The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-04-03
SCHOOL GARDENING IN THE
GRADES.
BY Miss Estella Crowder.

Why teach school gardening in the
grades? 1t Is said that the child
obtains sufficient knowledge of plant
life through the lessons in elemen-
tary botany
There is a great and vital differ
ence between the Study of a few
spindling plants grown in a pan of
sawdust for technical botanical study
and plot of ground outside, covered
with hardy growing plants and cul-
| tivated by individual pupils.
The cultivation of plants was one
| OF the greatest factors in the civili-
cation of man. A few of the primary
characteristics of organized life are
the willingness to labor, patriotism,
provision for later years, and the
valor to fight for home and proper
ty. All these were developed by
the cultivation of plants. When we
reflect that our relations to nature
are not only elementary and as
antiquated as the human race, but
are also inherent and tenacious, 1t
seems almost crime to allow a
child to develop into manhood or
womanhood without having planted
seed or reared a plant. To omit
the study Of plant life and the soil
out of the plan of public education
Is to create tendency that is liza
BILE to pervert toward barbarism.
Recent sociological studies have
shown us that the greater portion of
our tramps and street hoodlums are
not foreign born, as we ares fond
OF believing, but are rather the nat
ural product of our public school
systems. The spirit of vandalism so
manifest In many of our boys Is due
to their school training. The owners
of property for rent tell us that they
dislike renting to persons having
children because in the average fam
lilies the children usually destroy
more property than the rent covers.
1t Is said that greater portion of
our boys and girls have no regard
for the property of others. This is
so true that in eastern states, where
children are rapidly decreasing in
numbers, horticulture Is almost i'm
possible in some districts This con-
dition is very natural one under
! III CoCAL COHutliobp. HC WIN
has never reared anything of his
own, very naturally has but very lit
tie foundation upon which to create
a regard for the rights of others.
The problem which confronts us
Is how to deal with our children so
that they have healthful and whole
some employment at home without
drudgery. Perhaps the greatest fac
tor in its solution Is individual pro-
prietorship by the child. The great
est passion of the human race is the
passion for ownership. 1t Is as uni
versal as the desire to live. 1t Is
an expression, of the desire to live. II
begins with the simplest forms of
life and Is identified as a character
istic of each group in the ascending
series of life. With the single celled
animal this passion is manifested by
the effort put forth in the seeking
of food. With the highest develop
ed animal man, 1t is the seat Of gov
ernment and social organization as
we'll as the principal motive for la
Dor, discovery, etc. 1t was the real
agent which brought the now civili-
| Ecu udJIOu OuJ Vi Udl Ddi
What is good for race is usual
ly good for an individual. All boys
are more or less savages at one stage
of their development. Therefore,
give the boy plot OF ground. He
will learn many valuable lessons
from 1t. First, carefulness In the
preparation of the soil and the plant
ing of the seeds must be observed
else the crop will be failure. Sec
ond, the working along side of others
from whom he borrows and takes
will tend to develop altruism.
Third, patience will be cultured. The
little lad who threw his plant down
stairs because II did not grow rap
idly enough, had no plant to exhibit
with the other children's flowers.
Consequently he did not repeat the
error. But above all the child learns
to think and observe. Every detail
must be observed, studied and Its
relation shown to other parts OF the
work. There Is nothing better to
call forth the child's best efforts
than the cultivation of flowers and
fruits which so amply repay all the
careful labor and patient endeavors
of the little worker.
The work thus begun at school is
almost Invariably followed up by
gardening at home. The results are
undoubtedly beneficial. If the gar
dens contain vegetables then fresh
articles take the place of the stale
commodities that come from the
grocers. II the garden boasts of
flowers then some otherwise un-
slightly spot is covered up and the
neighborhood is better for glimpse
Of the beautiful.
The practical result Of such train
ing is amply demonstrated by the
National Cash Register company In
Dayton, Ohio. The younger sons of
the employees In the great factories
became veritable vandals. They
united into gangs which became the
nuisance of the town. While debat-
ing upon what was to be done, some
members of the company decided to
try the influence of gardening. Seeds
were distributed, a landscape gar
dener employed to oversee and plan
the gardens and the boys we're per-
suaded to begin home gardening.
The result was that the boys found
| en- Dloyment that was agreeable the