106 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:3— Mar., 1920 



that most people think they should. The first prize is considered 

 a proper incentive to promote interest and honest effort in compe- 

 tition. 



There are others who hold a different view. They claim that 

 children should have higher motives. 



Miss Carter, Supervisor of School Gardens of Philadelphia, Pa., 

 says " In regard to prizes — a few have been awarded, but this is not 

 generally done as the aim is to have the children work without 

 the idea of a prize always in view. It is to be desired rather, that 

 they work for the love of the garden and for the production of 

 crops." 



I believe that this is the ideal which we should strive to attain 

 but in the early stages of development in school garden work, in 

 which many of us find ourselves, I believe we should use every 

 honest means in our power to create and to maintain the interest 

 of the community in any thing that promotes its welfare and is 

 for its highest good. 



In distributing such prizes it is best to give them to a large 

 number of children and thus avoid the feeling of disappointment 

 and discouragenemt which so often holds over when only a few 

 prizes are given. A large number of inexpensive prizes serve the 

 purpose. Ribbons and certificates are really sufficient. For the 

 coming season such certificates may be secured from the Bureau of 

 Education upon application. It is an honor for future use to 

 have a government certificate. For the benefit of teachers, 

 looking forward to securing such certificates the 1920 Circular of 

 the United States School Garden Army is quoted verbatim : 



Certificates. 



A certificate, signed by the Secretary of the Interior, the Com- 

 missioner of Education, the Director of the U. S. S. G., and a space 

 left for the signature of a local official, has been engraved. This 

 certificate will be presented at the end of the garden season to 

 children who have achieved a real success. Standards for award- 

 ing the certificate will have to be left largely to the local super- 

 visors or teachers. These standards should be high, but such as 

 can be reached by all children who make an honest effort. 



Record blank 



A sample record blank is being printed which can be adopted by 

 local communities. Its adoption by many cities will establish 

 a uniform standard for awarding certificates. 



