New-York tribune., 1909-04-19
CHILDREN AS FARMERS
BEGIN WORK TO-DAY.
City Youngsters Gladly Embrace
Opp0rtunity, MrS. Parsons Says.

4, III. cbu6ren-s school farm sd street and
Eleventh avenue. overlooking the HudSoh' mere
will be a small army Of boys ana girls hard at
work this afternoon digging in the by pIols
With brand new spades in preparation for the Ars'
of this years crops Mrs. Henry Parsons. Wh" Is
the director Of the farm said that the yo"Hss'eI
viii DO this work for the fun II II Nearly s'A
hundred BOYS and girls have registered which
means that those who have received cares aiteI
putting down their names will be depended upon
to cultivate the five hundred plots in the farm
Mrs Parsons said Yesterday that work on the
farm which has area Of SL70 square lee'-o
siGerably less than an acre-"as begun f-'slsa .,s
week Spading vas done at that time ou' 'i-e
heavy rain Of last week VIII necessitate reSp-Ililt
many plots. On the first day the boys ahd slIIs
did not want TO go to luncheon Ihey pre'ElieH ~
remain but Mrs. Farsons's assistant MISS mum -
Champion insisted on their quitting in spite oI
,b.ir ,,-o,Ast and when the gates were reopened
there we're more children than ever 10 do me "oIh-
This was before the registration
We have two crops Of vegetables. the second
beginning in July. and two crops Of htt!e FARMERS
Mrs Parsons said. we permit SIX hundred 10
register each time. which is s5out one hulu- ~ 81
more than necessary. but the average attendance
is about FIVE hundred. so that al Who come a.
proyided for Eut II is not only the chiloiei VIZ
are benefited. Last year fully hNe t"ouSz''u' -
clu1ne the parents ami the younger children were
direct recipients or health and happiness through
farm ..
Last wear We had thirty-eight observation ciu5s
and we shall have more this Yeir- foF tiie'i -
cation and recreation plant wreds-fofiy-lou1
liae from, which they learn their relation TO the
vegetable world and their noXOus qualities grams
from which the practical productive "">"l'''e
are gained: industrial plants. like hemp anu 81 "a
We can demonstrate here what can be done IN
small plots The educational advantage Is NetS
Great Last year from September 2 10 Octooer J.
The schools sent 2025 children here with the'i 'e"C
ers The farm of immense auN1i'""7
botanical study. We relieve the tcacheIs "a
hard work. but extend the fuIlest US -
them. At one time We had eignty-fodr hlsh Sc1''
,,,rils IN the farm with lists Of questions IN 'Hei
hands And they we're ali answered with q Pr
tical demonstration. ,...
This wear have the following "PiiOa'
for plots for purposes Of study: Washington IRVING
t5;I ,b-aa for that number Of classes; Wadleigh
High seven; Dewitt Clinton High, thirty; Naito"
Kindergarten. ten; School for Deaf ana iuiiio
three: k1ndergartens of the public schools' 'liee
and for 80 crippled children all the piols at'"s
the central wide path will be reserved Inc oeai
and dumb teachers wish to make an experiment
believing that this outdoor work will be OF I'M
u7ense benefit to their charges. They viii use one
plot for the brightest pupils one for the Ineuluh
and ore for the dullest
Mrs Parsons said that the farm was a oooh 10
delicate children, and she believed that ii would
nro,-e 2 solution Of what 10 do with those who had
been healed from tuberculosis or in wnom the
disease had been arrested The Department o.
Parks allows 5000 for the work Children OF nine
crop is planted about July 10, and new reglstra-
tion Of little farmers is then made Each crop Is
harvested by the registered farmers. and the har-
vest belongs TO them. Mrs. Parsons has seven as
slstants and there is strong man to do the realiy
heavy work. He showed great pile Of new spades
on SATURDAY. saying that last year the implements
furnished by the department we're too fragile Tor
the boys and girls who used them
There are three other parks where Mrs Parsons
wishes 10 establish farms. They are Thomas Jefer-
SON Nth to Hath streets and the East River,
where nearly two could be used: John Jay,
in 18th street and Chelsea Park. The farms, she
said were Of great assistance 10 the children who
were not sturdy enough 70 engage in the exercises
in the Fairgrounds. The benefits derived from the
work on the little plots were apparent after a very
days, and if the system were extended. she de
clared an incalcuable benefit TO the children of
the tenements unable TO leave the city would re-
suit Il would be impossible Mrs. Parsons said,
to do as much good for little money in any other
way