, 1908-05-09

prise throughout constituting an object les
son OF the greptest utility.
Dir. Watts also referred to the excellent
exhibits which had been made Mt the Anti
qua Agricultural Show. There were good
displays of vegetables, which Ind been we'll
grown, well prepared, and tastefully arrang-
cd. In addition to these vegetables, there
were good exhibits of decorative and other
plants grown in pots. The preparation and
ownership of such things as these must ex-
ercise a profound influence on the mind Of
the scholar.
From the school gar lens, said DR.. Watts,
information can be ditfused amongst the pa
rents, who will thus learn to take an interest
in the school work, while at the same time
gaining useful bits of knowledge on the les
Sons taught in the school. II is quite con.
ceivable that amin tied discussions vouEd
take pace in the homes between The chill
Dire themselves aud their parents, concern
Ing the crops grown, and the manner III
which they were dealt with and handled.
And it is not unreasonable to suppose that
as the outcome of these discussions some i'm
proyomart might result in the gardens of t.
peasants. and perhaps even the day work of
tho laho T mig!lt b. bri fhtenod ?1d s'iml.
lated ts The outcome of some thought car.
ried home by his child from the School. The
objection of parents to children working in
school gardens has in most instances dis
appeared, and, as indicated above, it has ac-
tuatiy been found that parents are quite en-
pable of taking n strong interest in the work
carried on by their children once they re-
cognise that there is no attempt to exploit
the ctildren's labours either for the benefit
of the school or of the teacher, but that the
object of the work is the instruction and
benefit of the children themselves. A ready
means of aiding the removal of this objection
lies in the possession by tho children of the
crops which they themselves have grown.
Where at present this objection is apparent,
it may be we'll for she time to dispense with
the garden, and to carry on the work in
boxes and pots.
DR.. Watts said lint in his own experience
with teachers wherever he had come in con-
tact with them he had invariably found that
they could soon be worked up to a pitch OF
enthusiasm. He alluded in detail to his
experience with the teachers at Dominica,
who after offering some slight difficulties IN
the first course, during the ~ecOnd became
Jealous and keen, SO TINT it was quite easy
eventually TO carry out n very useful course
of practical garden work. His experience
with teachers in Antigua and III St. Kits
Nevis had been precisely similar.
DR.. Watts appl eciated the di faculties in
garden work -dificulties which often were
made greater by placing too much stress ON
school gardens, and too little or the general
teaching of scientific principles. The work
should proceed gradually and school gardens
only be resorted to when both teacher and
scholar feel the need for carrying into oper-
alton the principles which have been brought
to their notice in their lessons. A point IS
soon arrived Mt when both teacher and scho-
lar are unable to rest satisfied with mere de-
seriptions, when they want to handle the
things themselves, and to put to proof the
statements found in hooks. In this way
practical work, first of all in boxes and pots.
and finally in school gardens, will be felt to
he necessary by both teacher and taught,
and the lesson will be both pleasant. and
permanent in its effects.
A good fence is essential to schoolgarden,
and in many instances it constitutes a good
object lesson to grow a hedge around the
garden plot. Such hedges are to be seen at
most of the experiment Stations, and The
officers in charge are always wiling to assist
the teachers with advice in this connection.
Without a fence, the garden lacks education-
al value, for it is liable to be injured by tres
passing people and animals, and also lacks
that ~neatness which is so essential III edEca-