Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-05-19

certificates OF ownership 10 DC pre-
scented at the gates as a pass TO enter
The lesson over, the children marched
to their respective plots and planted
the seeds given to them as they hal
been shown how to do by the gardener.
New groups followed them. and soon
in that desert waste rose an oasis OF
living green, orderly, neat and
picturesque,-the first children's
school farm in New York city, con-
ceived and directed by Mrs. Fenry
Parsons, member Of the iocal school
board of the iftn school district of
Manhattan.
One hundred and twenty-five farm
ers cared for their plots during the
first season, but in the following
spring so many requests for farms"
were received that the park authorities
decided to enlarge the space allotted,
so that nearly 300 boy and girl farm.
ers, varying in age from eight to Is
years, were happily employed during
the second summer-that of 1903.
Through the long, hot days of July
and August you might see them water
ing, wedding, hoeing, or quietly sitting
around the central flower plot listen.
ing to nature-study talk by the at.
tendant teacher. improvements upon
the surrounding land followed rapidly
in the wake of those upon the farm.
Toward the east the park department
had placed a huge, open-air gym
nasium and playground Toward the
west, tiny country seat, with IL
by lS-foot farmhouse, a green lawn
and flower beds, pavilion, a pig-pen
and chicken-house had been added
to the farm property. Still farther
west stood sand tent, and a second
canvas formed a resting place for
tired mothers. A typical afternoon
might have shown 80 or 100 children
busy in the garden; in the pavilion,
sewing class and a group weaving
baskets for farm produce; in the tiny
house, tea being served by neatly
aproned housekeepers, while on the
lawn the boys played croquet.
The history of the making of the
New York garden is that of gardens
IN many cities. Back yards are no
longer unsightly. In some cases, the
stone tagging of the schoolyard has
given place to miniature gardens or
great beauty. Bare lots have become
beautiful, and hundreds of boys and
girls have grown daily stronger,
happier, and better. America has only
begun to realize her opportunity in the
value of school gardens as an educa-
tional force among the thousands or
children in her crowded cities. An
effort is being made to attract the at
tention of educators to the model
school garden" which, directed by
Herbert j. Hemenway of the Hartford
school of horticulture, will be most
attractive ceature of the worlds fair
at st. Louis. If the public education
association of Philadelphia succeeds in
Its efforts to have at least one school
garden opened in the summer of 1904.
the garden movement will have been
at least inaugurated in four great
eastern cities,-New York, Boston.
Philadelphia, and Washington.
The first school garden in America
was started in Boston by Henry S.
Clapp in 1890. The garden was
intended for wild flowers.
and so well has the work succeeded
that at the present time it includes
more than $50 native wild plants. In
1901, a large vegetable garden was
added to the flower garden. Last sea
son. Boston had 16 of these gardens;
and with only this small number Bos-
ton is yet far ahead of other cities in
America in the school garden move
ment.
An idea of the cost of maintaining a
school garden of one-half acre. for
$50 children, during the first season
may be obtained from the following
estimate given for Philadelphia
Preparation of ground, including
ler.liizers... .......S 35
Fencing, Toulouse and tools 225
Literature, insect mounts, mate
rails for simple experiments. 16l
Seeds and plants -. $50. 30l
'ai 49, -. -. ......... $500
This estimate does not include the
"a the attendant teachers and
the gardener or laborer. Trained
teachers are more valuable than agri-
culturlsts without knowledge of
pedagogical methods. Teachers no,
versed in agriculture may be sup.
piemented by a good gardener; if,
however, the teachers do understand
gardening q lahnrar may and In faa4