THOMAS] CHILDREN'S GARDENS IN A STEEL TOWN 139 



$2.50 each being given for the best gardens, the rest of the money 

 going for prize money at the vegetable exhibits. Each prize vary- 

 ing from $1 .00 to $. 50. The number of prizes given varies with the 

 number and quality of the vegetables exhibited. Uusually there 

 are eight $1 prizes. 



This year the radish exhibit consisted of 1 2 7 exhibits of 1 5 each. 

 Four $1 prizes and four $.50 prizes were awarded. Our bean and 

 lettuce show consisted of 167 exhibits. The beans being of unusual 

 quality and quantity this year. Sixteen prizes of $.50 each were 

 given, to reward as many children as possible. We had such a 

 quantity of fine beets, that we gave two shows on two successive 

 days, one on the upper playground and one on the lower, at the 

 same time that the playground teachers gave their seasonal exhibit. 

 There were 200 at the first and 171 the second time. Our carrots 

 and a little of everything else we happened to have growing were 

 shown as general exhibits at this time. Four prizes were given for 

 the best general exhibits. 



Our money is given in the form of thrift stamps in the hope that 

 it will induce the children to save the money. The actual results 

 are disappointing, most of the children turn them into cash in one 

 way or another, and the money is spent to -buy some article of 

 clothing. Many of the children lose their books before the summer 

 is over. People who live in one or two rooms, perhaps a family of 

 six, have few places where they can keep things safely. Even 

 their bank books get buried and lost in that way. 



Home Gardens 



Each year we emphasize the importance of these, especially now 

 that our Community Garden space is so reduced. On Registration 

 Day twenty children signed for home gardens, this number was 

 afterward increased to 65 representing 50 different families. I 

 attempted visiting these children once a month, and oftener if they 

 lived near me. I m.ade my first rounds in June, and altogether 

 made 113 visits. Many of these gardens are satisfactory, many are 

 not, many drop out in the course of the season, for vacations and 

 other reasons. Many are encouraged to start who never would 

 otherwise. One little girl planted peanuts and the whole family 

 learned that the leaves folded up in the evenings. 



I value my home garden work most for the opportunity it gives 

 me for getting acquainted with the people and seeing how they 



