Rural School Leaflet. 



907 



gtound surrounds it. Behind these woods are high cliffs rising abruptly 

 from the valley. 



It was in this schoolhouse that I found myself last September. Dur- 

 ing the year following, one of the many problems that presented itself 

 was how to give the children interesting occupation during recess 

 periods. Although they were very good children, there were times when 

 relations were somewhat strained amiong them. Sometimes I made 

 suggestions and at other times I allowed them to amuse themselves 

 as well as possible. 



Finally, when the warm weather of spring came in, I considered the 

 plan of a school garden. I was a little uncertain about presenting this 



Fig. ^i.-^jarden and gardeners in Black Brook School later 



in the year 



plan to the school, for in the fall when I had given them one lesson on 

 "trees" out of doors, some of the parents questioned the work. 



However, after thinking about it for sometime I proposed it to the 

 pupils. Of course anything new appeals to children, so they were anxious 

 to take up the work. I impressed upon them at the beginning that if 

 we began the work we could not abandon it if it became tiresome. 



From the first we worked together, the pupils and I, and I think our 

 success was due in a great measure to this fact. I planned the garden, 

 and I distinctly remember the recess I walked up to where the children 

 were playing, for they were playing where the ground was smoothest, 

 and the place I had chosen for the garden. I stuck one of the sharpened 



