74 THE WAR GARDEN VICTORIOUS 
principles of thrift, industry, service, patriotism and 
responsibility. The results have been highly gratifying 
to those concerned with the undertaking. 
For the mobilization of the school children the logical 
agency wa’s theUnited States Bureau of Education of the 
Department of the Interior. P. P. Claxton, United States 
Commissioner of Education, approached the under- 
taking with broad vision and keen foresight character- 
istic of his administration of educational affairs for the 
Federal Government. Under his guidance there came 
into being the United States School Garden Army, 
mobilized with effective promptness and swung into 
action under the leadership of J. H. Francis as director. 
Dr. Francis is an educator of note who was drafted into 
this important work by Commissioner Claxton, and he 
brought to bear on the enterprise perception and aggres- 
siveness which achieved results of national importance 
in comparatively brief time. 
President Wilson was keenly interested in the United 
States School Garden Army. His cordial endorsement 
was expressed in a letter to Secretary Lane which served 
as the corner stone of the structure and an inspiration 
to the children of America. This letter was as follows: 
February 25, 1918. 
My dear Mr. Secretary: 
I sincerely hope that you may be successful through 
the Bureau of Education in arousing the interest of 
teachers and children in the schools of the United States 
in the cultivation of home gardens. Every boy and girl 
who really sees what the home garden may mean will, 
