Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1913 — PLANS TO KEEP CHILDREN BUST [ARTICLE]

PLANS TO KEEP CHILDREN BUST

Vacation Employments for Young to End With Fall FestivalStart Made in Schools. The committee on vacation employments for the children of the public schools,’ which is one of the committees of the Rensselaer Civic Association, has formulated plans and is busy putting these plans into operation. Prof. Ira Coe, the teacher of agriculture in the high school, is chairman of this committee. Prof. Coe talked to the children of the primary and grade buildings today and explained to them briefly the plans of the committee. Prises will be offered for the best gardens and for the best products. A fall festival will be held the latter part of September or the first of October, at which these products will be exhibited. It is hoped to make this festival an important event for Rensselaer. It is felt that this can be done. It is to be made a joyous occasion, a carnival of fruits and flowers with perhaps a program of music, plays, social events, etc., appropriate to the occasion. , , The children are to be divided into groups and they are to be given instruction in the planting and care of flowers and vegetables. Prof. Coe is preparing a map of the city on which he can locate the gardens of all those competing and he will visit these from time to time and offer such suggestions as may seem called for. This is a splendid opportunity for the children and it is hoped that all parents and other citizens will get behind the movement and make it a success. Prof. Coe is donating his services and is entering enthusiastically into the work. The public should hold up his hands in this enterprise. It would be difficult to devise a movement more fraught with good for Rensselaer and its children than this movement to interest the children in wholesome, instru6tive and otherwise remunerative employment during the long summer vacation, In the case of many children much of the Vacation time could be spent far more wisely than when they are left to their own devices. Let the movement once get started and itwill be found that there is much which can be done by the children which will result in making them better physically, morally and intellectually.