The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-03-13

| ~ IdSSsi IL says, nave
attached to them little garden. This
Is designed primarily for the comfort
of tt teacher, as it enables him to
raise few vegetables and fruits and
thus supplement his modest salary
but here and there n teacher turns it
to professional use by encouraging the
children TO take an interest IN it.
They will then no longer content
themselves with the pictorial charts
on the walls of the schoolroom, but
will add to the study of these an ac-
quaintance with the real flowers and
fruits, birds, insects and worms found
outside. The same habits of inquiry
and analysis which are acquired from
a well-directe3 kindergarten are stimu-
lated by this simple nature. study, and
the elements of husbandry thus
picked up are not unlikely to be OF
real value later in life
\ school at After, with 400 pupils
and six teachers, has for one of its
compulsory features two hours week
OF instruction in fruit culture garden
ing and general farming during the
last two years of the course. The
| school is fortunate in its situation, be-
ing in rich region which has been
turned by intensive farming into one
vast garden. where vegetables alter.
nate with orchards, with occasional
strips OF grain or forage plants. Nearly
! every householder in After is an ex-
| perlenced gardener. His wife and
! children work in the field with him.
! so that the youngsters early acquire q
| good general understanding OF garden
| operations. For this reason the prin-
cipal OF the school has addressed his
! special attention TO fruit-culture.
which is not so widely understood.
| His whole garden contains about q
half-acre. Dwarf fruits border the
paths. \ nursery grown from seeds
| planted by the children, and after
ward grated and pruned by them,
| occupies q prominent place; while cur
rants, gooseberries, raspberries land
other small fruits fill in every foot of
the available space remaining.
The boys Of the higher grade do all
the spading, planting, pruning and
| harvesting, under the direction OF the
! principal, who works with them.
| About twenty OF the boys work in the
! garden at a time, On the occasion of
one visit a part OF the pupils were
| found sowing seed while others were
! covering it with the necessary depth
OF soil; still others were LAYING out
! paths, picking dead leaves off stems.
replanting empty beds, watering the
| sown seed. etc. \ few days later the
\ dwarf fruit trees required pruning.
and the boys did il with their own
hands; but not until, in each case.
the twig to be prunej hal been exam
| ined and the exact spot fixed for ap-
/ plying and explaining why that, and
! no other, should be chosen.
The principle underlying the rota-
| ton of crops is taught by intensive
! farming in this garden, where the
/ same soil Is utilized for two or three
| crops during the growing season. and
| the produce sold. This system has
| the double value Of teaching the chill
! dren what particular crops succeed
each other 10 best advantage, and also
how the fruits should be prepared and
| put mp for market Harmful insects
and diseases, as soon as detected any
where, are made subject Of special
! study for the whole class, and the
! children learn to hunt down the same
! noxious agents in their parents gar
| deus az home.
Bees are not included in the regu.
/ lar curriculum, but incidentally thew
I are sometimes turned to account. and
/ @ hive IS always kept in the garden.
one morning a swarm flew by the
| scLCO. windows and alighted on
| small tree. The children were at once
! set 90 studyi-. The queen was singled
ont AID placed in the hive, tue work
ers were gathered aud put with her.
and new colony was formed
The principal Of the school AZ All.
ter has taught there for tlirtv-two
years. and Las made speciality Of
horticulture from the first. He Is Of
I the opinion that the influence Of the
children garjeu.stuiy has extended
. through the whole village. While IL
. may not be solely accountable for the
ligu degree Of perfection i'm the in
tsusive farming % the district IL has
undoubtedly produced its effect in the
/ introduction ui the best varieties Of
/ fruit ard vegetables there. The chill
. dren seem o. ENJOY their garden work.
. They gather seedlings from the for.
est. graft them az home. and are soon
owners G. their own fruit trees. and
nearly an cf them have little flower.
. gardens or To'tei plants for their OK
clusive property.
This school. 5. should be said. is
not a sample &C the rural common
schools generally. even in the same
( province Mos. ai the teachers. I'M
fortunately are recruited from the
cities. and lack anything more than a
. theoretical knowledge 90 the laws Of
. Y'aut-rrovtl. which they impart 60
tle children by use Of books and
charts SD tIis is regarded as having
an educational value. but of course
tine practical instruction De- much bet.
ter. In view OF the fact that most Of
( our American teachers e country
schools are az rural birth aud early
education, % seems q pity that prac-
tiral horticulture could not be made a
part &c 'he normal curriculum through
which they ere expected 10 pass be-.