The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-03-26
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 4,ooo, 900 in Work
This Year.
BY LESTER S. WINS,
Regional Director for Central States.

Regional Director for Central States.
Washington - The United States
school garden army, organized at the
request of President Wilson to stimu-
late food production among the chill
dren of the country, as well as to give
them an opportunity to utilize their
spare time in a pleasant and profitable
manner, enlisted 1,6S0,O0O garden SOL
diers 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 num-
Der started but only those pupils who
did the work satisfactorily were grant.
ed the government U. S. S. G. in.
sigma as n recognition of their work.
The average profit was a little more
than $40 per pupil or $16,SO0,000 for
the entire army. This amount repre-,
sents both the fresh and canned goods
used and sold. The average amount
of food canned was one dozen pint
cans per pupil.
This profit was produced on land
which would not otherwise have been
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 Transports
ntsh hn lnfn
ton 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-halt
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,
but the superintendents 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 be added that these com.
munitles did 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, parochial and private schools. All
these school systems Joined in many
localities and employed the same gar.
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 the
| states and some special state repre-
sentatives for the state council of
defense in many of the states. These
additional helpers make it possible to
do more intensive work.
! The increased number of admins
trative federal and state directors will
be very materially aided by the spe
cial garden supervisors that arc to
be selected in all of the principal cities
and towns of the country.
Learn Valuable Lessons.
Educational leaders representing
systems 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
planted in gardens Of their own; thai
all school work was of greater inter
est when 1t could be related to home
experience; money made as the result
of garden work provided funds fol
stamps, bonds, saving accounts, ne
oessities of life, Red Cross and othel
such drives; children had, greater ap
probation of food after having hat
experience in its production and pres
ervation; parents became interested
while working with the children, who
never before attempted the production
Of garden crops; that In addition II
the health, civic and educational val
ues, children were taught valuabl,
lessons in thrift, industry, patriotism
and responsibility.
Judging from past experience it II
only question of time when the cite!
and towns in America will have full
courses in gardening In their school!
as has been the case in the old worl(
for many years.
School officials throughout the coun
! try, In order to aid the nation in full
! filling its guarantee of 20,OO0,O0O ton,
of food for Europe In 1919, and il
order to give the children under thei
charge this newer type of education
: are aiming to make a readjustmen
in their programs. They will use gar
J den books as part of the supplement
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