SCHOOL GAKDENS. 



339 



so that it was not proper to make garden again until next spring. 

 They were all interested, however, to examine the results of the 

 summer's growth. One little fellow remarked, — "Oh, Miss Bar- 

 ton, come here! Do look! I have found some corn! Yes sir, some 

 sure enough corn !" The boys begged for some ears to take to their 

 chickens, and it was granted them. They cut the fodder and fed it 

 to the horses. The teacher remarks that, — "One year's work has 

 made them more keen in observation and in appreciation of all na- 

 tu'e and, I believe, more thoughtful." The garden has furnished 

 material for drawing and painting lessons ; field products will be 

 made the basis for many winter studies. Beets will furnish lessons 

 on sugar industry ; tomatoes will introduce the subject of canning 

 fai tories ; wheat will be followed through the harvesting, threshing, 

 milling and baking processes. Bulbs, annuals and perennials will 

 also receive attention. 



The kindergarten school also had their garden. I quote in 

 part from their teacher's report: "What kind of seed did we plant? 

 Why, there was lettuce, radish, squash, cucumber, corn, beets and 

 beans. All the corner beds were planted in flowers. As the little 

 plants grew, the time for hoeing and weeding began. The intelli- 

 gence in using garden utensils, and their skill in handling them 

 was a surprise to me. Not a weed lived there to disturb the grow- 

 ing plants. Soon we had a good sized bed of lettuce and radishes 

 ready for use. These, with the help of bread and butter, served 

 as refreshments at many a kindergarten party, and made a fine 

 lunch when we walked in the woods. Some of them found their 

 way to the kitchen to be prepared for the children's and teacher's 

 tables." The report contains many interesting incidents, which can- 

 not be inserted here on account of space. I quote further, however, 

 from this report. The teacher states : "After having these experi- 

 ences with the children, I was more deeply impressed than ever 

 before with the importance for educational purposes of the close and 

 intimate acquaintance to be obtained with nature at first hand with 

 real things and materials, through the actual processes of their 

 manipulation and the knowledge of their social uses and necessi- 

 ties. No number of object lessons, gotten up as object lessons, 

 for the purpose of giving information, can afford even a shadow 

 of a substitute for acquiring an acquaintance with the plants of 

 the farm and garden as actually planting them and caring for them. 



"I cannot tell fully of the satisfaction and delight that came to 

 many little hearts during those days of such close communion with 

 nature. How many lessons of helpfulness were learned, and to 

 how many opportunities came for self-expression, when all other 



