The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
To- LIVE CHEAPLY.
DIR. Harding Points the Way to
Every Family.
Back Yard Garden the Solution,
She Says.
SHOULD BE TAUGHT.
Gardening in the Schools In.
stead of Dead Languages.
Plans to Interest Children in
the Venture.

That a garden in every back yard in
Topeka is the easiest method Of get
ting away from the increase in the cost
Of living is the opinion of DR.. Eva
Harding. That children should be
taught gardening rather than Latin is
also her expressed belief and that
school children are taught a great deal
time in local schools for course in
college is her conviction.
To the end that every school attend
ing chilli of Oakland shall have know
ledge of gardening that exceeds the
common knowledge of such things she
school authorities to supply these chill
dren with currant and gooseberry
bushes and peach trees. They are to
be given as q sort of reward for the
interes she feels sure the children will
take in gardening and horticulture.
Oakland, however. she says, is not
the place where gardening is hadly
needed. Nearly every family in Oak
land has a garden. Topeka needs the
g3trdens. But because of difficulty
such a plan into execution here it VIII
probably not be tried in this city,
Think Of the saving in dollars and
cents if there was a garden in every
lack yard in Topeka" said DR.. Hard
II g today. THE meat boycott is pro-
how much less would be the cost of
living if people would only form the
habit of eating nice. fresh vegetables
from the garden in their back yard
1 know of one woman who sold S12
worth Of Cooseherries off few bushes
in her back yard. The children should
be taught gardening the same as any
other study. Gardening is taught in all
of the Did countries. Why not teach 1t
in this country.
Back Yards a Menace.
Back yards are now disease breed
ing places and that is all. The child
rem run about the streets and the men
go up town and loaf around picture
Shows or worse places while their
wives stay at home. If the children
had a garden in the back yard they
would be there, and the men would be
there, nine times out of ten, watching
or helping in the work.
1.-The average child now growing up
in Topeka knows nothing about gar
dening. 1t is not right. What do the
children know that is useful when
they finish school here2 They have
been fitted to go to college but that is
about all.
I'm the east and in the old coun-
tries school gardens are maintained
and the children are immensely inter-
ested in the work of growing vege-
tables AS a result they are not in
m1Scn1eI. lnSLedQ Oh DoIIS EtQulISQ
to write a sketch of the House of Sew
en- Gables would il snoEs7be better for
a child to bring in a written story of
how to properly care for a grapevine,
planted in the backyard and trained
upon the woodshed or the cowShed
1t seems to me the knowledge evil
denced and obtained in the latter way
would be worth more to the child
than the knowledge gained by read
ing the House of Seven Gables.
Mayor Green is intensely interested
in the plan suggested by Dr. Harding
to increase the interest of children in
gardening and horticulture by teach
| ing it in the schools. and is now read
| ing several books explaining various
plans for this work. 1t is likely that
he will make some recommendation
| in the matter later. Others are being
| interested in the plan and DIR. Hard
| ing is hopeful that something will be
done to make the teaching of garden
| ing in the schools possible. Mean
while the Oakland experiment will
likely be carried out.