West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-05-04

Period--Each School Should En-
ploY Teacher Versed In Garden,
Chattanooga, Tenn. has organized a
plan for introducing school and home
gardens that is considered one of the
best yet devised for interesting var
ious community groups in home-gar-
den work.
The Chattanooga plan. according To
reports received by the bureau of
education OF the Department OF the
Interior. enlists federal, state. city
and local association agencies in the
work. The following are actively
represented in the movement for
school gardens: United States Depart
ment OF the Interior, bureau OF educa-
ton. through the commissioner and
an assistant in home and school gar
dens; city OF Chattanooga. depart
ment OF education and health, through
the commissioner of education and
health superintendent OF schools and
garden supervios; Federation Of
School Improvement Leagues, through
its president; president OF district
leagues representing the eleven dis
tricts; directors Of home gardening:
r principals. teachers, parents, pupils.
the newspapers.
Similar work TO that Of CHATTANOOGA.
though in most cases not so carefully
organized, is being done in 30 cities
this year through special appropria-
ton by Congress in 1915. In describ-
ing the movement for home gardening
directed by the school. Dr. p. p. Clax-
ton. commissioner of education, uv-
clares:
After the school day is finished and
during the long vacation period. mil
lions OF American children are idle.
Without proper occupation, these flu
ture citizens of the United States are
thrown on their own resources for
amusement until school begins again.
cit seems manifestly the duty of the
public schools TO furnish employment
for these millions of idle young peo-
pie. The schools are established and
maintained for the purpose of educat-
ing children into manhood and wo-
manhood and for preparing them for
citizenship
''The bureau of education, after
much careful thought and research
work. has evolved system of home
gardening done under the direction of
the schools that seems to offer many
opportunities for this sort of instruc-
ton and for nn.rg satisfactorily tho
child's idle hours
The bureau recommends chat there
should be In each school throughout
the country at least one teacher who
knows gardening both scientifically
and practically. This teacher should
be employed twelve months in the
year, should teach elementary science
in the school during the school hours
and should. out of school hours, direct
the home gardening of the children
between the ages of 10 and 5 years.
IF possible, the teacher should
have the assistance of an expert gar
dener 80 that the work may be done
in the most practical and profitable
way, The teacher and the gardener
should help the children find the plots
OF ground near their homes best suit
able for garden work, aid them by
some cooperative method i'm having
the lots properly plowed and prepared
for cultfation, help them select seed
and show them how to plant, cultl-
vate and harvest so as to obtain the
best results. The teacher should
spend the afternoons and Saturdays OF
winter. spring and fall, when school
Is i'm session. and all the vacation days
Of summer, visiting the children in
their homes. directing their work and
giving to each child such help as Il
most needs once week or oftener
during the vacation mouths. the
teacher should assemble the children
in groups for a discussion OF their
work and of the principles and meth
ods involved.
vegetables. berries and fruits
grown should be used first as food for
the children and their families. then
the surplus should be marketed to the
best advantage Through The help of
the teacher This can be done in q CO.
operative way Ten or fifteen cents
worth of vegetables each day from the
gardens of 200 children would amount
20 500 or $780, In summer and faIi
when One surplus is large and cannot
be marketed To- advantage. the teacher
should direct and help thc children in
canning and preserving for winter
home use or for sale. The canning
and tomato clubs have already shown
what can De done in this way
Jt is difficult to estimate alI the re-
suits OF tbis plan once it is in full
operation throughout the country
For the children &c will mean health.
strength Joy in work habits OF in
d6s'ry on understanding of the value
of money as measured in terms of la
Dor. and anch knowledge Of the phe-
nomera and forces of nature as must
be had for am understanding OF most
Of their school lessons.
"rhis plan in fuli operation would
offer valuable supplement 10 the
chlidlabor laws A proper substitute
for huriful child labor is only less de-
afrablo than ffe prohihfffof A hos,