trafton] na ture-stud y in ne w JF.RSE Y 2 11 



"Resolved, that the Committee on Education consider the pro- 

 priety of adding to the list of subjects in which every person must 

 be examined the subjects mentioned above in order to receive a 

 license to teach in any of the grades below the high school, or in 

 any department of industrial or manual training in a high school, 

 and of requiring that no course of study shall be approved by the 

 State Board of Education, unless it shall include proper courses in 

 manual training, home economics and elementary agriculture, 

 and when the same shall take effect, and to report to this board 

 at its next meeting." 



Inquiries were sent by the writer to most of the cities and 

 towns in the State relative to the work in school-gardens. The 

 replies indicate that very little is being done along this line, only 

 seven reported -as attempting anything of the sort : Glenridge, 

 Jersey City, New Brunswick, Newark, Nutley, Montclair, Passaic 

 and Trenton in connection with the city and state normal schools. 



In a few other cities seeds have been distributed to the children 

 to plant in home gardens. In Passaic the Cleveland plan of 

 selling penny packets of seeds to the children has been adopted 

 for several years with very satisfactory results. Much enthusiasm 

 has been aroused and the interest has gradually increased. 

 Last Spring about 3000 children (approximately one half of 

 the total enrollment) bought a little more than t 0,000 packets. 

 Some years flower shows have been held in the Autumn at the 

 various schools and prizes awarded, or prizes have been given for 

 the best individual gardens. A valuable feature of this line of 

 work is that it connects the school with the home life. A 

 similar plan has been followed in East Orange. 



In Montclair and Passaic the school-gardens have been estab- 

 lished for five or six years. The following note is from F. C. 

 Clifton, Principal of Chestnut Street School, Montclair: 



"We have been doing school-garden work in Watchung School 

 for six years and in Chestnut Street School for three years with 

 satisfaction to pupils and teachers, making the work a part of the 

 course in nature-study and field work. Quite a definite course 

 of study is followed, our idea being that the only justification 

 for garden work, is its value as means of instruction. We have 

 650 gardens, four by eight feet. 



"After having tried the various kinds of gardens, flower and 

 vegetable, individual and community, spring gardens and gardens, 



