Agassiz Farmers

I knew there were victory gardens during WW II, but I didn't realize they were encouraged during WW I as well. The boys of the Agassiz school did their part to feed the home front.



Boston Daily Globe September 29, 1917


Boys' Garden Truck Shown.

Striking Exhibit at the Agassiz School, Jamaica Plain - Award of Prizes.


A large number of the parents of children in the Agassiz School, Jamaica Plain, witnessed yesterday an exhibition of produce grown by the boys of the school, the equal of which has seldom been witnessed in the city. The exhibit was divided into three classes; the prevocation class, supervised by Miss Halstrom; the school class in charge of Miss West, the master's assistant, and the individual war garden exhibit.

The prevocation class,recently awarded third prize at the Horticultural exhibit in Boston, was yesterday given first prize for the finest collection of vegetables. The school won a blue ribbon prize for the finest garden exhibit.

In the individual exhibit Nelson E. Withington, a pupil of the eighth grade, carried off the highest honors, being awarded four first prizes and taking second in many other classes.

Features of the exhibit were a 28-pound pumpkin grown by Roland Scollins, and an 18-pound squash raised by Andrew Flynn. Both boys received first prizes. The following is a list of the prize products and the winners.

Vegetables from Children's Garden - Nelson E. Withington, Variety Garden - Frank Glennon Best Beets - David Pickett. Carrots - Nelson Withington, Onions - Richard Peterson, Potatoes - Thomas O'Rourke, Tomatoes - Waldo Scoffield, Preserved Vegetables - Nelson Withington. The flower garden prize was won by Lewis Bower.