FLOWER CULTURE AMONG THE CHILDREN. 159 



FLOWER CULTURE AMONG THE CHILDREN. 



MRS. MILDRED M. BARNARD, CHAIRMAN FLOWER COMMITTEE, 

 MINNEAPOLIS WOMEN'S IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE. 



From time immemorial poets have sung of communion with na- 

 ture and its uplifting-, spiritual helpfulness. Philosophers, espe- 

 cially psycologists, have acknowledged the debt which human na- 

 ture, of w^hatever race or religion, ow^es to this instinctive love of 

 the beautiful. The tales of travellers, the presence of the blooming 

 plants in pictures depicting scenes from domestic life in foreign 

 lands, suggest that to many in the humbler walks of life the love of 

 flowers is a part of the love of home; a part, too, which many try to 

 retain after they have left the dear fatherland or mother country, 

 but which in too many cases is crowded out by a few year's residence 

 in our busy cities, depriving the next generation of an influence 

 whose potency for good needs only to be named to be acknowledged. 

 It is not strange, then, that from time to time within the pages of 

 our periodicals notices appear of the efforts of associations of 

 various kinds to create in our American people a more general in- 

 terest in the culture of flowers. We all admit that through the 

 silent beauty of a perfect flower a refining influence may be intro- 

 duced into the most humble home. It only remains to find the will 

 and the way. To those who are searching in this direction the ex- 

 perience of others along the same line is of more than passing local 

 interest. 



Five years ago this coming spring of 1897, our Minneapolis Im- 

 provement League adopted the method of distribution of flower 

 seeds among the children of the public schools. The thought was 

 suggested by Mrs. T. B. Walker, president of the Woman's Council. 

 We have never heard of the same method having been pursued else- 

 where, consequently our work has been of necessity experimental. 

 Notwithstanding the many difficulties arising from the inexperience 

 of all concerned, the results have proved so satisfactory, the benefit 

 to our city and our children so great, that we look upon the experi- 

 ment as an assured success and worthy of a trial in any city. 



Under the judicious management of Mrs.D. F. Simpson, chairman 

 of the flower committee, and with the hearty co-operation of Prof. 

 Marion L. Sanford, president of the league, the work was begun in 

 1893 in two schools differing as widely as possible in location, in na- 

 tionality and social condition of pupils and in natural conditions 

 in the way of soil and water supply. In each school the experiment 

 proved a complete success. Greater development of muscle and 

 powers of endurance on the one hand offsetting the advantages in 

 richer soil and city water supply on the other. Social or worldly 

 condition as a factor in the success or failure of the pupil proved to 

 be of no consequence whatever. The most genuine comradship ex- 

 isted and has continued to exist. By giving to all alike, the child 

 of poverty is not buiniliated by the thought that he is an object of 

 charity; nor is the child of wealth puffed up because of an opposite 

 impression. All alike are loyal citizens helping to beautify their 

 city, and a value is attached to the "school seeds" which belongs to 



