croswell] school-gardens 67 



this garden the children of this city school have come to know 

 many wild flowers that otherwise would have remained strangers ; 

 some knowledge of the care of plants has been imparted ; and the 

 beds have furnished specimens for analysis and study in the class- 

 room. This work is well adapted to the needs of the pupils of 

 this particular school, and the garden deserves the reputation it 

 possesses. Yet would you say that your school-garden exists for 

 the purpose of teaching the recognition of wild flowers, learning 

 to care for them, and of raising supplies for the botany and art 

 classes ? 



Many school-gardens are planted with vegetables of all sorts — 

 radishes, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, squash, corn, 

 beans, etc. In fact, some of them show a sample of almost every- 

 thing which might be grown in a market garden. It would be 

 difficult for anyone to say why all of these are planted ; certainly 

 it would be impossible to give an adequate reason for each. But 

 all are planted regardless of the location of the school, whether 

 in a large city or in a country district. It is probable in both 

 cases the object, as stated, is to enable the children to see these 

 vegetables in the process of growth. The object may be, how- 

 ever, to show how to grow different vegetables. But whatever 

 the aim, the result is the same in the majority of cases. The 

 garden is started late, so that only a few radishes mature before 

 the close of school. These are gathered and eaten. Then comes 

 the long summer vacation and the end of the school-garden as 

 far as the children are concerned, for in most instances the condi- 

 tions are such that the garden, which was started amid much 

 enthusiasm and with some promise, ends in unsightly neglect. 

 The children have seen something growing; they have, if the 

 conditions were favorable, had an opportunity to exercise a measure 

 of responsibility during the early growth; but for the most part 

 they have experienced the discouraging effect of failing to com- 

 plete what they started to do. The evil effect of such failure, 

 apart from its demoralizing influence on the general character, is 

 more than an offset to the good which may come from any knowl- 

 edge gained. The creation of a desire for plant culture, which 

 should be the result, is lacking ; not only that, but the fresh enthu- 

 siasm of the first attempt it lost. Never again will there be such 

 an opportunity to develop in the same pupils a genuine love for 



