AMONG SCHOOL GARDENS 



an important position in the work; he supplies 

 the place of a janitor and assists the children in 

 any work that is too heavy for them, such as 

 working up earth with a pickaxe or managing a 

 50 foot hose. During the early summer and fall 

 when the children are at school most of the day, 

 he acts as a watchman; and during this time, 

 when weeds grow rapidly and the children's hours 

 of work are few, he also assists in keeping the 

 garden clean." 



Such a man may be a necessity or a luxury; 

 if the first, count him in your estimate; if a luxury, 

 count him out as far as possible and enlist in the 

 service the helpful, knightly element in your big 

 boys. 



If the garden must be started on a small 

 appropriation from the school or park officials 

 or on voluntary subscriptions, and expenses must 

 be cut down to the lowest sum, cut them down in 

 a dignified way; no cut rates or wages, whether 

 for laborer or teacher. Moreover, the reduction 

 would probably have to come on the teacher's 

 salary, because of a lack of appreciation of the 

 required services, and because of union regulation 

 of laborers' wages. "Anybody can dig in a 

 garden" seems to be the popular sentiment. 

 Anybody can dig, but anyone cannot grow 

 plants, nor still more, develop children. No 

 cut rates, but all the voluntary service — if of a 

 good intelligent order — that can be secured. But 

 let the matter be distinctly understood whether 



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