
102 
and lasting for ten consecutive weeks, It was requested that chil- 
dren ranking well in their general school work, and especially in 
their nature study, be sent as delegates. It was hoped that these 
children might be held responsible by their schools for making 
short reports of their work to their grades, or in assemblies. The 
four schools involved in this work were P. S. Nos. 9, 93, TJ; 
and 167. 
Three classes were formed: a Saturday morning class for boys 
from 9 to 10, January ro to March 14; one at 10:30 for girls from 
January 3 to April 4; and another for boys of the graduating year, 
from 2 to 3:30 in the afternoon, from March 7 to May 9. 
The morning classes took up different ways of propagating 
plants; i. e., from seeds, cuttings, bulbs and roots. They learned 
to mix soils and to understand in a linited way the needs of plants. 
The results of their labors belonged to the children, and as plants 
became strong and mature they were carried home, or to school, 
or kept in the greenhouse for the outdoor garden. For these 
children started seedlings of flowers and vegetables such as lobelia, 
aster, salvia, hollyhock, pansy, lettuce, tomato, and onions. When- 
ever there was a birthday among the families at home, plants 
raised by the children for this purpose were sent to the one cele- 
brating. An unusual number of birthdays fell in the spring 
months this year. If no absence occurred, or if an abscence was 
made up for, the children received certificates. Ten certificates 
were granted to boys, and eleven to girls. 
The class of older boys worked along experimental lines in 
botany, a course acting as preparation for better understanding 
of high school botany. Seven boys completed this course. 
In these classes were members who were entered either at their 
mothers’ request or their own, filling in the places left vacant for 
some good and sufficient reason. Membership in these classes 
represented an honor and privilege. Many requests have been 
made to join the fall classes. We could fill our children’s green- 
house every afternoon after school, and all day Saturday, if it 
were possible for us to handle the instruction, and if we had 
another house for the children’s plants. Last spring our green- 
house was full to overflowing with the work of these classes and 
the adult classes. 

