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An Exhibit of Christmas Greens by our Department of 
Elementary Instruction has been an annual event for several 
years. This year we have had the efficient cooperation of Mrs. 
Alice Earl Hyde, a member of our Woman’s Auxiliary, and a 
small committee of ladies which she formed for this purpose. 
The Exhibit was open Tuesday to teachers only, and tea was 
served. 
Cooperation with the Schools 
Teachers in the public, parochial, and other private schools 
brought pupils in classes for instruction during the year to the 
number of over 58,000—an increase of nearly 8,000 over a year 
ago. The total number of classes brought was 840, or 272 classes 
more than in 1924. The total attendance at lectures to children 
was over 45,000 as against 20,000 last year. Members of staff 
gave 78 addresses at city schools to audiences of over 20,000 
teachers and pupils. 
Schools are coming to depend upon the Botanic Garden more 
and more for the supply of living material for use in nature study, 
botany, and general biology classes, and for sterilized culture 
medium (agar), necessary in connection with the study of 
bacteria. 
Special attention is called to the fact that during 1925 the 
Botanic Garden placed 19,389 potted plants in the classrooms of 
112 schools, as against 8,502 plants in about 100 schools last year. 
These plants were supplied, not primarily for study, but to 
help beautify the schoolroom. Every class that visits the Botanic 
Garden is now given a potted plant to take back to its classroom. 
Penny Packets of Seeds——Packets of seeds for planting in 
school and home gardens were distributed to children through 
the schools for the twelfth year. The price, which has been 
two cents since I917 on account of the war, was restored to one 
cent a packet. The number distributed was over 529,000, an 
increase of more than 326,000, or about 62 per cent., over 1924. 
Exhibits and Teas for Teachers.—For the purpose of acquainting 
the teachers of public and private schools with our illustrative 
material and other equipment which we use in giving instruction 
to visiting classes, the Department of Elementary Instruction 
held a series of three exhibits. Special invitations were sent to 
