Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
CRIPPLED CHILDREN
LEARN FARM METHODS
Special Correspondence Of The Star.
NEW YORK, June 70, 1908.

NEW YORK. June 70, 1908.
nROBABLY the queerest partnership
in all New York is that entered
into by a little child whose feet are
crippled for life and another child who
has no arms. These two children, who
came from school for cripples, combined
forces to raise garden in De Witt Clin-
ton School farm on the middle West
Side. They had seen 500 other normal
children dig and plant and care for their
little plots and finally garner a harvest
of radfshes. beans. lettuce. beets. carrots
onions and corn. Each little cripple want
ed to do the same. And this is the way
they DID it: The little fellow with useless
legs was carried to his plot where he
lay on his stomach ready for business
The chap with the legs walked there
and with his toes. which were fingers to
him. loosened the weeds. He also brought
water and tools. which were hung around
his shoulders. The other little chap
weeds up. dug holes in the soil and
dropped in the seeds.
Their Method of Study.
They could not plant things close to-
gether because the little crawler had to
have room between the rows for his lit
tie body. But between them the pair
did make a garden where things grew.
They were handicapped somewhat be-
cause they could not catch and study but
terfiies and bugs which aid plants or
harm them. but the instructors and other
children were careful to bring them cap
tives to study, so that the little fellows
also got the benefit of the elementary
science and nature study which the gar
den Is designed to teach.
This partnership. which illustrates the
deep interest all children in crowded cities
have In making things grow. was made
possible through the transformation of
Il large city lot which was used by the
neighborhood as a dumping place for
other discarded household truck The
land was purchased for a park. but be-
fore the ground was put into condition
Mrs. Henry Parsons got the idea of u.s.
ing part of it for children's school farm
The rubbish was cleared off and top soil
put in, and from the very beginning more
children asked for plots than could be
accommodated A little house on the
grounds was used to make a model kitch-
EN- and living room, where girls and boys,
too. learned to cook and keep house. They
even scrubbed floors with deep delight
The plan soon won the approval of the
municipality. which now appropriates
5000 a year for keeping up this work.
This appropriation. it is found. provides
all necessary gardening instructors, who
train LOO children in two groups each
season. Many of the gardeners also
bring little brothers and sisters with them
so that at least 1900 children are bene-
flied
Glasses for Nature Study.
In addition. some thirty public schools
send their classes here for nature study,
and the Teachers Training School stu
dents make observation work in the gar
den In all. including adults. some 5000
people enjoy the garden annually. The
success OF the plan has led to the OPEN
ing Of two other large gardens by the
board of education. And out of It has
grown the International Children's School
Farm League. which is pledged to en-
courage the establishment of school farms
In other cities, with the idea of render
ing vacant lots of direct benefit to the
children.
The movement has met with immediate
response In many localities. The model
farm operated at Jamestown spread the
idea widely in the south. and many other
cities now have. or soon will have, SIM
liar farms. In some localities the gar
dens. in addition to teaching elementary
agricultural science. are most favorably
regarded because the products of the little
plots are welcomed as food in the homes
For to make the thing very real, the
little farmers are allowed to take home
their vegetables or sell them. In a big
city. needless to say vegetables gathered
bur few minutes find ready sale. In
such cases the instructors are careful to
see that the children know the real value
of their wares and do not sell for
penny or two produce worth % cents It
IS found. too. that the garden experience
makes wise marketers out of the chill
dren. who learn SO much about vege-
tables that the green grocer finds it
impossible to palm OF stale goods on
little customers