The Oglala light. [volume], February 01, 1915, Image 11

About The Oglala light. [volume] ([Pine Ridge, S.D.]) 190?-19??

Image provided by: South Dakota State Historical Society – State Archives

                
The Importance of School Gardening
in the Indian Service.
By Ray Schultz.
Teacher, Oglala Boarding School.
HERE never was a time when children did not
like to grow things, make things, and to live
with living things. "We have shops for
manual training, kitchens for domestic science,
then let us provide gardens that children
may not only grow things, but grow them
selves in wisdom and in strength. In garden,
ing they will see nature alive and at work.
They will learn that beauty and freshness
can be obtained at small cost, that a well kept garden will easily sup
ply half the living of a family, and that vegetables from one's
own garden are far more wholesome and palatable than the stale
products of the market.
"We are now in the midst of a great agricultural awakening.
This does not only arouse interest in agricultural problems, but
demands instruction in agricultural methods. A large part of such
instruction must be done in the schools. To place school gardening
in the common school curriculum is truly a sensible thing to do.
"Why should not some of the time spent in school be used in acquir
ing knowledge of a subject which is not only of a disciplinary value,
but which will help the pupils to earn a living. This instruction
must be of an elementary character, and should be taught so as to
appeal to the intelligence of the pupil rather than to his memory.
Unfortunately, every academic teacher does not possess the
past experience or fundamental knowledge of gardenmaking. As in
other lessons the teacher should, by preparation, make herself
interesting, and gardening and nature study should be presented in
such a way as to lead to conversation and investigation. Our object
should not be merely the planting of seeds and cultivation of plants.
It should be sufficiently comprehensive to include most of the
principles of general gardening it should not deal entirely with
theory, but should include demonstrations of practical value. In
the successful teaching of this subject the barrier that exists between
11.