CHILDREN'S GARDENS 213 



beauty of the garden, they gradually learn, as in no 

 other way, why the lawns outside the garden, main- 

 tained by the city, must be taken care of and pro- 

 tected. The ownership of an individual plot, and 

 confining that owner's care to that one plot, in a short 

 lime develops selfishness in the children. This is 

 overcome by requiring from each and all a general 

 care of the whole garden, such as paths, decorative 

 flower beds and grass, so uniting individual ownership 

 with a responsibility for the appearance of the whole, 

 making a foundation for good citizenship. 



Effort is made in the garden to impress upon the 

 children, that this garden is the children's world, its 

 beauty, order and success is dependent upon them, but 

 that outside of the garden fence belongs to the adult 

 world, and deference and respect must be paid to 

 their rights. 



The beneficial results from these lessons cannot be 

 hoped for in a day, but the seven years of the gar- 

 den's existence, have proved that the neighborhood has 

 been influenced by them. Individual ownership must 

 be the keynote for all such instruction. 



The fish episode : In July, between the harvesting 

 and planting of the second crop, a large school of 

 fish appeared in the North River, which caused the 

 banks of the Hudson to be lined with men, women 

 and children vying with each other to catch the long- 

 est string. But where was the cave-dweller of New 

 York to find the delectable angleworm? Many ap- 

 plications were made by the larger boys for permission 



