Garden Teaching in Louisville 



Emilie Yunker 



Supervisor of School Gardens 

 After the crops are harvested in October, instructions are sent out to every 

 school concerning fall work; cleaning up, plowing, planting winter onions, 

 trees, shrubs, small fruits and other perennials, bulbs, and making hot beds 

 and cold frames. 



Three assistants give all of their time until December ist. Vacation — 

 December, January and February. The Supervisor's vacation, covers two 

 months. 



Wherever possible, the Science Teacher or some other gives two or more 

 periods per week to the work. In some schools, the teacher, after giving 

 definite instruction, leaves the work in charge of a company of garden soldiers: 

 captain, lieutenants and privates. 



Plans are made, seeds ordered, early vegetables planted in window gardens 

 and hot beds by the children guided by the teacher, under the direction of the 

 supervisor. The outdoor spring work is thus carried on with the help of three 

 garden assistants. 



In July and August, in fact, as soon as school closes, a teacher for each school 

 garden is appointed. Three days per week are spent in the school garden, the 

 remaining days are given to visiting home gardens. 



Reports of enrollment, attendance, visits made, crops harvested, sales, 

 estimated value, etc., are sent in weekly. In October a complete record is 

 made. For final reports on home gardens the following questionnaire was 

 sent out: 



Total number of home gardens planted GO 



Estimated average size of each Total size .... oo 



Total number of vacant lots or other gardens oo 



Estimated value of products used at home oo 



Value of products sold oo 



Value of canned goods sold oo 



Estimated value of canned products for home use oo 



Name of company reporting or school oo 



Number of garden soldiers oo 



This work is conducted under the auspices of the Board of Education, the 

 Street Cleaning Department, War Garden Committee, Outdoor Art League, 

 Woman's Club, Liberty Insurance Bank, Rotary Club, Ahrens & Ott Manu- 

 facturing Company, Commissioner of Agriculture in Kentucky, and other 

 private individuals who are contributing and giving their hearty co-operation. 

 The Louisville School Gardens were started with one model garden in 19 15 

 by Mrs. John H. Miller with public subscriptions; taken over by the Board of 

 Education in 1916, with $750 set aside for the maintenance of three gardens, 

 two others carried by Parent Teacher Association and Mrs. John H. Miller; 

 24 school gardens in 1917 with the appropriation doubled, 36 in 1918 with 27 

 teachers (in vacation), and an appropriation of $3750 plus the Supervisor's 

 salary, $1,300. In order to meet the demands for trained teachers, the 

 Garden Club has been formed by the Louisville Educational Association with 

 the Garden Supervisor as instructor. 



112 



