American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-12-16


terprise OF the entire district Through
the untiring efforts of two lady teach
ers, this little school house and ground
underwent a complete transformation
A neat teachers cottage was fixed up
out of an old house. a plot of ground
was secured for growing a garden,
flowers and trees, and the place soon
became the most attractive in the vi
cinity. Their theory was that every
school should have a course in domes-
tic science, but 1t should be preceded
by the right kind of school garden;
that is, one that will give knowledge
Of:
(a) Wholesome and nutritious veg
etables for the table.
(b) How best to produce and care
for these vegetables,
(c) How to have a variety Of vege-
tables not only in spring. but also dur
ing the hottest months. and as far into
the winter as possible.
(d) How to saw the farm woman's
steps by growing the vegetables In
most frequent use as close to the door
of the kitchen as possible.
(e) How to combine usefulness with
beauty. with as little expenditure of
time and labor AS possible.
() What varieties of vegetables are
best for home use.
AS can be seen by the sixth item,
this garden is planned especially for
home use. This being a grain and
stock section and their nearest town
a small though growing one, garden
ing for profit, while 1t has It's unreal
lied opportunities, will for a long time
have Its limitations. So for the pres
ent, emphasis is placed On the home
garden and vegetables suited to that
purpose.
The children manifested an intense
interest In the garden and the new
course of instruction; the ground was
plowed by one OF the larger boys,
while the cultivation was done by the
teachers and the pupils, most OF whom
were under 10 years of age. They
were taught the selection and germi-
nation of seeds, methods of planting
and cultivation, harmony of color in
selecting different kinds of flowers to
be grown together and how to get best
results from the least amount of en-
ergy expended.
Through working with the plants the
children became acquainted with thir-
ty different kinds of vegetables, TWEEN
ty-five different kinds of annual and
perennial Towering plants and twelve
different kinds of vines. The use OF
the cold frame and hot bed became
known to the children. Three ~13-year-
old boys built the cold frame, IN
which the plants were raised and the
patrons made many donations Of plants
and shrubs, flower seeds, etc, and In
a short time practically everybody In
the entire community became interes.
ted In the school garden to such an
extent that during the summer vaca'
ton the work was kept up and every
plant received special attention until
It reached It's full development.
AS the children worked IN rne gar
den they became familiar with the lif'
histories and habits Of weeds and in
sects and learned how and when Il
get rid OF both. When the countr,
was visited with a severe drouth thu
children watered the plants and thu
shrubs, every week during the summer
until the drouth vas ended.
What they learned In cultivating thu
school garden, they put into practic'
at their homes and In a short time thu
influence Of these teachers was mucl
In evidence in every home In the com
munity for miles around.
Look to the rural school. From III
doors come the men and women OF tn
approaching generation. With then
lies the future. VIII that future b.
better or worse than the present o
the past? To a great extent the an
swer to the question IL found insid'
the rural school.-Western Farm Life
hA Tal