The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1908-11-20
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FARM LEAGUE
AND PLAY GROUND ASSOCIATION.
Address Delivered by Dr.. Moss, President of the School Board,
Before the Teachers institute in Lafayette Last Thursday.

sr.e.-i:s -
l desire to present for your consid-
GRAFTON as teachers two important &C.
tiyities in connection with present day
school life, that are being carried on
and emphasized by the International
Chi1dren's School Farm League and
the. Playground Association of Ameri-
ca Tomorrow l shall talk to you
about School Hygiene, or Schools as
Safeguards to Public Health, with
special reference to tuberculosis.
The International Children's School
Farm League has for its object the
practical teaching of the value of sun
light and fresh air, and this is &C.
complished by giving children the OPP
portunity of contact with living plants
and Mother Earth.
It is the purpose OF the organization
to furnish practical information, OPP
portunity for mutual help, and to urge
the introduction of Children's Gardens
into school and park systems, as we'll
es under private control. And to
to this end the league urges the en-
ployment of teachers trained for Chill
dren's Garden work, and maintains a
bureau from which issue information
and advice on how to start and con-
duct gardens, and furnishes lecturers
and printed matter, and also provides
photographs and lantern slides.
A personal visit recently to one of
the school farms maintained by this
league in New York City convinced
me Of the undoubted utility and edu-
eatfonal value of this kind of work.
The teacher in charge of this farm
possessed the art of making the work
not only interesting, but highly in
structive and useful to the children.
The farm garden course is supplement
ted with the elementary technical in
struction in agriculture and nature
study; and the physical. mental and
moral results obtained through this
combination OF outdoor work with
outdoor play warra most strangely
the general adoption and unlimited
extension of this branch of social and
educational effort. Good results are
obtained PHYSICALLY because work,
and above all, work in the open, is
healthy and strengthening; MENTALLY,
because in showing the children how
much they can accomplish by their
own efforts, you are giving them the
best incentive towards further effort
in their work and studies; MORALLY,
because the child becomes imbued with
that love of nature which is the most
universal and inspiring Of all re-
liGions.
Nature study is necessary to the
proper development Of the whole
child, and it has . good influence upon
school work in general. Furthermore
the interest OF the pupils in the school
garden leads them to plant and care
for flowers and vegetables in their
own homes, with consequent beneficial
results. Thus it may be seen that the
school garden is bound to be of the
greatest value, ethically and economic
ally, to our school life, and so I COM
mend the school garden or school
farm to your earnest consideration,
and trust that you will ell become
actively interested in an extension OF
this excellent movement which is cap
able OF accomplishing SO much toward
keeping the boy on the farm. by Civ
ing him some knowledge OF scientific
and intensive cultivation without
which il Is we'll nigh futile to attempt
70 hold ii the country the farmers
child, or induce families to abandon