Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-04-19
Our Home and
School Gardens
TO FEED THE HUNGRY WORLD
THIS YEARS PROBLEM
The Home Garden Plot, School and
Community Planting Greatly
Increased This Year From
Present Indication.

Mother Earth in America is so
kind that to tickle her with hoe
causes her laugh with a bounteous
harvest.
Gardening this year for everyone
who has available ground at his COM
mand will be an important business.
We must all remember nothing great
was ever achieved without enthu-
siasm, and as feeding ourselves and
our boys cover there" is an important
and gigantic task we must put enthu-
siasm into this branch of war work.
The time was when a good many
of US leaned over a division fence
and regarded the gardening industry
Of an enterprising neighbor with
amused tolerance. 1t was a queer
way, many Of us thought, in which to
seek recreation. But last year, when
food prices had began to soar like
kites on the city's vacant lots, most
of US viewed his operations in an en-.
tirely different light as we leaned
over the same fence. His labors had
suddenly assumed new significance,
we smiled and kidded our neighbor
no more; we took off our coats,
sought friend neighbor's gardening
advice and went to work.
The result of expert instruction and
united effort will accomplish wonders,
as is shown by the results obtained
by our school children in the past
few years.
In May 1916 the Newark Board Of
Education adopted resolution en-
powering the Superintendent OF
Schools to prepare course of study
in Agriculture and School Gardening:
This was done, and at the opening of
school in September of 1916, the
work was started under the direction
of Mr.. Karl j. Hopp, a graduate of
the college of Agriculture, Ohio State
University.
About 80 high school pupils re-
ceived instruction in Agriculture the
first year. The school garden work
for both high school and elementary
school pupils was planned and started
in April, 1917. There were hundreds
of children engaged in this work last
season. Seven community gardens
were worked and at least two hun
dred individual home gardens. These
were under the immediate supervi-
vision of the garden director, but
there were at least one thousand chill
dren who did something along the
garden line apart from those under
Mr.. Hopp's immediate direction.
The garden season closed in Sep
tember, and at mass meeting of
children, teachers and citizens on Oc-
tober 10, prizes and certificates were
awarded This was a great event.
About $3.50 in prizes, and over 300
diplomas were granted to the most
successful garden workers. One girl
received as high as $500 in prizes.
Others received from $1.O0 to $1,000.
This seasons work is well planned.
Lots are already plowed, fertilized
and seeds are being put into packets.
The Chamber of Commerce, Rotary
Club and the Trades and Labor AS
sembly are supporting the movement.
The Licking Creamery Co. and Mr..
William Burke are also offering
awards.
A committee Of the Trades and
Labor Assembly, in conjunction which
the Superintendent of Schools, is
planning a definite support. With all
these factors working together, the
garden work this season ought to be
a great success. Mr.. Hopp's report
to the Board of Education shows that
$4O66 worth of garden vegetables was
raised last season.
In addition to the work of the
school children the cultivation of back
yards and vacant lots by citizens gen
orally will be much in excess of that
of any previous years.
A privilege and a pastime has be-
come a duty and there should be and
will be comparatively little tillable
soil in the city or country that will
not know the gardeners spade. The
backyard garden has indicated itself
and the back yard gardener, as SOL
der of the soil, has shown his worth.