74 THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 



principles of thrift, industry, service, patriotism and 

 responsibility. The results have been highly gratifying 

 to those concerned with the undertaking. 



For the mobilization of the school children the logical 

 agency wa's theUnited States Bureau of Education of the 

 Department of the Interior. P. P. Claxton, United States 

 Commissioner of Education, approached the under- 

 taking with broad vision and keen foresight character- 

 istic of his administration of educational affairs for the 

 Federal Government. Under his guidance there came 

 into being the United States School Garden Army, 

 mobilized with effective promptness and swung into 

 action under the leadership of J. H. Francis as director. 

 Dr. Francis is an educator of note who was drafted into 

 this important work by Commissioner Claxton, and he 

 brought to bear on the enterprise perception and aggres- 

 siveness which achieved results of national importance 

 in comparatively brief time. 



President Wilson was keenly interested in the United 

 States School Garden Army. His cordial endorsement 

 was expressed in a letter to Secretary Lane which served 

 as the corner stone of the structure and an inspiration 

 to the children of America. This letter was as follows: 



February 25, 1918. 

 My dear Mr. Secretary: 



I sincerely hope that you may be successful through 

 the Bureau of Education in arousing the interest of 

 teachers and children in the schools of the United States 

 in the cultivation of home gardens. Every boy and girl 

 who really sees what the home garden may mean will, 



