The Greeley tribune., 1905-04-20
GARDEN TALK
GLIMPSE INTO The CHILD'S
GARDEN AT NORMAL
Where the Youngsters are led in
to Interesting Fields of
Research and Study by
Teachers
What is a school garden?

What is a school garden?
They have one started at the State
Normal school, that will answer the
question very satisfactorily. 1t is a
place where children are taught to
notice some of the common things
about them, and become interested
in them. Primarily it is not place
to gain knowledge, but a place to
create a thirst for knowledge. Then,
when the desire to learn Is born
there are the many different sources
from which the proper knowledge
can be gained.
The school garden at the Normal
is in its second year, but greatly en-
larged in space and broadened in
scope for this season. 1t and It's
little gardners are under the super
vision Of John V. Crone, who also
teaches the teachers of the various
grades In the nature of the work.
About one-third Of an acre Of ground
back of the school is now being
worked and planted with flower and
garden seeds of various kinds. The
planting of shrubs and trees also
forms an important part of the work.
The whole work in the garden is
in a way brancl, of the nature
study.
The school garden is one of the de-
velopments OF modern educational
methods that Is gaining favor with
all the leading educators Of the day,
as a means to awaken dormant in
terest in the things of life. AL
though in this country, it is of but a
few years experience, the result,
especially in the larger cities has
been most gratifying. Where thou
sands of children live who may never
have seen a green plant of any kind
grow. the school garden has given a
new meaning to life. Here in the
west with the limitless open, and
green things growing all about, 1t
would almost seem unnecessary to
teach the things in school that lie an
open book to every child. But it is
one of the anomalies of the country
life, that the very knowledge that is
easiest of access and of the most use
is passed over because OF its very
commonness, as something of little
value, and even the children from
the country must come to the city
schools to learn that, which by right
they should know better than anyone
else.
The trouble with the country boy
is that he takes things for granted
and lets it go at that. He sees,
year after year, the crops on the
farm sown. grow up and be harvest
ed. A certain routine is gone
through with each year, such as rota-
tion OF crops, the fertilizing of the
soil by artificial means, the plowing
under of alfalfa or other vegetation,
which he is told enriches the soil,
but he does not consider why all this
is so. He looks to other fields of
knowledge and overlooks, perhaps,
much greater knowledge right at
home, that he can drink in and
develop in his daily work. The
fact that one important branch of
the United States government is
devoted entirely to the discovery of
new information and the distribution
of knowledge of this character, shows
of what Importance it is.
But this is somewhat running away
from the school garden, and getting
into the field of ultimate results. 1t
is not the intention Of the school
garden to give Il course in agricul-
ture. Its purpose is to create an
interest in plant life, and its allied
or correlated subjects. The children
spade and rake the ground, level II
of and plant the seed, doing every
thing with their own hands, only as
sisted by the teacher when things
are not being done to the best ad-
vantage or in the best style.
1t. was a raw, cold morning last
Monday, when Il Tribune man stood
waiting at the Normal school
garden for the appearance OF the
first class that was to work there.
IT. being little early, time was
had for brief explanation by Mr..
Crone of the various sections OF the
garden, where each grade has Its
particular plot. In other parts OF