children's garden conference. 191 



introduced anew. Next the children were inoculated with intere.st and 

 ambition and hope, and this became contagiou.s, and much work and 

 much profit from this undertaking was accomplished by the children. 

 Someone had to bear the brunt of the planning, someone had to see that 

 conditions were such that success was certain, and w^hen everything was 

 plotted and planted all sorts of hopes and fears were entertained as to 

 what the results might be. To make a long story short, the careful, 

 orderly, and bountiful results were suoh that the skeptics and scoffers 

 grew less and faded away, from the time the first shoots appeared, until 

 the rough plot of ground blossomed with* flowers and plants of many 

 varieties, and teemed with vegetable growth which was both good to look 

 upon and profitable for consumption. So well had the children done 

 their work in the beginning, so faithfully had they cultivated their grow- 

 ing plants that some of the good ladies and interested men who had tried 

 experiments in their own yards, thought there must be some sort of trick 

 about the thing; some mysterious feature as to how it was done. Several 

 people thought it must be in the seed and at once inquired where we 

 obtained the seeds. 



After this successful summer there was no further opposition or criticism, 

 and for the past three years many have been the kind words and comments, 

 and generous has been the encouragement and attitude. The public con- 

 fidence needed to be won. To do this, it was neces.sary to demonstrate 

 the feasibility and the profit in such a movement. The Improvement 

 Association which happened to be made up of men and women who could 

 appreciate the value of such a movement, were ready to make an appro- 

 priation, and by this time the school department was willing to pay for 

 some of the necessary tools and some of the larger items. 



The next year the Improvement Association was only too glad to dupli- 

 cate its contribution. The school department had no hesitation in pay- 

 ing part of the expenses of maintenance. The Improvement Association, 

 furthermore, was ready to extend the mo\ement and expend more money 

 in starting home gardens, and for two years has successfully carried on 

 this work, creating a special committee to direct it. 



This year the school department, representing the public as it does, 

 recognizes the fact that it is a legitimate expenditure from the public 

 treasury to pay for the major part of the expenses of supervising and 

 maintaining this department of school work, and I think it is safe to say 

 that public opinion has been won in favor of children's gardens at school 

 and at home. 



The question has been raised by the previous speakers as to two very- 

 important features which now perhaps need attention more than others. 

 First, the educational value of the movement, which is generally admitted; 

 second, shall the colleges and normal schools provide better training for 

 teachers who shall carry on this work. 



In discussing this matter of children's gardens recently, I ventured to 

 point out that while an enthusiast with perseverance and careful study 



