
take the view that appeared SO pleas
ing. This WAS be cause a picture was
presented to the mind. Perhaps you
did not analyze it, possibly You could
not tell the elements of which it was
composed, yet the picture was there.
1t attracted your attention.
We are slowly learning that it is not
trees, nor shrubs, nor flowers. that
make a picture, but the proper ar
rangement of trees and Shrubs and
flowers Brick an1 stone and wood
only give US architectural effects when
properly arranged.
If we have beautiful school buildings,
with beautiful surroundings, the infer.
ence is inevitable that we shall have
noble teachers; teachers who can help
in making a beautiful world still more
beautiful.
1t may be said that the introduction
of shopwork as form of manual train
ing in our country schools is more
practical than horticulture. But is
this true? Let us consider. While
horticulture is one of the youngest it is
one OF the most rapidly developing arts
in this country. The fruit interests
alone of states like California, New
York, Ohio, Michigan and others are
great and constantly growing. The
forcing of winter vegetables and the
cultivation of the finer products of the
| kitchen garden are rapid Y extending
and becoming more and more protitab BILE
| Commercial Horticulture is develop
ing with marvellous rapidity and bid:
! fair to soon become one of the mos'
| important branches OF horticulture.
| According to the census of 1899 the an
nual product from this business is over
| s.6. 900. .OOO The Society of American
| Florists, one of the strongest dis
tinctively horticultural organizations
in this country, has for years persist
emily urged the importance, the neces
sitv, of schools or depar TN ents of fiori
! culture. Perhaps it is doubtful i
there is any industry OF equal exten'
| and usefulness 50 entirelv wanting II
| opportunity for instruct ION and train
| ing. With the caption of the SaaN
botanic garden. OF 81. Louis, l know o
no place where one W 10 wishes to be
come a practical florist cln go fol
| guidance and in ,tructioI.
nave received letters the pa st yea
which testify that young men an'
youn women are looking toward tiori
culture as va Ito l wlic Off. man.
and sig ral advantages. II i>a vocation
esp.c ally adapted t. won.n and sew
aral thousand are airead , engaged in i,
We should also renem Der that ger
sral nom. interest III flowers and orna
mental gardening i, rapi lily develop
ing. II will tnl, n-s srel that, by
broad and liberal Interpretation, hor ii
culture embraces many different divis-
ions, and in each of these there is