VII 

 MARCH 



A NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN CLUB 



It is not exactly a club, for it has no written constitution 

 and no president. But the children of the neighborhood have 

 worked together as well as though elaborately organized; 

 and all members have gardens. One of their teachers is 

 responsible for the Club; indeed, she has been the cause 

 of many happy times and helpful movements in the com- 

 munity. Several leaders among the children of this neighbor- 

 hood were her pupils, and, inspired by her encouraging 

 enthusiasm, they determined to make the gardens of their 

 street as successful as their school garden. 



Their home street was discouraging in its looks and repu- 

 tation. The houses were small and weather-beaten. The 

 fences were rickety. The outbuildings were disreputable. 

 The yards were uncared for wastes of weeds. It was small 

 wonder that moving day came often, that property there was 

 unprofitable, and that none was proud of a home on River 

 Street. 



Miss Alden — let us call her — had commenced in mid- 

 winter to arouse interest in home garden plans. Books and 

 catalogues were at hand, and every now and then some pupil 

 put his garden plan on the board that it might be discussed 

 with the class. But the River Street children seemed hopeless. 

 "What was the use?" they thought. So Miss Alden talked 

 it over with them one night when they had stopped to 



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