The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-13
Gardening for City Children.

Gardening for City Children.
4 ,rhe best part Of education Is refine
ment, and ono of the srrest signs Of pro
grcss and improvement In educational
methods lis the work which Is being done
to create within the pupil q love for ! the i
beautiful This work begins In our KIN
dcrgarten schools and Is continued IN
tho manual training schools. and IN some
cities the cultivation Of flowers has be-
come a part Of the curriculum.
In a recent number OF Charities Is
an article on "Gardening for City Chill.
dren," by Miss Lucy Burton Buell. In
which the writer describes the work be-
ing done by THE Home Garden Assocla-
ton" OF Cleveland, Ohio. The work OF
tho association began In settlement.
When the settlement opened eight years
alto the usual problem presented itself.
How could neighborhood conditions be %
improved? One Of the workers suggested
that something might be done by induc-
ing the people to clean up their yards ARDS
and plant q few hardy vines and how
ers. The promise was not very bright.
Int n. few persons were finally persuaded
that though local conditions made gar.
dening hard, success even in that local
ity$ was hot Impossible, and so the Home lone
Gardening Club" was formed. There
were many difficulties to contend with,
and Miss Buell. says that the club would
probably have died natural death out
for one thing-!t had for Is leader a man man
who knew and loved both flowers and
people. lae5 4:
u Love is the most powerful of all moral raj
forces and it is wonderful what one en-
thusiastic man or woman, In love with
his work ana in love with humanity,
may do. It is that sort Of enthusiastic
devotion that works miracles, and SO II
happened that under the leadership OF
this one enthusiast the club fiourlshcu
in spite Of all drawbacks
Tho annual membership fee was ten
cents, and this entitled the member to.
ten packages Of seeds, and additional
packages could be purchased for one
cent each. Advice as to planting ana ana
care OF the garden was given free. Each
member was visited at least twice dur
Ing the season. Social meetings were
held, and at. the. end Of tho second sea-
son the membership had grown from
twelve to eighty. During these two:
years experiment had shown what How
ers would best flourish under unfavorable
conditions, what things 1t was not worth
while to attempt, and /. incid IA says say
the writer. "a good deal of knowledge NAG
been gained concerning human nature
and how best to appeal to It. One BLOCK lock
in the vicinity Of the club -house was
chosen as an experiment to prove what VIVA
could be done in the way. of Improvement
by concerted action on the part OF al
the residents. Twenty-one out OF tWen-
lty-threc families entered into the plan.
Seeds and plants were furnished by the
association free of charge. and prizes
offered for the best results. 1t Is hardly
necessary 10 say that the Improvement
in the appearance of the whole block was
notable, and 1t was continued, although
after tho first season no prizes were
offered and not plants given away
After two years work in the settle
mcnt district the association branched
out. and the public schools were chosen
as the medium through which the work
could best be extended A conference
was held with the superintendent and
other officials, and with their hearty CO.
operati ton an association was formed.
The seeds were sold at one cent a pack
| age, while orders were prepared and
sent to each grammar scnool. with y
letter explaining the plan and asking the
helm OF tho teachers. Principals and teach
crs entered heartily into the spirit Of the
work, and 1t flourished, The first year
| As, SGs packages of seed were sold. Last
year 1GS,54S packages were sold directly
to tho school children.
TO keep up the interest and create q
feeling of solidarity among the children
various plans were resortcd to. Flower
shows were held in the fall and prizes
were offered for the best exhibit. The
results were highly satisfactory. Lee
lures were given from time to time. and
asst year a new phase Of the work was
devcloped. The school garden was made
a part Of the summer programme. The
board OF education agreed to pay the
| oXpcnsc incurred in preparing tile ground