The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-06-10
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garden that performs some educa.
tional function in the school with
- which il is connected. 1t has d
garden laboratory-a nature study lab
oratory. 1t does for the children out
0f-doors what the chemical laboratory.
the' carpenter shop and the kitchen
laboratory do indoors. 1t trains the
eye and the hand along with the in
tellect, and at the same time gives
pleasureable employment and physical
exercise in the open air and sunshine.
TO many pupils in the city 1t opens ND
q whole new world-nature's life TO.
nance, divine pastoral abounding In
amusing little comedies and the most
intensely interesting gedics-thc
struggles for cXistence--all this at n
time when every impression made upon
the child mind leaves an indelibe
stamp. And not only docs it arouse
interest in the many phenomena of
nature thus brought under the directed
observations of the child, but it also
gives zcst to many otherwise dry cXer-
cises that the skilled teacher corrclatcs
with 1t.
KINDS OF SCHOOL GARDENS.
Two fairly distinct types OF school
gardens are found. In one the orna-
mental features predominate. The chill.
dren assist in planting the school
grounds with wild flowers and shrubs,
or cultivated flowers, ornamental plants
and trees, or various combinations Of
native and introduced plants. Ordinar-
lily In gardens of this type the aesthetic
features are emphasized. though not
always to the exclusion of other valua.
bic instruction. The children may
learn, to certain extent, the princi-
pies of plant growth. the reasons for
pruning and grating trees, the best
methods of combating insect pests and
fungus diseases of flowers, shrubs and
trees. and many other practical details
In maintaining pleasant home surround
ings.
In the other type of school garden
the vegetable garden--wc find the eco
nomlc element prcdominating. Chill
dren are frequently allowed to plant
flowers in connection with vegetables,
but this feature of the work Is usually
incidental to the instruction in growing
useful plants. Usually the garden is
divided into small plats. from four to
ten feet wide by six to twenty feet
long. and one or two pupils are made
responsible for the care of each plat.
Here they plant lettuce. radishes beans.
potatoes and other farm and garden
vegetables, learn to distinguish them
from the weeds that threaten to choke
them out. become familiar with their
habits of growth and methods Of re-
production, discover numerous insect
enemies and other pests that require
great ingenuity to eradicate, and grad
ually acquire n nomenclature that adds
greatly to the stock Of words in their
growing vocabulary.
LANDSCAPE EFFECTS.
Such gardens do not lend themselves
to the realization of landscape effects.
but furnish many valuable lessons not
to be acquired in the ornamental gar
den, where. as q rule, all the pupils
work together. Among other things
they develop sense OF ownership, and
awaken greater personal interest.
With this sense OF ownership comes n
growing regard for the property OF
others. II has been found In TIE edu-
cation of incorrigiblc boys that al-
lotting 10 each boy q plat of ground
upon which lie can raise what he will
and enjoy the fruits of his labor has n
powerful influence in overcoming the
tendency to indulge in petty thieving.
Furthermore, the few experiments In
school garden work that have been
carried on long enough in this country
to give tangible results indicate that
children who have engaged in work OF
this kind at school acquire a whole
some respect not only for the individual
property of others. but for city prop
erty and other corporate property. for
the shad trees In the streets and the
shrubbery and flowers in parks.
The individual plat system. nlso
more than any other fixes personal re.
sponsibility. There Is no chance TO
shrk It. II any plat shows neglect the
teacher knows where to fix the blame
If another shows excellence in design
or palnsta.;!ng effort, the teacher
knows where praise should he he
slowed. 1t has been found In schools
where this system has been tried that
to deprive Il ncglectful pupil OF his
plat ard give 1t to some one else has
been enc OF the strongest incentives
TO continuous and pninstaking effort
After pupil has prepared his ground.
sown his seed and bestowed some little
care upon the Plants that have come up
he very much dlslil;cs 10 have the
fruits OF lis labor enjoyed by someone
else.
DEVELOPMENT or THE NoTI MESr.
School gardens OF Tie two types men,
toned are mostly modern institutions.
No concerted movement for their cs-
tablishmcnt dates back more than thir-
ty.fve years. Aside from Germany.
where two or three states gave cncouy-
agement to the establishment OF school
gardens, over eighty years ago. Austria
and Sweden were leaders in the move
ment ard were practically contcmpor-
aneous In giving official encouragement
TO It. The Austrian imperial school
law Of March II. 1860. prescribed that
"where practicable garden and place
for agricultural experiments shall he
established Mt every rural school," In