The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-05-13
Bureau Of Education Expects to
Enlist Many More Children
This Year.
Did GREAT WORK IN 1918
Profit Averaged $40 for Each OF the
100000 Garden Soldiers Engaged
TO Enlist 100000 In Work
This Year.
Regional Director for Central States
BY LESTER s. WINS,

Regional Director for Central States.
Washington The United States
school garden army, organized at the
request OF President Wilson to siimu-
late food production among the chill
dren Of the country, as well as to give |
them an opportunity to utilize their |
spare time in pleasant and profitable
manner, enlisted 1,6S0000 garden sol. |
dlers in the United States during the |
year 1918. This number represents !
the boys and girls in cities, towns and
villages who actually planted, culti-
waited and harvested crops at their
home or on grounds under school SUI
pervision. Many more than this pum-
Der started. but only those pupils who
| did the work satisfactorily were grant.
ed the government U. s. S. G. in,
4 sigma as o recognition of their work.
The average profit was little more
than $40 per pupil or S16,s00,0O0 for
the entire army This amount repre-, \
sents both the fresh and canned goods
FUSED and sold. The average amount |
of food canned was one dozen pint
cans per pupil. .if
This profit was produced on land
which wonld not otherwise have been
f. used and by children in many cases
who would not have been otherwise
employed, This food was In most
cases consumed while fresh, where
produced, without cost of transporta-
ton or handling and without feteriora-
tion on the market. Considering these
facts, the real results are of greater
value than the figures would indicate.
More Gardens This Year.
Reports from more than one-half
of the towns and cities that were not
organized under the federal plan In
1918 indicate they will be a part Of
the United States garden army in 1919.
Many cities and towns had gardens,
hut the superintendent of schools for
various reasons did not have the chill
dren TO organize along the lines of the
federal garden army plan. However,
It should he added that these COM
munitles did a great amount of work
toward increasing food production In
their localities.
The garden work is one of the first
educational movements in the state and
nation that has been enthusiastically
supported by school authorities in pub
lie, parochal and private schools. All
these school systems Joined In many
localities and employed the same gar.
i den supervisor and garden teachers.
The garden division OF the bureau
, OF education was greatly increased
last September by the employment of
assistant regional directors for all ths
stntes and some special state repro
sentatives for the state council OF
Z defense in many of the states. These
i additional helpers make 1t possible to
. do more intensive work.
h The increased number Of admins
d trative federal and state directors will
t be very materially aided by the spe-
d clal garden supervisors that are to
s be selected in all Of the principal cities
> fud towns Of the country.
Learn Valuable Lessons.
II Educational leaders representing
[. 81 stems that were most successful
last year with the garden work learned
many valuable lessons. They find that
children are much more interested in
testing seed If these seeds are to be
a planted in gardens OF their own; that
: all school work was Of greater inter.
- est when ii could be related TO home
:. experience; money made as the result
h. of garden work provided funds for
stamps. bonds, saving accounts, me-
ressities OF life, Red Cross and other
t. such drives: children had greater APP
probation Of food after having had
- experience in its production and pres.
trvOtlon; parents became interested
While working with the children, who
never before attempted the production
Of garden crops; that In addition tc
tho health civic and educational val
ucs, children were taught valuable
| lessons in thrift, industry, patriotism
and responsibility.
| Judging from past experience II Is
/ only n question of time when the cities
/ aud towns in Allerlca will have full
| courses in gardening in their schools
| as has been the case in the old world
| for many years.
J School officials throughout the coun