Webster Garden Turns 100!
After receiving the position of Principal of Webster Elementary School, being an amateur “history buff”, I immediately began researching its past by interviewing people, researching on-line and in old books, In doing so, I found an article from the Escanaba Morning Press dated Wednesday, May 27th, 1914. It reads, “Members of the Webster building committee recommended the establishment of a school garden at North Escanaba”. This means that this school year marks Webster Garden’s 100 year anniversary and if you know anyone involved with Webster Elementary you know how proud they are of their school, community, and garden! Below are a few of my thoughts (ramblings really) and a little history on Webster and school gardens.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Journal of American Medical Association reports that about 12.7 million children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese in the United States. That is roughly 17% of all school-aged children and that percentage is significantly higher for children from households with less financial means. Over the past few years, the First Lady, Michelle Obama has championed the first major changes in school meals in 15 years. Whatever your political affiliation, liberal or conservative, democrat or republican we can all agree that childhood obesity in our country is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act the USDA, State Board’s of Education across the United States and local districts like Escanaba Area Public Schools have attempted to help raise a healthier generation of school-aged children through programs and initiatives. At Webster Elementary we have attempted to provide healthier breakfast and lunch offerings, walk to school days, closed campuses, the PLAY 60 minutes initiative and a free summer lunch program at our schools and the YMCA. Government and local schools attempting to improve children’s health is nothing new to the United States. Throughout the 19th century, a mass migration took place from the countryside to the urban centers like New York, Chicago and Detroit. At the height of the Industrial Revolution, small family farms were being replaced by large industrialized ones and the refinement of the assembly line by Henry Ford and mass mechanization meant men and children were needed in the factories. However, for many the opportunities in the cities were not as glamorous and fruitful as anticipated and sadly many families, especially children faced despicable poverty, inhumane living conditions, and deficient diets. One way to help these struggling families was through one of the United States Government's first mandated school curriculums, the “School Garden Initiative” of the late 19th/early 20th centuries.
The Gilded Age and the Teddy Roosevelt Progressive Era were times when gardening became a national craze and when school gardens enjoyed immense popularity. In 1906, the USDA estimated that there were nearly 75,000 school gardens active in the United States. The children were referred to as the US School Garden Army. During this time of reform, educators felt gardening could be a means to teach civic virtues/pride, care of property, economy, honesty, self-government, justice and the love of nature…(Greene) Additionally, school gardens could also help “Americanize” the many immigrant children pouring into our country during this duration.
The Gilded Age and the Teddy Roosevelt Progressive Era were times when gardening became a national craze and when school gardens enjoyed immense popularity. In 1906, the USDA estimated that there were nearly 75,000 school gardens active in the United States. The children were referred to as the US School Garden Army. During this time of reform, educators felt gardening could be a means to teach civic virtues/pride, care of property, economy, honesty, self-government, justice and the love of nature…(Greene) Additionally, school gardens could also help “Americanize” the many immigrant children pouring into our country during this duration.
Webster Garden has received several grants over the years for its garden, most coming from the generosity of the Hannahville Indian Community. The Webster grounds were also very fortunate to receive new trees from the Escanaba Sesquicentennial Group. To get our students more active, Webster initiated a program we call the “Wolverine Club”. This group would meet once a week during 2nd half of the school year. Each week the students would participate in different activities such as karate, yoga, rocket building/engineering and the students favorite...seed planting. With delicate care by the 2nd and 3rd graders and several months of germination on window sills in small peat pots in our classrooms, the Wolverine Club would throw a large party for parents with hot dogs and refreshments and plant their vegetables. Over the years, we have entered many of our vegetables in the UP State Fair and have won several ribbons for our carrots, radishes and blue ribbons for our cabbage plants. At the end of August our garden is picked and the bounty is given to the families of Webster Elementary at our annual Open House which this year is September 2nd from 4:00-5:00. I have to end this blog entry on something Author and Presenter Rick Swan wrote regarding school gardens, “School gardens have the potential to reduce obesity, encourage a healthy lifestyle, reconnect youth with the food system and to build healthier more vibrant communities.” At Webster Elementary, this is something we are working for and will continue to work for!
If you, or someone you know would like to know more about ways to help Webster, it’s garden or students, please feel free to contact me anytime! Some material was taken from:
http://rickswann.com/our-school-garden/history-of-school-gardens/
Marie Louise Greene’s Among School Gardens (1910)
