THE STUDY OF in^RTICULTURE IN PURLIC SCHOOLS. 139 



teachers are intlueuced to spend the time Avisely set apart b}' 

 the School Board for natural history work, upon other studies, 

 more in line with mercenar}' motives. So they do not carry out 

 the authorized programme. 



Herbert H. Bates, being called upon, said he had been much 

 interested in all the proceedings of this meeting. He thought Dr. 

 Rounds struck the riglit chord when he said that in gardening we 

 are dealing with forces over which we have no control. To 

 correct a misunderstanding — as he was introduced as teachei' of 

 physical sciences in Cambridge — he said there was no provision in 

 the course of study for teaching elementary science in the schools 

 of Cambridge. But there is in Boston, although it seems that it 

 is not observed. 



Dr. Rounds remarked that new buildings were being erected for 

 the State Normal School of which he is the Principal, and he 

 hoped to succeed in persuading the Trustees to allow one portion 

 of the property to be used in the interest of horticulture. He had 

 no doubt time would be found for teaching the branches in that 

 department. How beautiful it would be if we could generally 

 have provision made for school grounds of sufficient extent, which 

 in time Avould form school parks. He then referred to the Reform 

 School at Red Wing, Goodhue County, Minn. The grounds of 

 this institution are ample, and are enclosed by a substantial fence, 

 but the gates are never locked, and there is no appearance of a 

 prison about the premises, yet there is seldom any trouble from 

 efforts to run away. The inmates, both boys and girls, are 

 trained in horticulture, and such is the interest they take in their 

 duties that they find the establishment a very happy home. They 

 boast that in one department of the work, the production of 

 plants, their sales amounted to $1,500 in one season. A fire 

 occurred there some time ago, which caused great excitement among 

 the inmates, and they ran about in wild confusion at first, and 

 people who came to assist in extinguishing the flames, declared 

 that these young prisoners were escaping ; but the Superintend- 

 ent said : ''We must put out the fire the first thing." After the 

 flames were sulxlued, the roll was called and not one of the 

 number was missing. Of course hereditary influences are often 

 manifested, but such is the effect of the system of treatment 

 while there, that, as the records show, less than ten per cent of 

 the graduates fall into the hands of the law after leaving the 



