The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-06-07
school Gardens for children


"The school-garden idea is not a
| fad" declares DR.. c. ID. Jarvis, of the
| u. s. Bureau of Education. 1T is an
| outward expression of an Unborn be
| lief on the part of hundreds of teach
ers and educators throughout this
and other lands that children need
some kind of active experience to
vitalize their school studies. 1t is al
so an expression on the part of
thousands of parents of the belief
that in order to acquire habits of in
dustry and to appreciate the dignity
of labor, boys and girls at an
early age should be encouraged to en-
gage in some kind of wholesome en-
ployment. Furthermore, the various
welfare associations, the Information
al Child Welfare League in particular
are embracing the garden movement
with the belief that through it thous-
ands of boys and girls may be saved
from the evils attending coniine-
ment in the shops, the mills aud the
mines.
In general, a varying degree of
success has followed the efforts of in
dividual teachers and of the various
organizations. Too often, however,
extensive garden projects have been
undertaken without a carefully pre-
arranged program, without any pro-
vision for instruction and superyis-
ion and without sufficient funds to
properly administer the enterprise
On account of these and other caus-
cs there have been some failures
These failures, however, have served
to make us more cautious and have
helped us TO formulate plans for the
future development of the work
Although the school officials gen
orally appreciate the importance of
gardening, they have been slow to
take ii up as a part of the school pro
gram. They would like to see the
work standardized and definite pro
gram substituted for the chaotic mass
OF recommendations. The lack of
well-organized examples of garden
activities has probably been the re-
tarding factor
To satisfy the demand for some
definite information, Or Jarvis points
out, the u. S. Bureau of Education re
Gently conducted survey of the
scbool-garden work throughout the
country. AS a result of this survey
a MAN for Tho iutrnduc4;o., orJ MO
motion of garden work in the schools
has been made available to school
officials.
The plan is simple one. it is an
economical one. 1t does not in any
way interfere with the present
school program. II provides for intel
ligent instruction and thorough sup
eryision. 1t provides for the utiliza-
ton of unused land and labor for pro-
ductive purposes. The children
working under this plan may contrib
ute to the support of the family
teaching the fundamental principles
Of democracy and enabling them TO
remain longer in school. Under this
pan also tne cNlluIeu are gwen an
opportunity for an active experience
to yitalize school studies and an OPP
portunity for acquiring knowledge
OF an occupation that may become
the means of a livelihood. The plan
further provides for a wholesome oc-
cupation for boys and girls while out
of school and thus stimulates indust-
ry at the receptive age and guards
against the evils attending idleness.
An additional result of the plan in OPP
GRAFTON is an improvement of home
surroundings-back yards are clean
ed up and the home grounds orna-
mented with shrubbery and flower
borders. BrattFeboro Reformer