BisHOPJ SCHOOL-HOME GARDES • 171 



child is the highest tribute which can be paid to the management 

 of the school garden. 



That teaching in school which does not find expression and 

 extension thru the child in his home and in his life interests 

 is poor teacliing, and means ineffective work on the f)art of both 

 teacher and child. Education which makes common materials 

 a part of human life and human interests is good education. 

 Earth materials have their highest value when translated into 

 human flesh, mind and spirit. Our work with the soil, the plant 

 and the animal should bring the elements of soil, plant and animal 

 food to their highest form of service where they help to build 

 the body, develop the mind and enrich the spiritual life of man 

 — who learns to be their master instead of their slave. 



Some of the most effective gardening work I ever knew was 

 that done in a rural school district eight miles in the country, 

 where the long, hot summer vacation had its usual effect on 

 vegetation in a southern Nebraska school district. Here the 

 teacher and pupils hauled stones from the creek, using the 

 teacher's buggy, and made a few borders for little flower beds, 

 where some flowers were planted in spring time and, thru mulch- 

 ing, grew during the summer and bloomed in September, after 

 school opened. The same kind of work planted some vines 

 which ran up over the old coal house and screened the outbuild- 

 ings all summer, and during the winter, too, in some cases. 



But the home gardening was what counted. Boys grew 

 patches of pure bred corn, potatoes and other field crops, and 

 gir!s had delightful home gardens of flowers and vegetables that 

 were a source of profit to the owners and pleasure to the home 

 and community. Germination boxes and germination beds at 

 school told the story of how sorrie of the flowers and vegetable 

 seeds, and weed seeds looked when they first appear, thus 

 enabling pupils to know which plants to pull out and which to 

 protect in their gardens at home. Stories on how plants grow 

 and how to care for them made strong English writers — and 

 speakers. This kind of gardening is always a success, and it can 

 be done by any live teacher in any school. 



It is the reaction of the school garden that tells the story of 

 its success or failure. Let us then plant the school garden with 

 an eye open to the reaction in the home and the community as 

 well as the reaction in the school. The growing of those things 

 which bring pleasure or profit to the child rather than fanciful 

 thins^s which awaken only a passing interest is another feature 

 which should be kept in mind. Results come from doing some- 



