Part 4: School gardens in World War I

by Don Audette, Fall 2008

School children contributed a great deal to the food garden movement in World War I, not only by increasing food production, but also by learning valuable lessons in how to be thrifty and industrious, while providing a community service and assuming responsibility for an outcome. One writer went so far as to recommend that the school curricula be restructured entirely around food gardens.

Actually, there was a home garden movement before the World War I, and by 1914 Congress had realized the educational value of such gardens and started appropriating money to the Bureau of Education to expand the home and school garden effort. At the start of 1917, it was estimated that 100,000 children in about 100 cities were engaged in gardening.

In February 1918, President Wilson hoped that, "this spring every school will have a regiment in the volunteer war-garden army." Following up on this, the Commissioner of Education on February 24, 1918, came up with a national school garden program "as a means of meeting the food emergency which now exists."

It was proposed that all children between the ages of nine and fifteen be enlisted in systematic gardening work on vacant lots and in backyards. At the time, it was estimated that 5 million of the 7 million boys and girls in that age group could find some available space for gardening. On average it was expected that one teacher-director would be in charge of 100 to 150 children.
The U. S. Department of Agriculture would provide instructions and bulletins on gardening, and arrangements were made to have county extension agents available to supervise teacher-directors part time. It was hoped that parents and older brothers and sisters would assist the boys and girls in their gardening work. Gardening was to be done after school, on Saturdays, and during vacation periods. The food thus produced would release transportation for use in sending an equivalent amount of food to the Allies. And it was expected that "the money made by the children would be invested in war bonds, and the children would benefit physically, mentally, and spiritually."

United States School Garden Army

By April 1918 detailed plans for a United States School Garden Army had been worked out along the lines suggested by the Commissioner of Education. "Every member of the army was to have an insignia - the privates, for example, were to have a service bar with USSGA in red letters on a white background with a border of blue. Each company of not more than 150 children was to be under the direction of a teacher, and was to be officered by a captain and one or two lieutenants. By August 1918, a million and a half boys and girls were enrolled under 50,000 teacher-directors and about 100,000 acres were placed under cultivation

The use of military terminology in the civilian sector became common in World War I. It served as a means to unify the country and provide a linkage to the troops in the trenches.

For example, note the description of the United States School Garden Army as given by the then-Secretary of the Interior, Franklin K. Lane:

The army plan of organization is being followed. Companies consisting of 150 pupils or less are forming. Each company has its captain, first and second lieutenants and a teacher-director. Any child can enlist in this army by signing a simple pledge to help increase food production. Having signed the pledge he is an enlisted soldier and is expected to perform his duties as such. When the long, hot days are on he will be reminded by his teacher and officers, if necessary, that his country cannot afford to have him be a slacker. For he is a real soldier in this great struggle for world democracy. This army is alike for the rich and the poor, and the rich boy is encouraged to forego his vacation time this summer and give his time to his work as a garden soldier. The officers will aid the teacher in visiting and inspecting the gardens of these soldiers, for most of them will be located at home. When an officer finds a garden in poor condition, due to neglect or carelessness, it will be his duty to see that the garden soldier who owns it brings it up to higher efficiency. Each garden is to be named after some soldier at the front or on his way to the front, and the children are encouraged to write these telling them of the garden at home bearing their name. Some letters have already been received from third-grade pupils who are doing this and they are very interesting and inspiring. "The garden army companies forming are also being named after local companies and their officers, who have gone from the community to the front. This adds a human touch and will stimulate and sustain the children in their patriotic work."

The  benefits of the school garden program were lauded in an article from the New York Times of October 20, 1918:

After all, the value of this work in education, physical, mental, and moral, is greater than the food produced. Its physical value for city children especially is very great. It is not good for children to be ground in the mills, sweated in the shops, or buried in the mines, but it is good for them to work joyously out of doors, with their feet in the soil, their heads in the sunshine, and their lungs filled with fresh air; to work until they are hungry and tired, and will eat heartily and sleep soundly as a result. This kind of work gives strength of muscle, steadiness of nerves, a strong pulse-beat, a clear eye, and strength of endurance.

The U.S. Department of Education made available to schools comprehensive books on vegetable gardening as well as on the conservation of food by canning and drying. In addition, two newspapers published by the government for teachers contained information on school gardens: School Life, from the U.S. Bureau of Education, and National School Service, from the Committee of Public Information.

 

Part 1: "Eat Local" movement has roots in history

Part 2: Women organize to support the World War I effort through food production and conservation

Part 3: Home gardens in World War I

Part 5: Community gardens in World War I

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