Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-09-06
SCHOOL GARDENS VISITED
Men and Women Inspect Work
Done by Children.
Net Result Of Their Efforts during the
Summer II n Very Substantial Adj
ditiou to winters supply Of
staple Vegetables.

tied Friday morning by 10 men and
women On II automoD.ies furnished free
for the occasion.
To state that those who took part In this
"petter ACQUAINTANCE tour were aston
,shed at the wonderful work that had been
ACCOMPLISHED by the scholars in garden
ing is putting It mild. Some Of them were
really speil-bound as they beheld the
vegetable yistas that were opened to them.
Five hundred school children Of the
city's schools, both public and parochial,
have been employed in these gardens for
the past three months and as result Of
this employment there will be many tons
of potatoes and squash, in addition to
huge supplies of other garden truck.
The pilot car contained Mr.. Brewer and
members of his committee. Following
came cars containing Superintendent Of
Schools M. d. Chittenden, II. L. Ward. d.
A. Loomis, w. c. Isham, w. B. Howe. Dr.
and Mrs. B. H. Stone, including members
Of the school garden committee, Of which
Mrs. Stone is chairman. the Rev. w. H.
Cassidy, superintendent of the Cathedral
schools, Thomas Bradee. director Of the
agricultural extension service of the uni
versity. r. l.. ingalls,. State agent of the
boys and girls club work, A. 8. Drew
former mayor, and many others.
TOUR OF THE GARDENS.
Starting at a little before ten o'clock
from City Hall Park. the acquaintance
tour went directly to the Thayer school
gardens on North avenue. Here they
with vegetables. Tomatoes were the most
striking objects here. An 1l-year-old GIRL
Winifred Blondin. has already picked 2e6
ripe tomatoes from 16 plants. The other
vegetables were also in excellent condi-
ton.
The next stop was made at Athletic park.
The former ball park, the scene of many
an exciting baseball game, is now covered
with some Of the choicest vegetables of
the season. The park has been IN charge
Of children from the H. o. Wheeler, Law
renee Barnes and Pomeroy schools. There
is also a small plot cared for by pupils
from the Nazareth school. In this plot the
Hubbard squash is growing. Immense
quantities of these are in all stages of
growth.
The Ira Allen school plot on hospital
hill was hastily inspected and the party
went through the two acres of potatoes
and other vegetables on land donated by
l.. c. Clark on South Willard street, in
care Of the Adams school children. The
| a big crop a little later. The girls of the
Adams school who have the extreme
northerly end of the long strip show
some tomatoes and beans that equal any
Of the others
glimpse OF the Converse school gar
| den at Willard and Spruce streets was
caught as the party passed this point
This garden Ia in splendid condition
| though 1t has been beset with difficulties
The junior high school girls have cared
| for fine piece of land on Shelburne
street south Of the Hickok lot This
| garden was next seen. 1t was planted
the last of the planting season. and has
come along splendidly.
Besides those mentioned, gardens which
the party did not visit. because of lack OF
time, included the senior high school boys
plot at the rear Of the main university
buildings. comprising three and hall
acres. the plot of the junior high school
boys. who have more than five acres OF
potatoes and beans on Spear street, the
Cathedral school gardens of two acre.
on Spear street and the Champlair
school garden Of two acres on Pine street
All these compare we'll with the ones in
spected.
THOSE WHO LOANED LAND.
People who contributed land for tn,
gardens are: Thayer school, A. ]. Can
ming: Lawrence Barnes, Pomeroy
Wheeler and ST. Josephs at Athleti,
Park. by the Central Vermont through
the courtesy of c. p. Smith and ex-Gov
T.. c. Smith Of st. Adams; Champlair
school gardens. Mr.. and Mrs. John ]
Allen; the Junior high school boys c. W
Brownell; Junior high school girls, Mrs
Horatio Hickok: Cathedral school, Mr.
and Mrs. NJ. c. Twitchell; Ira Allel
school. the Mary Fletcher hospital; higl
school, University Of Vermont; Adams
l.. c. Clarke; Converse gardens T. B
Hanna. A. B. Buell. and r. L. Patrick
the adult gardens. Mayor j. Holmes
jackson.
Miss Georgia Devine. the efficien
supervisor of the gardens. deserves mucl
praise and credit for the successful com
pletion of this work. During the hotties
days Of the summer she labored unceas
ingly, patiently and painstakingly will
the children. many Of whom never would
have finished the season without her help
SCHOOL GARDEN SUPERVISORS.
Besides Miss Georgia Devne, wht
did such remarkable work in her sec
ton of the school gardens this sum
mer, there were two other supervisors
H. JoHeS Charge OF the mgr
school gardens on South Prospect stree
and on the university campus. and of thu
Junior high school girls on Shelburn,
road. Mr.. Jones has worked hard ano
done most of the spraying and deserve,
a great deal of credit. Frank NJ. Varney
another supervisor. had charge of tn,
Nazareth gardens on North avenue, the
lChamplain gardens on Pine street ant
the Junior high school garden on Spear
street. Mr.. Varney also deserves mucf
credit for his enthusiasm and untirinf
efforts in this work.
This story would not be complet,
without word for Gardner Brewer, tn,
chairman of the food committee, as wei
as chairman and treasurer of the finance
committee. Mr.. Brewer gave much valu
able time to this work. regardless of bust
ness pressure. An instance is evident b,
the fact that he had to work man,
nights until quite late in order that h,
might finish business matters which h,
had neglected during the day
SUPERVISOR SATISFIED.
Miss Georgia Devine. supervisor of thu
school and home gardens In Burlington, Il
very much pleased with the way in which
the children have worked this summer Sh
said that the children had had almost
perfect attendance on their garden day
and that, except in very few cases
when a child could not come he Away
sent substitute. The work did not seen
irksome to the children, many of then
remarking again and again that they wer
always glad to have tneir garden da,
come. Miss Devine was especially grateful
to Mr.. Canning of the Burlington Render
ing company for his aid in the work at tn
Thayer school garden. Mr.. Canning ha,