The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-09
WAR GARDEN PLANS
OF CITYS SCHOOLS
MODEL FOR NATION

School children OF this city made
Richmond famous throughout the Unit
ed States in 1918, as the 100 percent
war garden town. In the spring OF
1917 the war garden movement was
started here, by superintendent G.. T.
Giles. One year later every school
child in Richmond was working in a
garden, an attainment enjoyed, so far
as is known, by no other city in this
country.
Not only was the spirit and organ
ization OF service efficient, but the
quantity OF products raised was ex-
tremely great. Such attention was at
tracted by the children's market
which was held at the market house
every Friday afternoon, that the Unit
ed States government asked for data
on the successful operation of the ven
ture. Purdue university sent w. Z.
Lommel, garden expert. to this city to
| investigate the children's plan of mar
keting; direct outgrowth of the sue
cessful war gardening.
In March 1917, local citizens realiz-
| ing the necessity of producing more
food, met for discussion in the rooms
of the Commercial club. Scarcity Of
| food was feared, and demand for con-
| certed best action proved the main
| factor in bringing together this group.
Employ &. r. Murphy.
| A decision was reached to employ
E. F. Murphy to conduct a war gar
| den campaign. Mr.. Murphy began his
work here in April 1917, as head of
the civic war garden committee His
duties were to supervise the garden
work through schools with the chill
dren, and give helpful aid and advise
for work by adults.
During the first year there were ap-
! proXimately 1900 gardens producing
food valued at close to $4,000 Will
! liam J. Robbins, then mayor OF Rich
mond, rendered valuable aid in furn-
iShing teams and labor for blowing
vacant lots. without expense to the
gardener. In this manner 40 lots were
placed in workable condition.
Plots of ground and lots growing
nothing but weeds were offered to
any one wishing to cultivate garden
produce. Records show that 900 calls
were received by the garden commit
tee from persons requesting ground
for gardens. Practically all of the
people were supplied. About 1910
telephone calls were received from
gardeners wishing information on gar
den cultivation.
Some Amusing Incidents.
Many people VINO had never given
second thought to the ways and
means by which they We're supplied
with food, resolved to help win the
war by planting a war garden. The
ignorance of some was amusing but
the patriotic impulse which led them
to the idea was noble.
Records are still available Of the
man who having been told that pota-
toes had to be planted deep used a
post hole digger. After three weeks,
inquiries made by the man about the
trouble with his garden, disclosed that
he had planted them a foot deep
Another man hearing that dirt would
put out the eyes of potatoes wrapped
each one in tissue paper before plant
ing. These facts are now on record
and form part of the chapters that
could be written of the earnestness
with which local citizens entered I'M
resevedly into the spirit of winning
the war by war gardens
Civic Gardener Murphy estimated
that there was about one garden in
Richmond for every 10 people. So
thick were they stuck in every corner
of this city and suburbs. that he was
unable at one time to find a vacant
piece of ground five feet wide when
he went in search of such a piece for
a potato ridge.
Credits for practical gardening
were given by Garfield school to 20
of it's pupils. Ground adjoining the
school on the north was divided into
20 plats, and was cultivated by 90
students of the school, under Murphy's