The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-09-05

dens are impractical for country
schools; only as a small demonstra-
ton, one can be used We believe
that hot beds at the country schools
are excellent, however; In these
they must start early plants and
transfer them later to their home gar
dens.
Opportunity came, five years ago,
to try home gardening with. chill
dren. Two years were spent With
very small results. II was easy
from the first to interest the child zen
hui the indifference or amusement OF.
the parents was often disheagtcning
and in few instances impossible 10
sulmount. During this period few
people knew about the attempt BY
the tilird season, hGweyer, the wo'k
was well established the enihnGiasm
of the children beipg sufficient to
make i a success. In them had been
created an interest so keen th9t they
pesterel fathers and mothers con
tinpally until they were allowed to
have small plot OF ground for their
own and could join the ga'den class.
Commercial results were also max
ing the parents consider the matter
seriously. But one rule was made in
joining the class. 1t was explained
to each one so that there could be no
question of his misunderstanding
that he must do all his own work af-
ter the ground was ploughed and fer
tilted. No name was accepted with
out verbal agreement to this PROPOSE
ton. AS the class has grown rapid
ly in numbers during the past three
seasons, few instances have been
apparent where children have not
done all their own work. Each time
the dishonesty has reflected upon the
weakness of parents who, in their
anxiety to have their children's work
show up well, have taught them dis
honesty by assisting them. When
instances have been proved beyond
doubt that the children have not
lowed to compete for the prizes. Bat
We are giving undue attention to this
point, the only unpleasant one we
have ever experienced in this work,
and for which our one rule is made
There have really been a surprising
ly small number OF children who
have not been fair On the contrary
honest work is the rule and in sew
eral cases the enthusiasm has been
so great that ii has seemed best TO
hold the children back. The work
has been carried on to some extent
through the public school. EleRen-
tay garden books have been placed
in the different schools and these
the teachers have been kind enough
to read with the children, or they
have been taken home. Regular
hours have been given us for talks up
on gardening in the schools, when
every phase OF the work is discussed
by the most competent people we
can get. Plans for the gardens are
drawn in rchool IN the early spring
days and ~ seeds required are Sc
cured through the penny packet sys
TEN. Once each month during the
spring and summer journey is
made together to some market gard |
en-, chicken, horse or dairy farm. |
These are made gala days.
Children from to II years of age
are admitted to the class and are div
ided according to age into three class
es. New departments have been adj
ded to the work each year, as there
has been natural demand Cen
eral vegetable gardens, special crops,
flower gardens and Improvement in
door yards have been on the list This
year lambs and pigs and maple sug-
ar products will be new features. For
each OF these departments, prizes
have been offered through the gener-
GUS interest OF NJ. Theo. n. Vail of |
this town and other friends, They |
are divided into two classes, those
given for the work observed by the |
committe who visits the gardens |
once each month and those given by
the judges at the fair which is held
every fall on the village green.
The prizes vary each year as it |
seems best TO encourage the work oil
different departments.
The children are not encouraged |
to save their products for the fair.
They are urged to help supply the fam |
lily table and TO market everything at |
the right time. They are guided as |
much as possible in proper market |
ing They are guided in raising |
the things that have special CONNER
cial value small child likes to |
make mud pies, but he likes to raise |
q plant of his own just as well-and |
as soon as he sees the fruit of that |
plant he will enthuse over the worth |
while product of his labor and not |
over the mud pie. With occasional |
parties the work is made play and
every four-year-old wants to be five
years old so he may join the gard |
en- class" Right there is the best |
and strongest point OF the Lyndon |
Garden Work-the beginning with the
child when very young. Five years
is almost too late. We find that be- |
ginning with the very young We can |
davalon almost a universal love for