34 ARBOR DAY 



a flower bed. The care and growth of these flowers 

 will furnish materials for many an interesting 

 lesson. In Japan, where the great population makes 

 it necessary for the yards about the homes to be 

 very small, the family always finds some little plot 

 for flowers to give a touch of color and beauty to 

 their homes. Those who have visited this far-off 

 land testify how much this adds to the attractiveness 

 of the simple dwellings of the Japanese. The 

 ordinary country school-house needs all the charm 

 that can be added by this inexpensive decoration 

 to make it an attractive home for children. The 

 usual barrenness of it all, the lack of taste in its 

 architecture and beauty in its surroundings, are 

 not likely to cultivate high aesthetic ideals in the 

 youthful minds; and the ideals of childhood must 

 certainly have much influence upon the homes 

 which these same children, grown to men and 

 women, will control later in life. How much a few 

 vines planted on Arbor and Bird Day, or at 

 any other suitable season, will accomplish in render- 

 ing the exterior of the school or the home attractive! 

 Flowers, vines and trees, beautifying the school- 

 house and grounds, react and beautify the homes. 

 The interests of children do much to determine the 

 interest of parents. When fathers and mothers 

 find their children enthusiastic in their efforts to 

 render their school-house attractive and pleasant, 

 the homes will sooner or later show the results. 



