ORNAMENTING MICHIGAN SCHOOL GROUNDS. 103 



children were deeply interested in it. I, for one, am glad there is an effort 

 being made, not only to make the scliool room more pleasant, but the school 

 yard, which is too often a sadly neglected place, a sort of open common, cared 

 for by none. Bnt I think rose bushes and hardy shrubs are more suitable for 

 a school yard than garden flowers, as they would not require so much atten- 

 tion, and a dry season would not destroy them utterly. But little can be done 

 in this direction until not only the teachers but the people are interested, and 

 do not consider the time spent in tending flowers or plants as entirely wasted. 



Joseph Watson, Coldwater: The flower seeds sent me were sown in their 

 respective seasons, and according to instructions. The scholars lent willing 

 hands to help prepare flower beds, care for the flowers, set out shade trees, and 

 sod barren places. The flowers were well cared for, and during the dry 

 weather they and the trees were well watered. The weeds were kept down in 

 the school yard, the grass was kept trimmed, and the result was a nice school 

 yard. It was a marvel of beauty and the admiration of the whole community. 

 The alyssum was in bloom until quite recently. A rank growth of grass 

 now covers the yard. Each scholar was as choice of the flowers as if he were 

 the sole owner. A strong sentiment in favor of keeping a beautiful school- 

 yard has been created. I do not think that I can offer any suggestions in a 

 general way that would be beneficial, but were I to teach here another summer 

 I could profit by past experience. 



Frances Wilson, Marilla: All grew but three varieties, and these failed 

 because of the drouth. The children were deeply interested in the work. I 

 gave each pupil a portion of the garden to look after and the privilege of 

 culling flowers at the proper time. I hope this work may be encouraged. 



Lora I. Porter, Trowbridge : We had no fence, but several of the patrons 

 donated posts and boards and built the fence on the first day of school. At 

 school meeting this caused some dissension as some were opposed to fencing the 

 yard, but a vote was cast that it should remain, and that those who furnished 

 the material should be paid for it. The pupils assisted willingly and donated 

 other seeds and plants. The director pronounced the experiment a success and 

 1 know the flowers helped me to teach a better school. We carried a great 

 amount of water to the beds and this contributed to our success. When people 

 take more pains to beautify the school premises they will be doing a noble 

 work. 



Eena M. Ayars, Litchfield : As far as interest in the work of planting and 

 caring for our garden was concerned it was a decided success. Dry weather, 

 however, was against us. The flowers were few, but eagerly looked for each 

 morning after blooming began. The experiment was valuable to us. 



A. J. McClatchie, Ludington : We had no fence but pupils carried edgings 

 from a saw-mill near by and we built one ourselves. The garden was planted 

 but we had no rain from May 1st to June 13th, so we carried water and 

 sprinkled the beds or the seeds would not have germinated at all. Our garden 

 was popular at once because of the scarcity of flowers in our vicinity. I was 

 abundantly paid for my trouble in the pleasure of the pupils and in the influ- 

 ence exerted by the experiment upon my school. 



Dora E. Donahue, Lennon : Notwithstanding the drouth our flowers did 

 well, blossomed full and we have saved an abundance of seeds for another year. 

 We have now (Oct. 10th) a nice bed of petunias in blossom. We made an 

 unsightly old stump the most beautiful spot in our yard by scooping out the 

 center, filling it with earth and sowing portulaca. The garden was watered 

 and weeded by my boys and girls out of school hours, and many house plants 



