Normal School Garden

From the very early days of Cheney's academy and Normal school, there was a garden tended by the students. The garden provided vegetables for the school kitchen, as well as hands-on learning and civic participation lessons for the students.

The garden was located behind, and slightly to the west of the main school building.

"A full row of red and white sweet cherries extends across the ground between the school garden and play grounds. The school garden has been very much improved and beautified this year with the additional shrubbery that has been planted, and the new beautiful flowers that have been blooming since early springtime" Noah D. Showalter, President 1912

Gardening was also a course taught as part of the Manual Arts during the summer school sessions.

"The school garden serves a double purpose: that of training the Normal School students under the direction of the Agricultural Department, and that of a garden for the children of the Training School." - Kinnikinick 1916

During the war with Europe 1917-1918, now known as World War I, students used the school gardens to demonstrate patriotism by growing vegetables listed on the government food lists in Victory Gardens. Each grade had its own garden plot.