46 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [5:2— feb., 1909 



Along with the nature work a course has been planned in 

 physiology and hygiene. This work should emphasize health 

 and disease ; how to preserve the former and prevent the latter 

 Teachers should in all grades emphasize the great importance 

 of such things as cleanliness (of person, premises, community), 

 bathing (uses of hot and cold baths), pure water (diseases arising 

 from that which is impure), pure food, pure air, (open windows 

 in the sleeping room), means of transmitting disease, protection 

 against common and contagious diseases, bacteria. Study 

 health regulations, sanitary laws, reports of Board of Health. 

 Teachers should study and teach much of Chapter XVII of 

 Hodge's book. 



THE MAKING OF SCHOOL-GARDENS AT DELPHI, INDIANA 



By E. L. HENDRICKS 



Superintendent of Schools 



A garden should be connected with every school. — Comenius. 



What is a school-garden and of what value may it be to a 

 community? Is it only a fad introduced by over-zealous educa- 

 tors, or have time and experience justified its existence? 



It must be admitted that school-gardens are almost unknown 

 in the United States as a whole. A few cities have experimented 

 with them, but they are noted chiefly for their absence in our 

 system of education. In Europe, however, their value was 

 recognized long before the public school system was organized. 

 Two hundred and fifty years ago, Comenius, the greatest of edu- 

 cators, said: "A garden should be connected with every school." 

 His native country now requires by law a garden in connection 

 with every school. Eighteen years ago France declared that no 

 plan of a school-building would be accepted without provisions for 

 a garden. Today she has thirty thousand school-gardens. 

 The little country of Bohemia has nearly five thousand school- 

 gardens and her enormous fruit crops are ascribed to school in- 

 struction. Sweden has required school-gardens during the past 

 thirty -five years and prizes them more than her system of 

 manual training. No, the idea is not new. It has been a feature 

 of European schools for many years. It is no longer and experi- 

 ment. Its value is evident ; its success assured. 



The school-gardens at Delphi were begun in a conservative 

 manner. The superintendent has not permitted the new interest 



