6i4 Home Nature- Study Course. 



It is compliments for the small things that count, rather than those of the sweeping 

 fulsome sort for the large. The first achievements, even though they seem small 

 to us, are very important to them. 



That the children be finally taught thoroughness is needful, yet it can be 

 carried too far in taking first steps — so far as to disgust and discourage. Let them 

 make the first circuit of the race track at their own gait, and then let improvement 

 be made by making circuits under coaching rather than by nagging their first 

 attempts. 



In a way, merit is a relative quality. At the many flower shows that I have 

 attended, I have seen children bring for exhibition a handful of flowers as smudgy 

 as a bedraggled vagrant back yard cat. The handful of flowers brought would be a 

 pathetic lot to those who have a florist's standard, yet to the one who raised them, 

 they were the apple of his eye. No doubt any of us would be proud of what we had 

 accomplished, if we had raised them under the unfavorable conditions that the boy 

 or girl found. It would be manifestly unfair and discouraging to tell the child of 

 exultant spirits that his standard was too low, and there was no place on the benches 

 for his marigolds and zinnias. I know the impulse is to make the greater ado over 

 the paragon who does not need the ado, and forget the delinquent, who is such 

 mostly because he has not had a chance. 



One of the dangers of children's gardens when planted in so public a place 

 as the school grounds is that of boy vandals — I have never known girl vandals. It 

 is of no use to scold or threaten or preach to the offenders. Your annoyance is 

 the greatest compensation they find for their " cussedness." Your best protection 

 is tactfulness, and often that is not sufficient. I know of some instances where the 

 children — the owners of children's public gardens protect their property by their 

 own vigilance, but that is not always successful. A boy is more inclined to respect 

 the rights of others when he has once known the pride of ownership himself. 



The pride of ownership has a power for good citizenship that is not fully 

 appreciated. The good influence of ownership in making a better future citizen 

 of the youngster is usually overlooked when making an inventory of the benefits 

 of children's gardens. The adult or the child who has never felt that pride usually 

 looks upon the destruction of property of others as a joke. However, I regret that 

 in many instances tactfulness and even police powers do not protect school-ground 

 gardens. 



I would repeat what I have said previously, that the child should be encour- 

 aged to have a duplicate handkerchief garden at his home where such is possible. 

 A home garden is under greater protection. The parents become interested in 

 flowers and vegetables because their children are. The parents' interest is a wonder- 

 ful incentive to the child. The area of even so small a plot as four square feet is 

 capable of furnishing what to a child would be several delightful collations. 



Do not expect that everything planted must reach maximum success. I fancy 

 the shrewdest business man the world has ever known hardly found all his invest- 

 ments profitable. Garden enterprises have about the same history of success and 

 failure. 



By Decoration Day your peppcrgrass, onions, and to some extent your lettuce, 

 will be available for the feast. The peppergrass and lettuce leaves and hard boiled 

 eggs must be chopped, to which some of the onion may be added to give desired 

 flavor, to all of which add mayonnaise dressing. When all this is made the filler 

 between thin slices of bread, you have a sandwich worth a king's ransom. 



The festival may be appointed for a Friday afternoon. If your school has a 

 principal, qnd he h^s been skeptical as to the utility of the work of your apprentice 



