The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-05
FLOWERS PLANTED
Children Plan to Beautify Yard Of
Adams School. .. ..
CIVIC LEAGUES GOOD RESULTS
Pupils Are Inspired to Work to Inl-
prove the Appearance OF
Their Homes.

The good influence of the Improvement
department Of the Civic league at the
Adams school cannot be ESTIMATED. Re-
ceptive children are well grounded in
good citizenship by the league and no
weak incentive to, cleanliness in private
yards and premises is given. s.st :.
Acting on the theory that good works
begin at home, a committee met in the
school yard to-day and planted flower
seeds bordering the walks. Sod was
placed between the sidewalk and the
curb, and along the school fence.
Plans for the borders, with special ref
ence to color effect, were drawn by a
member of the school. Bright colored
flowers, such as peoples, are arranged in
contrast with sweet peas and the like.
Sweet alyssium, mignonette, castor beans,
cannas, asters and morning ~glories will
be used. hedge Of sweet peas will con-
ceal the bicycle rack Scarlet sage will
give brightness to the whole.
The Improvement department is pre-
sided over by committee of five girls and
i've boys. ! The ultimate aim is not only
TO Improve conditions, but to foster the
idea of municipal improvements from an
educational standpoint. The school
grounds are an objective point also, the
streets and avenues, and lastly the
homes, lawns, etc.
Committee Meets. Weekly, ~
Under the inspiration and direction of
the teachers and superintendent, the
committee meets weekly and commends
ana recommends work. The written re-
ports are submitted to the school and are
read to them. The pupils respond through
their nature study and language work as
10 what they are accomplishing ...
A recent lecture before 100 girl and
boy members of the league and their par
ents, delivered under the auspices of the
public entertainment committee of the
league, by G.. NJ Loring, has been a tre-
mendous inspiration. No one who reads
the 100 or more written reports to Prin-
cipal D. H. Painter, few of which fail to
trace their interest from Mr. Loring' S
talk on municipal Art. could fail to
realize the deep and permanent impress
sion for good.
mitted in degree to the parents.
Spring Cleaning Fever.
These reports present all sorts of phases
of this spring cleaning fever. One boy
relates how he gave up ball game to
clean up a yard, another has spent his
spare time removing the winters ashes,
another sprinkles the lawn regularly. One
report reads thus
eve have large yard and it looked
like dumping ground. I have taken
all the ashes away and raked up the
yard. feel like making garden, but
the man downstairs is using it all. T
heard Mr.. Loring's lecture and it was a
good one and made me think. That is
what put me to work.
Another says 81 have no back yard to
fix up so 1 thought it would be nice to
fix up our back porch and have some
beautiful flowers to look at out of the
window, or to smell the fragrance Of. That
will help to make my back porch look
pretty and have pretty bouquets in the
home. The other people can smell them
and get beauty from them, too, as much
as my parents or me-
Professor Painter believes that there is
no finer organization in the United States
than this civic league. 1t is very simple
and very comprehensive. 1t has an ulti-
mate effect on the children and on the
| community. ttE
Yesterday the uniform rank, composed
| of battalion of boys was drilling in pre-
May 16 for the National Educational as
| ISOLATION.