The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-06-06

size. community gardening, for instance, is prac-
tically the only method by which all available
garden space may be put to work, by which labor
may be most efficiently employed, by which econ
omy in purchasing power may be best exercised
ard by which 1t is possible to secure expert super
vision. But these things arc material. There is a
value beyond them, which one finds recorded here,
the value of the community spirit as it marks the
increasing solidarity of society.
A like value is also recorded in this volume in
its description of the gardens established by many
large corporations and industrial and transporta-
tion concerns for their employees, resulting In a
feeling of fellowship not previously existing be-
tween capital and labor.
The Illustrations really illustrate the text. The
series of striking posters used in the publicity
CAMPAIGN are reproduced IN color. There are 81
f~ull-page illustrations in half tone, many OF which
are exceedingly interesting. The small home gar
den in Marion, which is shown herewith, is not
especially pictorial, but was selected because it Is
a war garden typical Of hundreds Of thousands
seen the country Overland. let us hope, long to
be seen.
Victory Garden a Fixture.
Mr.. Pack predicts that the war garden-now the
victory garden-is a fixture. The food conditions
Of the world will make it necessary for many
years, and during that time the value of garden
ing will have become so apparent that the move
ment will continue until it has become a fixed
habit and firmly implanted in the lives of the peO-
pie.
Herein lies the tremendous Importance of the
United States school garden army, which already
has "a membership Of nearly 1900, 600. For the
mobilization Of the school children the logical
agency was the United States bureau of education
of the department of the interior. p. Z. ClaxtOn,
United States commissioner of education, APP
preached the undertaking with broad vision and
keen foresight characteristic Of his administra-
ton of educational affairs for the federal govern
ment. Under his guidance there came into being
the United States school garden army, modified
with effective promptness and swung into action
under the leadership OF J. III. Francis as director.
Doctor Francis is an educator of note who was
drafted into this important work by Commissioners
Claxton. and he brought to bear on the enterprise
perception and aggreSSiveneSS which achieved re-
suits of national Importance in comparatively brief
time. President Wilson was keenly interested in
the United States school garden army. His cordial
Endorsement was expressed in a letter to Secretary
Lane which served as the corner stone of the struc-
ture and an inspiration to the children of America.
From the beginning the commission and the
school garden army have worked In entire bar
mony. The commission has furnished the army it's
publications, and has prepared special 1919 print
ings for it's exclusive use. Director Francis in the
introduction says the mighty army of school chill
dren must help to get together the two factors Of
leisure time and patriotism and of thousands OF
acres Of uncultivated lands. superintendent OF
schools must make their schools a vital force In
giving more food to the world ana III conserving
what Is produced.
Secretary Lanes special message to the school
garden army contains this fOrceful paragraph:
.The boys and girls who have liberty gardens In
1919, the garden army officers who assist I'm keep
ing the army efficient, and the teachers who direct
the work, will render a patriotic service to be COM
pared only to that of the men who won the war"
Mrs. Sherman says: In the opinion of the 1000
600 members of the General Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs there is no other one subject that will
give the physical. mental and moral development
to the child that may come from learning to pro.
duce food from the soil. We also believe that gar.
dening for children Is a part of the school educa-
ton Of "a child that 1t ranks in importance with
reading, writing and arithmetic, and that the
schools are the only agency equipped TO handle the
subject in a comprehensive and adequate manner.
The National Council of Women with 20 national
organizations is unanimous In It's support of gar
dening for children under school direction"