In the 17th century, school gardens began to be seen in Europe. By 1869, there was an Austrian mandate that all schools must have a garden. Similar mandates followed in other European countries. The first official school garden in the United States was at the George Putnam School of Roxbury, Massachusetts, where the children grew wildflowers and vegetables around 1890. In 1897, the National Cash Register Company established a Boy's Garden to instill good work ethic. By the early 20th century, school gardens became popular throughout the country. By World War I and through World War II, a school garden was a sign of patriotism.
In 1914, the Superintendent of Public Instruction for North Carolina published a booklet on Plans for Public Schoolhouses and School Grounds. In it are included plans for planting the school grounds and a list of suitable plants, from trees to annuals. The instructions stated that “no school ground should have less than two (2) acres, and where there is a school garden twice that area is none too large.” Playgrounds were also deemed a necessity and there are even plans for building simple playground equipment.
Postcard series no. 0162 Raphael Tuck & Sons
Source:
Plans for Public Schoolhouses and School Grounds, Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Raleigh, 1914.
School Gardens https://daily.jstor.org/the-first-school-gardens/; https://www.jstor.org/stable/43323438?mag=the-first-school-gardens&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
Salisbury NC Graded School 1st Grade planting in garden.
In the 17th century, school gardens began to be seen in Europe. By 1869, there was an Austrian mandate that all schools must have a garden. Similar mandates followed in other European countries. The first official school garden in the United States was at the George Putnam School of Roxbury, Massachusetts, where the children grew wildflowers and vegetables around 1890. In 1897, the National Cash Register Company established a Boy's Garden to instill good work ethic. By the early 20th century, school gardens became popular throughout the country. By World War I and through World War II, a school garden was a sign of patriotism.
In 1914, the Superintendent of Public Instruction for North Carolina published a booklet on Plans for Public Schoolhouses and School Grounds. In it are included plans for planting the school grounds and a list of suitable plants, from trees to annuals. The instructions stated that “no school ground should have less than two (2) acres, and where there is a school garden twice that area is none too large.” Playgrounds were also deemed a necessity and there are even plans for building simple playground equipment.
Postcard series no. 0162 Raphael Tuck & Sons
Source:
Plans for Public Schoolhouses and School Grounds, Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Raleigh, 1914.
School Gardens https://daily.jstor.org/the-first-school-gardens/; https://www.jstor.org/stable/43323438?mag=the-first-school-gardens&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
Postcard series no. 0162 Raphael Tuck & Sons “Salisbury, N.C.”
Source:
Kennedy, John The Batavia System of Individual Instruction Syracuse, N.Y. C.W. Bardeen, 1914
https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001279601
The Salisbury Graded School at some point must have instituted the Batavia System of education. The Batavia System of Individual Instruction, byJohn Kennedy, published in Syracuse, N.Y. by C.W. Bardeen in 1914 is a method of classroom organization that put an extra teacher in the classroom to conference individually with students while the "regular" teacher conducted lectures and recitations. It was meant to help the students who might not be working up to grade level keep up. As you can see by the photograph, the classroom size was quite large.
Postcard series no. 0162 Raphael Tuck & Sons “Salisbury, N.C.”
Source:
Kennedy, John The Batavia System of Individual Instruction Syracuse, N.Y. C.W. Bardeen, 1914
https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001279601
Not a usual team shot, as the boys are in suits, not uniforms, but they are showing their purpose with the football (dated 1907). Team sports as part of the regular school activities did not catch on until after the Civil War, though there were informal athletic clubs staging rugby matches at the collegiate level. Rugby proved to be the cause of so many injuries that some schools banned the game on their campuses. The first intercollegiate sporting game played in America was on November 6, 1869, between Rutgers and Princeton, where Rutgers won in what was an early version of modern football. As the philosophy of public education shifted its focus from theological and classical studies to a more rounded education that incorporated physical education, the emphasis on sports also grew. Eventually sports such as football, cross-country, basketball, and baseball became part of the athletic programs of high schools and grade schools as well.
Postcard series no. 0162 Raphael Tuck & Sons “Salisbury, N.C.”
Source:
Unger, Harlow G. Encyclopedia of American Education. New York, Facts on File, 1996.
]]>Salisbury N. C. Graded School, 8th Grade Football Team.
Not a usual team shot, as the boys are in suits, not uniforms, but they are showing their purpose with the football (dated 1907). Team sports as part of the regular school activities did not catch on until after the Civil War, though there were informal athletic clubs staging rugby matches at the collegiate level. Rugby proved to be the cause of so many injuries that some schools banned the game on their campuses. The first intercollegiate sporting game played in America was on November 6, 1869, between Rutgers and Princeton, where Rutgers won in what was an early version of modern football. As the philosophy of public education shifted its focus from theological and classical studies to a more rounded education that incorporated physical education, the emphasis on sports also grew. Eventually sports such as football, cross-country, basketball, and baseball became part of the athletic programs of high schools and grade schools as well.
Postcard series no. 0162 Raphael Tuck & Sons “Salisbury, N.C.”
Source:
Unger, Harlow G. Encyclopedia of American Education. New York, Facts on File, 1996.
Brawley, James Shober Salisbury Renaissance: Historical Photographs of Salisbury North Carolina 1880-1960 Salisbury: Historic Salisbury Foundation and Rowan Art Guild, 1981.
]]>An image of someone who must have been recognizable at the time, but we have been unable to identify him thus far. On the reverse side of this card is Theo Buerbaum’s Book Store ad: “School books, school-stationery, photo and autograph albums. Largest stock of Christmas goods in Salisbury, wedding and birthday cards, picture frames made to order, all sizes and all prices.” While not technically postcards, these cards were postcard size and most likely handed out to store customers. This gentleman bears a resemblance to Rockwell physician, Dr. Littleton William Coleman, who was educated in Virginia and married Jane Arey of Rowan County. Coleman was also a director of the Yadkin Railroad and owner of a dairy in Rockwell.
Brawley, James Shober Salisbury Renaissance: Historical Photographs of Salisbury North Carolina 1880-1960 Salisbury: Historic Salisbury Foundation and Rowan Art Guild, 1981.