Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-05
WORK Of SCHOOL
GARDEN ARMY IS
TO Be CONTINUED
Work Started This Year VIII.
Be Kept Up Next Year; More
Than a Million and a Half
Children Enrolled,

tsPselA'. coFsseroNpsacR 70 soRaine JouRnA
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.--The interiy
department is preparing for next
years campaign for the school garden
army, which was organized in March
OF ls1S. This year there were approx
ma'ely a million and half children in
This army Next year 1t is hoped that
this number will be multiplied by two,
and perhaps three The organization
has been extended by the appointment
of s. G. Wilson of Huntsville, Tex,
who will have charge of the work in
the New Mexico territory.
TWO main purposes prompted the
planning of the United States school
garden army; (a) Increased food pro-
auction and ttl training of school
children in thrift industry, service,
patriotism and responsibility.
The necessity for man power was
being felt. This was especially true in
agricultural pursuits. Not alone were
the drafted young men going from the
farm, but great numbers of farm en-
ployes were being attracted to the cit
les by higher wages offered in other
industries. II the millions Of city
boys and girls could be induced to give
thslr leisure time to cultivating the
thousands of acres of untitled land in
front and back yards and vacant lots
Of our cities. towns and villages,
it would result in a substantial
increase in food production and an i'm
proyemert in the quality of our COM
ing citizenship.
The bureau of education undertook
to accomplish this through the organi-
cation of the United States school gar
den army. 1t is an educational prob
lem and can be solved with economy
and efficiency only by the schools.
Plan of Organization.
The plan of organization Involves
(a) a general director who is respon-
slble for ORGANIZATION propaganda and
administration, (b) Regional direc-
tors who are charged with the respon-
sibilty of writing instructions upon
gardening that will enable supervisors
and teachers to take a garden ccm-
panN successfully through a season,
even though not expert gardeners.
These instructions have been put out
in leaflet form and sent from the CEN
tral offices to all who applied for
them Co Assistant regional directors
who work under the regional director
and whose duties are similar to those
of the regional director excepting that
of writing garden leaflets (d) Co.
operation with state council of defense
through safe \ representative APP
point by them. te) The army plan Of
organizing school boys and girls into
companies of | so or less under the ii-
rection Of q garden teacher a captain.
FIRST lipntnno nv nj
90 An insignia for each enlisted SOL
der. A double bronze bar for the can
tain, single bronze bar with two stars
in the border for the first lieutenant.
and one star for the second lieutenant.
and combination of bronze and black
enameled bar for privates.
What Was Accomplished.
Some of the accomplishment of the
school garden army in six mnths fol-
low:
one million five hundred thousand
boys nave responded to the call of the
president and enlisted in the United
States school garden army.
Twenty thousand acres of unproduc-
i've nome and vacant lots have been
converted into productive land. This
VIII release an equal acreage now used
IN truck gardening for the production
OF other foodstuffs more important
Tor war purposes. 1t will also relieve
transportation congestion through
home consumption of home produced
fcodstuffs.
Fifty thousand teachers have re-
ceived valuable instruction in garden
ing through the leaflets written by ex-
perts in this office and distributed
from here
Boards of education and other civic
organizations nave been influenced to
give financial and moral support to
the school and home garden move
ment and to pay extra salaries for SUI
pervision and teaching.
Hundreds of thousands of parents
have become interested in the garden
movement and are working with their
children in home gardens. In Salt
Lake CITY alone 5000 mothers repre-
seniing sixty-two parental associations
are actively supporting food produc.
ton in the schools
Thousands of civic commercial and
patriotic organizations have become
interested in the movement and are
giving it hearty SUPPORT
one and one-half rilIinn children
have been given something to do this
9"iiiilet ouHietHihS lhdt VIII nelp car
ry the burden of their country in this
struggle for freedom. something that
viii help them to build character and
something that will appeal 70 and de-
velop their PATRIOTISM.
Home and vacant LOT gardening in
cities towns and villages have been
dignified and made popular to de-
gree that practically insures them II
prominent place in the school system
OF our country. II would he difficult
to estimate the educational and ma
terial value of such results.