Evening star., 1909-04-26
VINE DAY IN SCHOOLS
Songs Sung, Poems Recited
and Slips Planted.
FIRST CEREMONY Is HELD
Idea Of Miss Susan B. Sife Carried
Into Effect.
TO BE YEARLY CELEBRATION
All Sorts Of Climbers and Creepers
Are Put in Soil
by Pupils.
FIRST CEREMONY IS HELD
o BE YEARLY CELEBRATION

This has been vine day in the public
schools-the very first one. Nature, re-
ioicing in the opportunity to beautify ugly
fence corners and bare spots around
school buildings. pitched right in and gave
the children and teachers just about the
finest day that has been seen this year.
1t would have been a pity had it been
otherwise. for the great army OF little
on colds them and them thean mthem
planters could not have started their
vines on a cold, biustery day.
As 1t turned out. every one had the
chance to participate in a pretty cere-
cony and to inaugurate movement
which. If kept up year by year. will make
it impossible to find an unsightly spot
on any school ground in the entire Dis
trict.
Miss Sipe's Project.
Mis- Susan B. Sipe. instructo" OF botany
in the Washington Normal School. has
been active in arousing school teachers
tance of this work of beautifying the bare
spots. Her proposition was Ito beautify
all back fenses that abutted on the
streets and on those alleys which are
generally used as thoroughfares by hav-
ing vines Of different kinds planted on
either side.''
The board of education was not slow
today has been a busy one for the school
planters from the normal school down to
the f1rst-grade classes.
The teachers made up programs for tn )
day which were not too long or too COM
plicated for the children to be interested
in. and which contained just enough May
day spirit and ceremony to make the
planting something to be remembered.
and which will perhaps result in making
next Vine day even more enthusiastic
than this one.
The younger boys and girls listened to
a recitation. and sang two or three songs
In which wines" predominated. and then
marched outdoors. Chosen vine planters
made the hole in the earth and pressed in
the roots of the plant which will grow to
grand height II the wishes of the plant
ers have anything to do with 1t. Some of
the pupils threw handfuls of earth around
the roots, with wish attached to each
handful.
Headquarters for Vines.
The room in the Franklin School in
which the Normal School students re-
ceive their lessons in botany looked like
the wareroom of a great big plant store
today, for 1t was a headquarters for
vines. On the floor were piles Of young
vines which were shipped out to the
various schools.
All sorts OF vines were there. There
was the slow-growing but beautiful Eng
lish iyy-and the normal school girls
seized the opportunity to compose and
sing a very pretty ivy song today-clemat-
Is which the Department of Agriculture
had sent up. honeysuckle, cypress vine
and many other sorts.
To teach the coming teachers just how
to conduct vine days In the future, Miss
Sipe directed her Normal School students
In an ivy planting that should be re-
corded, inasmuch as 1t occurred on this
first occasion.
follows: Ivy song. composed by Miss
Worster; poem, MY Window Ivy" re-
cited by Miss Hellman; poem. read by
Mss Rowell, Planting of the vine.' COM
os seoes Mss ns Miss hf sah Me
Prophecy Of the vine," Miss koht. and
How Dainty a Plant Is the Ivy Green,"
Miss Mason.
After the program the classes planted
Ivy vines about the Franklin School and
put into the ceremony a whole lot of
schoolgirl fun. Then they sang "Oh.
Ivy Vine," the words Of which one of
their number had composed. The music
they chose was that of "Oh, Tannen-
baum"
Varieties Of Vines.
There are many varieties of vines which
are of the permanent variety. and will
add to the appearance of fences and
yards. One Of the most common varie-
ties and a general favorite is the honey
suckle. Roots and cuttings for it's plant
ing may be obtained in the woods or
from other plants in the city.
A quick grower from the woods, suit
able for the brick wall or fence, is the
Virginia creeper. Another Is close rela-
tive, the Boston ivy. The brilliant color
ing of this latter vine, especially in the
fall, makes it desirable.
Ramblers and climbing roses are always
spots Of beauty on landscape. The
family to Withstand this climate. The
crimson cousin ofttimes mildews. The
pink rambler and the clematis are other
favorites.
A rapid grower and vine easily found.
especially near the Zoo, Is the Japanese
kudzu vine. The Dutchman's pipe makes
an excellent screen for a porch, its leaves
fitting into one another like a well formed
mosaic. The cinnamon vine when once
est stablished Is q beauty and lasting.
There seems to be little excuse for un-
slightly back or side fences with the morn
ing glory vine ready to grow in any
soil. The moonvine can also be highly
recommended as fast grower with most
makes an artistic cover for an old tree
trunk.
Among the beans are the scarlet run
ner. the hyacinth vine and the purple
Towering bean. The balloon vine and
the wild cucumber, as well as the vari-
colored shaded wellow thunbergia make
shaded yellow thunberg.a, make effective
decorations.
In the back yards frequently fresh
vegetables make for the beauty of the
yard and at the same time have distinct
utility. Lima beans and pole string beans
will cover fences and provide vegetables
Tomatoes and cucumbers have also been
satisfactorily trained on fences.
The words of the ivy song are:
Oh. Ivy vine! Oh, ivy vine!
How pleasant thy leaves so green.
The rain and will nourish thee.
We will bless the day planted thee.
Oh. ivy vine! Oh. ivy vine!
How pleasant are thy leaves SO green
Oh. ivy vine! Oh, ivy vine!
How pleasant thy leaves SO green.
You climb the walls Of this old school,
You make 1t look green and cool.
Oh. ivy vine! Oh, ivy vine!
How pleasant thy leaves so green.
Each section Of the Normal School
planted q vine. Section A was in charge
of Misses Booth. Daniel and Miller; sec
ton b, Misses Eskin and Weaver: Sec
ton e. Miss Keleher. and section d.
Misses Stephenson and Egbert.