Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-30
VISITORS DAY And
MARKET, AUGUSTA
SCHOOL GARDENS

w Re &x10y0A 04aA WIN 40 as
sympathy with the Augusta work,
and Commissioner Roberts who is
interested In whatever helps the
agricultural future Of the State. will
speak 1T the Lincoln school on
Thursday, and Mayor Martin and
Prof. Ralph P. Mitchell. State
leader Of the Boys and Girls
Agricultural Clubs, will speak at
the Harrington on Friday at the
same time. Mr.. Mitchell has enrolled
over 1000 boys and girls in club work
during his few years Of State leader
ship.
|. Directly after the speeches re-
freshments will be served. The re-
freshments or garden lunch will be
made in part from products gath
cred from school gardens and pre-
pared by the children under direc-
ton at the domestic science school
kitchen.
The purpose of these meetings is to
give to the public an opportunity to
learn at first hand something of the
beginning which is being made this
year in Augusta in the most alive
study which the schools of our
country are carrying, for by the
school garden is meant not only the
plot Of ground which is being planted
to garden produce but everything in
nature, above and below and around
the plot. The school garden has
distinct educational value. It forms
the nature study laboratory for the
schools and it alone makes possible
St,1dxy
vides an opportunity for the children
to do and observe at first hand and
then to study the results of that do
ing and observing in the school.
This use of the garden in the school
room vitalizes the theoretical studies
Of the school course as for the gar
den proper good crops are always a
natural result of correct lessons
taught in gardening, and poor meth
DDS practiced and taught by those In
charge Of the school gardens will re-
suit in poor crops and consequently
in poor education.
The school garden teacher has no
crevice into which to crawl with
work poorly done. 1t all stands out
in the broad light of day, and the
most successful garden educationally,
is obviously the one that grows the
best crops. But it should be noticed
by the public that from an educa-
tional point of view gardening. for
children is not market gardening
1t is not primarily matter of
economic value, that Is, of dollars and
cents, but is a matter of pedagogy,
physiology and child study. Those
who have worked longest and best in
this field know that gardening gives
results of lasting value to children
only when the lessons extend beyond
the dollar sign, but at the same time
the market problem Of school gar
dening should always be cared for
as matter Of educational value. Also
because it is the logical last end" of
! be only. and the best market for the
young child is. the home table.
Therefore. the home table should al
ways have place for the child's
produce. s.-
1t is hoped that some Of the par
ents and others of Augustus citizens
will be interested to visit both
school gardens. as only by so doing
can be clearly seen the feature which
is best worth noting and which is
! likely to be least noted in school
garden work, namely: That school
| gardens are planned on the educa-
tional principle of progression. This
principle of progression or grading
cannot be carried out to any. great
extent the first year of this work in
| school gVcfnpn 4.
new to all grades, it must be started
in all grades at the A, B. c Of the
work. The garden must be planned
to teach all grades certain rudi-
mentary principles Of gardening.
The second and third year of such
work would allow many more differ
ences. To illustrate this concretely,
at the Lincoln school, children of the
fifth grade have the vegetables
planted and at the Harrington school
the eighth grade. and the differences
in the work due to the age Of the
children are very evident. And the
still greater differences between the
fifth grade work and that of the Sec
ond grade children in the flower gar
den is still more evident.
Filled in land witch grass, poor
soil. and other obstacles hinder per-
feet work, but the overcoming Of
these obstacles more and more is
education for the children. and time
| only is needed to see development of
all phases Of this garden work
neat. probably planned vegetable
gardens. flower gardens, planting Of
bulbs, garden for plant families, for
high school work in botany, propa-
eating plants for the different
schools, greenhouse work, work in
fruit and shrub and tree planting.
making and maintaining beautiful
and well-kept school grounds.
| The last step in garden lessons of
whatever nature is individual.
original work. That leads naturally
to club work. which in its best form
is specialized. economic or exhibition
work. The logical sequence Of gar
den work for children is the school
i garden for the children to learn gar
dening. the home garden, as the
natural outgrowth Of the school gar
den and the club work as specialized
1 N~-oa