The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-29
SCHOOL GARDENS FOR CHILDREN

''The school-garden idea is not fad,'
declares Dr. c. d. Jarvis, Of the u S. Blu
reau of Education ut is an outward ex-
preston of an Unborn belief on the part of
hundreds of teachers and educators
throughout this and other lands that chill
dren need some kind of active experience
to vitalize their school studies 1t is also
an expression on the part of thousands of
parents of the belief that in order to ac-
quire habits of industry and to appreciate
the dignity of labor boys and girls at an
early age should be encouraged to engage
in some kind of wholesome employment.
Furthermore, the various welfare associa-
tions, the international Child-welfare
League in particular, are embracing the
garden movement with the belief that
may be saved from the evils attending
confinement in the shops, the mills, and
the mines
in general, a varying degree of success
| has followed the efforts of individual teach
ers and of the various organizations. Too
often, however, extensive garden projects
have been undertaken without a carefully
Ipre-arranged program, without any provis-
ion for instruction and supervision, and
without sufficient funds to properly adj
minister the enterprise On account OF
these and other causes 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 generally
appreciate the Importance of gardening
they have been slow to take it up as par
of the school program. They would lik,
to see the work standardized and a definite
program substituted for the chaotic mas
of recommendations The lack of we'll
organized examples of garden artivities ha
probably been the retarding factor"
To satisfy the demand for some defnit
information, DR. Jarvis points out, the Z
+ s Bureau of Education recently conducts
, survey of the school-garden wor
! throughout the country As a result Q
this survey plan for the introduction an
promotion of garden work in the school
5 has been made available to school official.
$ ''The plan is a simple one, it is an eco
e nomical one. 1t does not in any way inte
e fere with the present school program.
4 provides for intelligent instruction an
J. thorough supervision. 1t provides for IL
) utilization of unused land and labor fC
+ productive purposes. The children worl
ing under this plan may contribute to tt
j support of the family, teaching them Il
II fundamental principles of democracy al
X enabling them to remain longer in schoc
II Under this plan also the children are give
- an opportunity for an active experience
:, vitalize school studies and an opportun
y for acquiring knowledge OF an occup
G tion that may become the means of liz
IS lihood The plan further provides for
= wholesome occupation for boys and gil
- while out of school and thus stimulates
ST dustry at the receptive age and guar
to against the evils attending idleness. I
on additional result of the plan in operati,
" is an improvement of home smroundin
:, back yards are cleaned up and the hor
ka grounds ornamented with shrubbery a
n flower borders >