The Springfield herald., 1900-10-05
CAlLDREN'S GARDENS.
PUEBLO PEOPLE TRY AN Ex-
PsR .rnENT.
Flowers and Vegetables Take the Place Of
Books with Little Folks Popular an
Successful

Pueblo this summer has had kinder
gartens that are real child gardenA
Plots of ground for the cultivation OF
flowers and vegetables have taken tho
place of school rooms and hoes and
rakcs have served as educational ap-
paratus. The idea is novel, although
II direct application of the teachings OF
Froebcl, and it has been Il complete
success
The plan originated with Superln-
tendent J. +. Heating. Among the adj
vantagcs that led TO its adoption are
the following: The gardens afford an
excellent opportunity for bringing city
children into close touch with nature
during the growing season of the year.
BY this plan the long vacation is put in
the winter months when it is difficult
for very young children to get to the
school buildings. In the summer gar
dens, too, the children are kept under
the watchful eyes of their teachers
Mt period of the year when many of
them are usually allowed to run wild
and entirely without the restraint of
home or school influences.
Summer kindcrgartens have been
conducted this year ut three schools in
ISeblo. Near each there is small
31en where flowers and vegetables
We're grown by the children under the
direction of their teachers. In most
eases each child had an individual plot
in addition to II general space in which
all were interested. Work in the gar
dcns took UP the children's time be-
tween 0 and IL 80 o'clock in the NOM
Ing, when it was cool. Games and light
work indoors occupied the afternoons.
For the individual plots each child was
given two or three vegetables, such as
corn, beans and cabbages. They
We're provided with watering cans aud
taught how to use garden tools in keep
ing the ground in condition. Their ut
tention was also called to the stages
in the life of plant from seed to seed
again. They made drawings of leaves.
trees and birds and the best of these
drawing they were allowed as IL spe-
cial reward to color with water coiors.
In the plots cultivated in common there
was wide variety of plant life-let-
!uce, radishes, potatoes, squash, cab
bage, watermelons, canteloupes ana
peanuts. besides the flowers. In the
latter part of the summer the lunches
of the children We're provided in
large measure from the produce OF the
gardens and in some instances the veg
ctables We're sold for their common
benefit. Excursions to large farms near
the city We're arranged from time to
tillle uuiIhS iiie suliihei anu 'h' ,h,i-
dren We're delighted to see their little
operations repeated on more consld-
cradle scale.
At first the idea of garden school
was not well received. especially by
the foreigners. who make up large
part of the population Mt the steel
works and smelters. but these people
gradually became its most enthusiasts
supporters. The benefits of these sum
IL kindergartens have so plainly
demonstrated themselves that they
have passed beyond the experimental
stage and 1t has been decided by the
school board to make them n regular
thing each year. The plan has attract
ed the attention of educators in other
parts of the country and it Is believed
will meet with general adoption.