South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-11-26
SCHOOL CHILDREN
SHOW HIGH RECORD
IN GARDEN WORK
Successful Season Developed
Despite Adverse Weather
Conditions.

The annual report on garden work
eDnducted tn the city schools dur
inz the sumner months submitted
tDday by A. b. williamson. garden
director OF the municipal recreat-
Dnal committee shows a successful
garden season during the year. Al
t3Ough the work was handicapped
o. continued cold and frosts dur
Dig the early spring and the period
q drouth and intense heat during
the summer. "A reasonably success
OIL season developed.
Efforts were concentrated upon
School and back yard gardens 20
such a degree that 1897 plots were
cultivated by school children alone.
while the number Of back yard gar
dens worked by adults was 1856.
Che two groups making a total Of
1f6f3 gardens under cultivation
Curing the spring and summer. In
Twelve OF the city schools garden
leachers under the supervision OF
The garden supervisor were employ
ed from the first OF March 20 June
18th. Lessons on garden planning.
Preparation and cultivation OF the
soil. and care Of the gardens through
fhe season were given I'm the school
Buildings with practical demonstra-
ton carried on in the gardens A
6efinite course OF study was prepar-
ed and followed out in each OF the
districts enrolled. One OF the inter
esting phases Of this work was the
soil tests made OF the home plots
and results obtained by proper treat
1nent OF the soil showing acidity and
a bsence OF food elements necessary
Tor plant development. In some Of
the districts the residents are farm
ers. "tillers OF the soil by birth
right" the children inheriting this
trait which made the work Of the
supervisor and teachers "a pleasure.
Seeds 10 the amount Of S279.40
were sold 10 the children in the
schools. orders having been taken
by the teachers and then distributed
By them As most of these seeds
were sold I'm penny packages q. p.
and cents per PACKAGE one can
see that the ordering. handling, as
sorting and overseeing the planting
was no small task.
A splendid interest has been Gre
ated in the children for gardening
These Junior Gardeners are learn
Ing by doing, getting contributing
40 the home supply OF food during
their youth. and it is safe 20 pre-
dict that children trained i'm this
way will develop into useful citizens.
The actual work ended with the
splendid exhibit OF vegetables and
flowers. raised by the children. held
On connection with the Interstate
Fair I'm September. Prizes to the
amount OF $4,000 were distributed
among the soSlool children. This
exhibit was one OF the principal at
fractions at the fair and was the
best in several years.
The adult or back yard garden
varied in size from an SKIP feet
plot 20 that of an average city lot.
Every variety Of vegetable that
ecould be raised in this climate was
grown The price Of vegetables and
the satisfaction of having fresh when
rwanted have been the two important
factors I'm developing the back yard
garden.
At a conservative estimate each of
the adult gardens was valued at $40
taud the gardens at $500
Shaking a total valuation of food
fproducts raised by the people of
South Bend S2743O5. The number
OF families engaged I'm the work was
$3.50 with total Of 44S5O people
receiving the benefits of the home
garden Surely a work worth while.