charles] FROM SCHOOL TO HOME 15 



There were 30 in the school, 16 girls and 14 boys ; 3 girls 

 had planted, 13 had not ; 6 boys had planted, 8 had not. Two girls 

 planted because they liked to and liked to see the plants ; one to 

 help her mother. Nine girls did not plant for the reason that the 

 father or some one else did the planting, one adding that she did 

 not know how and another that she did not care to. One girl did 

 not plant because she never had anything to plant ; one because 

 she did not like to and was not asked to ; one because she didn't 

 care to ; and one because she never thought of it. Of the boys, 

 three had not planted for the reason that their father or some one 

 else did the planting ; two because they did not have to ; one be- 

 cause all the necessary planting had been done when they moved 

 to the place ; one because he lived upstairs ; and one because he 

 did not want to. One boy had planted to help his father ; one be- 

 cause the farm was large and he thought it needed "a swell 

 front" ; one because he saw a tree that another boy had planted ; 

 one because he wanted to see if a tree would grow when trans- 

 planted ; one because they had some trees to plant and he didn't 

 know what else to do ; and one had planted flowers, but did not- 

 state the occasion of his doing so. 



This was a prosperous, growing community and many of 

 the homes were new. Here were 30 intelligent boys and girls 

 about to enter high school, 9 of whom had contributed to the 

 improvement of the home grounds and to civic pride, while 21 

 had done nothing. Of these 21, 12 specifically state that this is 

 a matter in which they are not involved, and this interpretation 

 may be given in practically every case. 



There is no occasion to adorn this tale. These children 

 were not strangers to the school garden nor to an annual exercise 

 in tree planting. Surely the schools have their shortcomings, but 

 if the gap between school and home is to be closed — the gap 

 into which so much that is precious goes down by default — the 

 parent must share the burden of educating and not allow the 

 child to be a passive witness in what should be a home democracy 

 of work. 



