Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

Page 9 text:

do the men. Horticulture as a means for women to make a living appeals to me very much, and I believe that women will make better horticulturists than men, and that the bread-winning in many homes will be vastly improved if the men remain at home to mind the baby and let the wife attend to the garden and horticultural work.” “Women make best gardeners, and no garden is complete without them,” so said Mr. H. B. Fullerton, Director of Agricultural Experimental Station of Long Island Railway, in his address at the annual meeting at the School of Horticulture last May. Mr. Fullerton is one of the foremost exponents of the entrance of women into scientific horticulture and it is his opinion that no subject is of greater interest than that of food production. It is even of greater moment than the high cost of living, for it is one of the factors in the solution of the problem which draws the line of demarcation between life and death. As neither man’s nature nor man’s education develops the qualities so vital to the growing of vegetables, berries, fruit and flowers, and raising of animals, we must rely upon the women for the proper management of our gardens, farms and orchards. In a letter the Right Rev. David H. Greer, Bishop of New York, says: “I give herewith my very cordial approval to a school of horticulture for women. It is a kind of industry for which they are, in my judgment, especially fitted, and it is gratifying to know that a school has been established to give them the necessary training for the skillful prosecution of this useful and important work.” Last summer, the resident Director, Miss Jessie T. Morgan, made a tour of the Horticultural Schools in England, to see how the school work was being carried on where they had been long established. She believes that tlieday has dawned for the woman gardener. In England the increased number of professional women gardeners is remarkable and graduates of many of the schools are now managing their own estates or are managers of private and public gardens. In glass gardening women were found to have made greater success than men, and in some lines have made independent incomes. Miss Morgan attributes this to the fundamental training received at the horticultural schools. One is impressed with the wastefulness of land in this country as compared with the utilization of even the smallest bit of land in Europe, and there surely must be much more scope for the woman gardener of the United States than has been realized. The School of Horticulture for Women was established about three years ago by club and college women of Philadelphia, who saw the need for such a school in this country. The idea is to give a thorough practical training in such branches of horticulture as will fit women for a life work, either as teachers or managers of gardens for themselves or for others.

Page 8 text:

Editorial. One realizes liow handicapped the American of former days was when all he had to depend upon was the information that could be gathered from the different catalogues, issued by the seed and nurserymen, quite inadequate to meet the needs of the beginner, and lead to a successful career in horticulture and floriculture. Quoting Mr. Maurice Fuld, “no more is the amateur willing to be mislead; no longer will he live in the dark, but he seeketh the truth, and those who seek shall find.” The Garden Club Movement in America in an amazingly short time has gathered within its fold thousands of most enthusiastic gardeners, and it is this movement which is responsible for the awakening of the American Horticulturist to seeing his duties and performing them. The growing interest in agriculture in all its branches makes it necessary to have schools and colleges equipped to meet the demands of students who are to make this their life-work, and while there have been many such places open to men, so far, in this country, tnere has been very little opportunity for women to get a thorough and practical knowledge of Horticulture and become efficient in this line of work. Our School was founded in order that the necessary practical and theoretical knowledge might be taught to women; it opens up to them a broad field of intellectual life combined with one of usefulness, healthfulness and independence. A necessary factor for success in horticulture is the attention to detail, which seems natural to women and which men are inclined to overlook. In glass gardening women have made a great success; they have a more delicate touch than men and are able to make the smallest cuttings with ease. At one of the large commercial greenhouses in Germany the cuttings are made by women. For years women have been most successful as florists, market gardeners, proprietors, managers of fruit farms and orchards. Such positions offer high salaries to trained women. If the horticulturist will specialize in some particular branch of fruit, flower or vegetables, a good income may be made from the smallest piece of land. The schools in Europe have long since passed the experimental stage, having now a recognized place in the educational world. Some of the graduates are holding responsible positions as managers of private or public gardens. Dr. Lillias Hamilton, of Studley College of Horticulture for Women, in England, states that some English women gardeners are receiving large salaries and others substantial profits on their outlay. The demand is greater every year for trained women to fill similar positions in this country. E. E. Since this is the first issue of our school paper it may be of interest to hear what a number of prominent men have said of the school and its aims: Dean R. L. Watts in his address at the Conference of Horticulture for Women, held here last May, said “the subject of horticulture is one that interests me greatly. I have had some experience with women at State College, and I want to say that the most enthusiastic students there have been women, and I cannot help but feel that women put more enthusiasm in the work than

Page 10 text:

Women's National Agricultural Association. President—Mrs. Francis King, Alma, Mich. Corresponding Secretary—Mrs. S. H. Vollmer, Huntington, N. Y. Treasurer—Miss Louise G. Davis, Ambler, Pa. A national association of women interested in horticulture and agriculture has been formed by the express wish of (a hundred of) those who were present at the Horticultural Conference held at the School of Horticulture, Ambler, Pennsylvania, May, 1913. The objects of this association are to promote interest and success in horticulture and agriculture by the exchange of information among its members; to bring together supply and demand both by produce and of labor, and to increase the knowledge and use of existing institutions. As a means to this end it is hoped that a general secretary be employed, conferences of a practical nature may be held, local exhibitions be encouraged and printed matter distributed. Women horticulturists in Europe have succeeded through co-operation. Will you become part of the forward movement in America by helping to upbuild this national association. The membership dues are $1.00 a year. The initiation fee is $1.00. $2.00 may be forwarded to the secretarv. Address Mrs. S. H. V. Huntington, N. Y. A Cold Reception to a Would-Be Horticulturist. The fourteenth of January, ninetcen-fourteen A little red owl in the maple was seen. She looked very wise With her big round eyes And said: Pll be a student of horticulture, I ween. Now young Miss “Britain ’ who among us resides, Disapproved of a student with such big eyes. She picked up a stone And with skill all her own Hurled it at this stranger of diminutive size. So little Miss Owl with amazement untold Backed into her nest from a reception so cold, And said with a sigh, Oh me, and oh my! Strange welcome indeed, but no grudge will I hold. C. G. P.