children's garden conference. 177 



Our 1905 report was issued early in the year and requests for it 

 have been received from all over the country. We feel that it 

 ■contains much valuable information and that our efforts are bear- 

 ing fruit. It has been most gratifying to hear the words of com- 

 mendation from those who entered for prizes last year and the 

 expression of their satisfaction of the fairness of our awards. 



As the result of a suggestion made at our first school garden con- 

 ference, a school garden institute was held under the auspices of 

 the ]\Iassachusetts Agricultural College in cooperation with our 

 society in April. The society gladly gave the use of the hall and 

 the meeting was Avell attended. The program was most carefully 

 prepared and proved of great value to those Avishing to take up 

 school garden work. 



The year has shown a marked advance toward the day when 

 school gardening will be taught in all our schools. The cry from 

 all over the country is, Where can we get experienced teachers ? 

 This demand must be heeded and those institutions whose busi- 

 ness it is to educate teachers must take up the movement. Shall 

 the normal schools or the agricultural colleges take up this work? 

 Shall they unite in tliis instruction? If so, Where will they get 

 properly trained instructors? This is the great problem and one 

 which must be thoughtfully met. When shall we have a Massachu- 

 setts School of Horticulture with School Gardening one of its 

 main departments? School gardening opens a ncAv field for 

 energetic and enthusiastic young women who love gardening and 

 children. The remuneration will not be large but should at least 

 equal that of other specialized teaching work. 



Children's Garden Conference. 



The success of our conference last year led us to hold a similar 

 'One in December and, although we had no exhibition of children's 

 herbarium sheets as last year, the conference was v^ell attended. 

 During the meeting we placed on exhibition various photographs, 

 notebooks, etc. of children's garden work which -had been sent 

 in to us. A very interesting display was also made of photographs, 

 etc. of the Brookline school o-ardens. 



