Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-05
SCHOOL WAR GARDENS
SHOW GREAT RESULTS
VIII Supply Lunch Counters for Pu-
pills, and Sixteen Open
Air Glasses.
UNDER SUPERVISION OF Tuos,
Products Grown on Various Plots
Canned at White and Colored Can
ming Ccntcrs in Different Sections
Of the City

Sanncd at White and COlOrel CAN
ming Ccntcrs i'm Different Sections
Of the City.
when the frost Is on the pumpkin
ana the folders IN the shock, and the
count Is taken OF the many abort!vc at
tempts in Richmond at food conserve
ton during the summer, all moro or
less expensive. DR.. J. y. G. Chandler.
superintendent. OF the city schools Of
Richmond, Is going TO DO able TO pro-
duce figures TO prove beyond the
shadow OF doubt that he has made
the school garden proposition this
year Il brilliant success from every
point OF view.
Even a. this stage OF the game. prac-
;ical results are shown IN the follow
Ing figures gathered a. random In tho
seven white and three colorcd school
canning centers OF tho city-thirty-
one bushels snap beans. eleven bushels
butter beans, twcHty-four dozen cars
Of corn, fifty punches of bocts surplus
sold from sch DOL gardens not needed at
tho time for canning amounting to
$3.50. and as much again by the chill
dren who worked the plot; on atty
nifty basis.
BY the first frost, there will he
enough garden produce canned,
picked. dried and otherwise conserved
not only to run the lunch counters.
which. for tho first time in the his
tory OF the city schools of Richmond
arc going 10 be run in the high school
buildings by the domestic science de-
partmcnts, and not let TO contract to
caterers, as heretofore. but there will
he enough for the sixteen opcn-a!r
classes Of twenty children-each which
are taught on tho glassedin roofs Of
as many school buildings in the city
where the children are given their
meals every day--w appctiZ-
Ing meals which build up weakened
constitutions and bring suonormal
children up TO normal.
TWENTY-FIVE SCHOOL GARDENS
IN VARIOUS PARTS OF CITY
There are twenty-five school gardens
in various parts of the city OF Rich
mond. A. l.. Thoms. principal OF Gin
ter Park School, is in charge OF all
school gardens in the city. Mt Thoms
has four white and two coiored as
sistants j. y. Harris. 4. L. Smith, H.
n Rucker and Miss Sarah Cochran. OF
Zig stone Gap. arc the white assistants,
and Earle Harris and John Scott are
tho colored assistants. The salaries or
all of these are paid by the city schooi
board with the exception OF MISS 9arah
Cochran, who came into the work July
/. and whose salary for four mon'ha
will be paid by the cooperative cN
tension work in agriculture ana hohie
economies OF the State Agriculture! COL
logo at Blacksburg. OF which Miss Ella
{, Arncw is assistant director.
Included in the list of Twenty-Five
.,bool gardens are what is known as
,be I'VE demonstration gardens.
which are also under the supervisor OF
Mr.. Thoms and his assistants. but az
fer in that the expense oil Eetuhs lhS'n
Under cultivation was partly borne by
Granville c.. Valentine as phiian-
throp;c venture TO encourage food pro-
;:uction. and. except where school p!ols
are reserved for the purpose the gar
cen products arc rot sent to the can
r!ng cen:ers. but arc sold In the mar
kcts or turned over TO tho home DEM
onstratlon forces for conservation.
DEsT-KNowN GARDEN
Is At JOHN MARSHALL
The hest known OF the demonstration
gardens Is the one on the ieit or the
entrance to John Marshall High school,
which Mr.. Valentine financed entirely
in the beginning, although 1t has since
teen replantcG by Mr.. Thoms. toScth-
.r with the one on the right or the en-
;iance, which is divided into small
riots. the plan which Is followed by
him In every school garden in the city
mentioned at John Marshall. 1t is Mr..
'Thoms's intention 10 divide up this
enc. also. into small plots Is soon as
practicable. Produce TO the amount OF
sac has been sold by Mr.. Thoms from
Tic John Marshall demonstration gar
dem
Mr.. Valentine also financed the fenc-
ing and arrangements for water at
the demonstration garden at Balm
bridge Junior High School in South
Richmond. the fencing and blowing ut
tho Falrmoun; demonstration garden.
fencing and water at the Baker Schoo OIL
garden. but nothing whatever at the
Fox demonstration garden.
The general plan adopted by Mr..
Thoms. which has proved its practical
value. is 10 divide each school garden
into small plots averaging about eco
square feet TO the plot. Each plot is
cultivated by the boy or girl taking IT,
community, on q ffty-hfty basis. the
School Board paving for the blowing,
seeding and other initial expenses. In
enc or two instances, as in Barton
Heights. those cuitivatinG the plots
have, themselves refunded tho initial
expenses (nevcr more than 10 ccntsl
10 the School Board and have been al
lowed to use or sell all the products
from the plots.
AS rule limit of four vegetables
has been followed. so that each plot
has been planted to one row cabbage
two of tomatoes. two Of butter beans
'Wo Of snaps. one row of navy beans
and as these crops arc gathered they
are followed by turnips, navy beans
spinach and the like.
GARDENERS UP AGAINST
MANY DIFFICULTIES
'GcrdeninE under difficulties" mildly
expresses what Mr.. Thoms and his a.
sitant have been UP against in sew
eral school gardens. For instance. at
cambridge Junior High School it was
necessary to remove twenty loads OF
concrete and other debris before the
Garden could he plowed. 1t was re-
rlowcd under Mr.. Thoms's direction
July ], and now presents n thrifty an
ncarance. II is divided into eight small
plots, cultivated by Interested people
IN the community, and by one OF Mr..