The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-05
Parents Would Have Garden
ing Part of School Work.
Home Gardens Have Proven
Unqualified Success.
CHILDREN EARNING MONEY
One Boy Sold Fifty Dollars
Worth of Vegetables.
Two Thousand Boys and Girls
TilIing the Soil.

The home garden plan for the child
rem of the city schools has proven such
a success this season that there is now
demand on the part of the parents of
hundreds of children that gardening
be introduced in the public schools as
a regular study.
1t is estimated that there are over
two thousand school gardens being
maintained at the present time by
school children of Topeka A tour
made among the gardens by State
Journal reporter showed that the
youngsters have entered into the plan
with enthusiasm, and that scientific
methods OF cultivation are being learn
ed and practiced by many of the boys
under the supervision of w. H. With
ington, instructor in agriculture at the
high school.
In speaking of the success of the
work Mr.. Wilmington said today:
Every one of the parents with whom
1 have talked would like to have gar
dening introduced in the city schools
as a regular study. A number of the
parents told me that their boys for
meriy considered that garden work
was degrading and could not be in
duced to take an interest in filling the
soil. One mother said that while last
year her son refused to work in the
garden he can now hardly be kept out
of 1t.
Earn Spending Money.
lone feature of the work that ap
peals both to the parents and the
children is that it enables the latter to
earn money which would be impos-
sible in many cases otherwise on &C
count of the state child labor law.
THE colored children are making
a particularly good showing this sea-
son. Three or four of the colored
boys on the North Side have magn1fl-
cent gardens
Hundreds of boys and girls are
earning their own spending money
through the sale Of vegetables. One
boy on the North Side has netted
nearly $50 already and he expects to
make 1t more than one hundred be-
fore the close of the season. Another
has on hand almost enough money to
pay for a new bicycle, and still an
other expects to purchase a member
ship in the Central Y. NJ. c. A. within
few days. According to Mr.. whiting
ton the youngsters have averaged
from five to eight dollars in sales.
Many of the miniature farmers have
regular customers to whom they sell
their vegetables.
More than one hundred of the va
cant lot farmers are competing in the
special contest made possible by the
donation by the Clearinghouse Realty
Co, of one hundred dollars to be used
in prizes for those cultivating the best
gardens 25x50 feet in size. The pu-
pills of the Quincy. State. Quinton
Heights and Central Park schools are
well represented in this contest.
Judging the Gardens
The gardens will be judged twice. |
In fact, judging has been in progress
the latter part of this week. Again |
later in the season the judges will look |
over the garden spots.
One hundred points would be al !
lowed a perfect garden. The points
are divided as follows: For perfect
rotation and succession of crops, %; |
for selection of varieties of practical
soil, 10; freedom from insects, pests, |
10; freedom from fungus, 10.
Special judges have been appointed
for the respective schools. Supervisor
work of judging. Mr.. wilmington is
spending a portion of his time this
summer taking special work at the
State Agricultural college. He makes
frequent trips to Topeka in order to
keep up the interest in the gardens.
The total amount available for prizes !
for those who have the best gardens
will be between three hundred and
three hundred and fifty dollars unless
an effort is made to increase the avail
able amount before next fall.
That Prize Money.
The Commercial club subscribed
800, the Topeka Real Estate Deal
ers' association $50, the Clearinghouse
Realty Co. 800 as before stated, and
the Women's Commercial club has
raiseI about SOS. There have been
several other small contributors.
Each school will constitute a unit
for the distribution of prizes and the
amount of money allotted to the in
dividual schools will be in proportion
to the number of pupils in the contest.
There are four classes in which the
children have entered.
"These eugenists have some rather up
setting notions" What, for example % |
well, for one thing, they say that at a |
wedding the groom ought always to be |
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