OCR Text |
Show IflJ WHAT THE GARDEN I 3 jl CONTESTS SHOW II i : A great many cities and towns have j been holding garden competitions tho past (milliner. Newspaper oxeliuiiK-1 Hg us bring many reports ot prizes H awarded In these, eon tests . It ti ot-jJp ot-jJp ten noted that children huvo won ion t in .these contests who novcr stood well In their book work In school. Koimeily tlio boy who could not learn lessons readily was sot down i.o .1 blockhead. Yet tho boy who docs not take easily to books Is of ten very adaptlvo In other ways. Ho frequently Is ready or speech In tho ordinary matters of dally llfo, tact-lllfi tact-lllfi ful In what ho says, with a gift for ! leadership and doing things. In the old fashioned school tho boy who was dull ht his books was prod (led and spurred along tho thorn) mn I'utl which ho was never fitted to If travel. Somehow ho never could Q;j see things through tho printed pago I I Put him out In tho garden and give I' I .' him corn seed, boo and spndo, or w put him on tho ballground and bo 1 ' might ralso u crop or play a game K much superior to tho bookish boy. S 1 Hooks aro the record ot tho world's Is wisdom, but their use should not be ftjl over emphasized. Too much reading Hi mid study makes tho boy overmuch IB ' ' ft spectator. Ilia energy Is satis Ified by .the- thrill of reading how other oth-er boys do things. Meanwhile the dull boy is out soiling his papors or I raising his potatoes, and slowly win- ' nlng his way. ' -.ery school sVould havo somo outlet tor tho children .who aro slow at books.' IIomonnd school gardens nro ono ot tho most useful ot these outlots. Dressmaking and cooking classes teach an art that lies at the foundation ot homo economy, hnd which tho nvorago mother falls to Impart. To moro than halt of tho boys, sue. ess in llfo Is to be reach ed through skill of tho hand rather than through tho printed page. |