The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-26
GIRLS LEARN FARMING.
study of Seeds and Their Planting
at Washington.
BY R. NJ. Larner.

BY X. M. Larner.
Washington, April 25.-'What next
will girls learn?"
This question was suggested to your
correspondent who called at the Nor
NAL Department of the Franklin School
in this city yesterday. to make inquiry
about the course of agricultural work
taught at that institution of learning.
The Franklin School building IS To-
Gated in the most fashionable part of
the city. fronting on Franklin Park.
When your correspondent arrived at
the school a class of little girls was
taking a preliminary course of instruc-
ton in agriculture and botany in the
grounds surrounding the school build
ing. The young ladies of the Normal
School were giving the little folks the
benefit of the one years course OF In
struction they have already received.
Some of the little tots with toy spades,
trowels, and toy agricultural imp1e-
ments were planting flower and garden
seed under the direction of their SEN
iors. It was an interesting sight to be-
hold these little daughters of industry
theoretically digging holes in the earth,
planting seed and doubtless specializing
upon the crop each individual would
raise during the coming season.
The agricultural work of the girls In
the Normal School is under the direc-
ton of Miss S. p. Sipe of the Botany
Department. Miss Sipe said that Il
year ago a course in agriculture for
girls was originated in the Washington
Normal School. At that time a similar
course had been introduced in the pub
lie schools of Buffalo, Chicago and sew
eral other cities. Last year the course
was confined to a series Of lectures on
the subject of agriculture. The idea. is
to instruct those would-be teachers
who are interested in agriculture in the
practical method of farming on a small
or large scale, as circumstances may
offer.
The members of the class became so
interested in their work that efforts
were made to enlarge this scope of their
instruction. Accordingly this year Mr.
Galloway of the Agricultural Depart
ment placed at the disposal of Miss
Sipe and her class, a work ROOM hot
house, plot of ground and other mate
rial, so that the class might experiment
in agriculture and botany in practf-
cal way. Two or three days each week
the agricultural class goes over to the
Agricultural Department. and receives
practical demonstrations in the art of
farming on a small scale. Such infor-
nation as they receive they afterwards
impart to the little girls in the junior
grades, who are interested in this
practically new line of instruction In
girls school.
Each little girl is supplied with a
package of garden or flower seed, as
she may select. and she is expected to
experiment with the seed at home,
either'in her front or back yard, as the
case may be, and report the result of
her work at harvest time in the fall.
The older girls of the normal school
are supposed to instruct the little folks
as to the time. condition and other de-
tails about planting the seed and Guilt
waiting the crop as 1t advances. Miss
Sipe says there is a strong rivalry
among the teachers, as well as the pu-
pills. as to which individual shall pro-
duce the best results of their garden
ing by next November. In addition to
the practical benefits to be derived
from a practical knowledge of agri-
culture in all it's branches from the Sc
lection and preparation of the soil to the
production of either food or flowers this
course contemplates the identifying of
many homes and also affords health
giving outdoor exercise to the pupils.
At present a class of 100 girls is talk
ing the agricultural course. They are
proceeding with their work with zeal
at the disposal of the girls class plot
of ground which would enable each
pupil to cultivate seven by ten feet. 1t
was not convenient for the girls of the
class to accept this generous offer, so
it was transferred to the boys depart
ment of the normal school. The girls
do their experimental farming in their
backyards or gardens at home, or
wherever they can do so without too
great inconvenience. The great ma
jority of them are experimenting in
raising vegetables of different varieties.
Others prefer to indulge in gardening
and in raising flowers. At present the
greater part of this years crop of
vegetables will probably be onions,
radishes, lettuce, cabbage, potatoes,
corn and other vegetables of that va
riety.
Miss Sipe and those associated with
her in this admirable work are greatly
encouraged by the energy and interest
shown by the pupils of the highest as
well as the low grades. Sufficient prog
ress has already been made to justify
the prediction that agriculture will be-
come a regular course in the girls nor
NAL school at Washington.
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