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Rural School Leaflet 



PLANTING OF RURAL SCHOOL GROUNDS 

 Edward G. Lawson 







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Sketch of school building and surroundings 



The surroundings of many rural schools arc bare and harsh, and have 

 an atmosphere of chcerlessness and coldness about them which indirectly 

 has an undesirable effect on the general interest of the children. There 

 should be a homelike atmosphere about the school, both within and 

 without, which will express comfort and beauty. 



The planting about the model schoolhouse on the campus of the College 

 of Agriculture at Cornell University furnishes suggestions for planting 

 school grounds. It is simple in design and is suited to its surroundings. 

 The shrubbery is massed about the building in an irregular, curved 

 border. The material used is mostly nursery stock, such as spiraea, 

 golden bell, viburnum, lilac, barberry, red-twigged dogwood, and roses. 



If a teacher is ready to begin the planting of school grounds, the first 

 step is to make a definite plan on paper. Four lines should represent 

 the borders of the school grounds. The schoolhouse and the outbuild- 

 ings should be indicated and the trees may be located by small circles. 



The first fixed point for consideration is the front door; the second 

 fixed point is the place or places at which the children enter the grounds. 

 These points should be joined by the most direct and the simplest curve 

 possible. In most cases the schoolhouse is so near the highway that a 

 straight walk is most advisable. 



The planting should be massed about the corners of the buildings and 

 the borders of the grounds, leaving the center of the place open for lawn. 

 The position of two or three trees may be indicated near the schoolhouse 



