Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-11-04
GROTON SCHOOLS
TEACH GARDENING
Plots Of Ground Assigned
Pupils Who Learn When
TO Plant
WHAT AND HOW TO CULTIVATE

Guy r. Mitchell. ~ the National Ir.
rlguiiou association. sends out quite
an interesting account Of iho Crofou
school GARD ne Mr. Mitchell SAYS.
Gr1ion town begins De training
with ihe extremely young m'ad Noi
the Tea. q Interesting 0f iia educational
WORK and which is destined perhaps
to produce greater effects uTnn MOD.
ern dnfef gl syt lf ihau even
NE famous 0r0'Cn prep school for
Harvard. are the Groton school gar.
dens These have already gained some
fame and their results are enthuai
asiically sp ken o.
Mind Development and mind raining
may he accomplished as well by
means OF Die study OF farm crops a.
Of the dead languagos The uudv Of
Greek, say Prof Bailey Of Cornell.
Is p no uorc proper means OF ndu.
cation than IS The study of Indian
corn 1.-The wind may be- developed lty
means az either ono--aud classics
ana calculus are no more educational
than are machines and potatoes.
The school garden work al Groion
begins with the simple things which
naturally Interest childish mind.
and the first thing they know the
Youngsters are learning while they
think they are playing. Then In the
next step iho interest in the work
takes hold ~ them aud they hesin 10
feel a pride and proprietorship In do.
ing things and accomplishing results
which growu up people do. Tho won
der Of the creative idea gets hold OF
the children. They plant n seed IN
the spring u comes up. herlns 20
grow. eniargos rapidly, and before
they have time 10 get tired. q Il ripe
and ready 20 harvest and eat they
have made a. Il Is the product OF
their WORK
II Il ~ wonderful thing TO the
mature mind that man can bond the
forces Of nature to his Intelligent
Will and plant and reap. thai out OF
the same around will spring dozen
different crops, all useful and beau
tiful. how much more amazing must
u be 20 the youthful. growing mind.
And this idea OF the plant and the
harvest. OF In reality making the
things which are good to eat, which
viii satisfy hunger aud snstain life, IL
strongly embedded In the human
breast u needs only 10 be- intelli.
gently awakened and fosterod. and
the great success Of the school garden
work al! over the country shows the
tremendous Importance of this kind
OF education
To men who have never watched
anything grow. have never assisted In
rs production, O. may never IN all
their existence have occurred hat life
Is sustained from the soil. and that
every man can provide his own sns.
tenance from the ground
- Gr0ion the average size NJ the
ehild's garden Is iOXi0 feet. The VII
laRe Improvement Society furnishes
the tools and pays the salary OF
director. An other supplies are furn.
ished mOst of the seed from the De.
partment Of Agriculture al Washing
ton; all that is expected OF the child.
rem Is TO work IN the garden, The
director tells bow and when 10 plant
and provides a good rotation Of crops.
furnlps. carrots, cabhagos are plant.
ed after radlshes. lettuce and peas are
done. The children have enough "a
their gardens 20 supply their families
with vegetables and TO sell some. II
not to keen some for winter.
There Is nothing like a garden, says
the director. Every normal child
loves 81 Back TO nature Ia the tend.
ency Of the times. according 10 Prbf
Baliey again. We must come into
contact with actual things, not with
museums and collections. The ideal
museum Is the out-of.doors itself. and
the most workable museum or labor
a.ory OF any dimension Ia the school
garden The time rs comlng-has
come with some schools when such
laboratory will become az much
part Of good school equipment as
blackbourds and charts
The practical school garden ia q
coming institution