New-York tribune., 1902-09-02
NATURE CULTURE TEACHER
MISS HELEN BENNETS EXPERIENCE
WITH BOY AND GIRL FARMERS

.ST,s August sun brought up this garden with
-be magic OF Jacks beanstalk,'' said Miss Helen
Bennet who has been the only teacher Of nature
culture in the city this summer. as she surveyed
the miniature farm which is an attraction OF De
VIM Clinton Park al Fifty-third-st and Eleventh.
sre The garden seeds were planted under the
direction of Miss Bennett. who is Mrs Henry Par
sous's technical helper in this new experiment IN
farming.
IF vou wish 10 see the practical influence Of this
T++le garden continued the enthusiastic teacher,
..vou should have seen The bowling mob Of young
anarchists that collected about this neat and toy
Mot q little more than four weeks ago Now they
are as tame and docle as any one can desire. Inc
garden Is never disturbed at night; in fact, every
one around here is its protector I don't know
r-7e+ -zouid happen 10 the vandal who presumed
70 destroy one tiny plant
These little children knew practically nothing
or how vegetables grow until they saw them
PLANTED here. One boy thought potatoes grew on
trees and little girl said wheat grew in lunches
] asked her why she thought wheat grew II
lunches and she said she had seen II on coffin
Ana how eagerly they reach out for every trifing
hit Of Information about seed growth have a
hox Of wet sawdust in which I have placed DIFF
rerent seeds 70 sprout and the benefit from Il is
that they can take the seeds out and examine them
10 see how the growth takes place
we had great time getting this farm started
We took the first children who applied, and then
had 70 drag in some tncreduloUs ones who would
not believe but that had some ulterior motive.
and least Of all would they believe that green
things would actually UP out Of the ground
When one demurred. and ! fancied I detected a
possible enemy he the one took by the arm
and pulled into the inclosure. and never left him
rnttl he became ardent ally. Every child has
q tag Of membership. and no one can enter the
gate unless II is shown There IS no lock on the
gate only & wooden button
That man working over In thar further corner
of the garden pointing tall, elderly man who
was transplautng some plants. is our model land
lord. I have named him the model landlord he
cause he came here to among the first. and
agreed TO look out for things IL general If would
give gardens to each Of three little girls. who were
children OF tenants Of MS in Fifty-third-st Now.
4 that is not being a model landlord, should like
70 know what IT is. His name is MI Murch ana
he is invaluable as al unofficial gardener.
y have been making garden hats for my girls
continued the young teacher. out of raf1a, the
straw that used for packing. 1t takes hve cents
little girls can braid it, and teach them to sew Il
A generous man offered TO buy ioac OF tle ne s Ia.l1
Of IL He saw the hat and was convinced have
that looks like an Imported piece OF hiiliile'S
This farming work so fascinateS @ Ine tpi,g
their gardens grow Yesterday a boys rflother
nToa - see me and begged me to turn her son
ont OF the garden she had place for him 70 90
10 work S3 50 week, ard she cot not get MN
But aside from the desirable experience in Tais-
ing Vegetables there IS nurn0ei OF tEzen II i
di nothing than 70 place US on terms l I; 81
triendiiness ana conIoeISge S T 10 he great deaI
mt think the fact that II teaches the chlldre 70
have respect rights of others is TREMENDOUS
stride toward social betterment- II you wish
child 10 respect the property Of others, give nm
something Of his TO take care or Make Fn
a nart owner and proprietor Of things and then he
viii look out for them. II IS most interesting 10
see how speedily his atutsde changes. All these
children are ry friends and the protectors Of the
llrt;e farm where few weeks they 4
,aoh of street savageS expect also call at
fenfion 70 the fact that every small plot Of gTound
NAV lend itself to cultivation In that way home
organization is promoted. and il teaches thrift.
oS+ nF all wish 10 call the attention Of the
rf-z authorities to the fact that vacant lots may
no mt TO some good and benefit 70 some one.
we even hone that eventually the benches in parks
VIII he placed under the trees instead OF along the
borders of the walks " no ever heard or such a
ro+ have that sort OF thing all We take gen.
ri1e comfort in our parks in Philadelphia