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In 2005 the new
elementary school in Argyle opened for the first day of school. At the
back of the school between two wings is a courtyard with three terraces
for plants. The contractors planted some plants in the upper two
terraces, but the bottom widest terrace was left unplanted.
In September the
school counselor said he’d like to do ‘something’ out the back for Red
Ribbon Week and he also knew the 5th grade science teacher was
interested in working out of doors with the children.
The Argyle Police
Department had set aside a fund for crime prevention and education. This
money was offered, and the counselor purchased the tree and 1200 tulip
bulbs. Unfortunately, the tree that was purchased using community
crime prevention funds was stolen from the campus the week before Red
Ribbon Week. The President of Alexander’s Landscape and Irrigation
saved the day by donating another tree to replace the one that had been
stolen.
In the meantime,
the 5th grade teacher wrote a grant application to the Argyle
Education Foundation for the establishment of an “Outdoor Science Lab.”
A $1,000.00 grant was awarded to her for the construction of an outdoor
learning area to be used by the teachers and children for science. This
amount was insufficient to complete the construction of an outdoor
science area, so parents pitched in with some financial support. The
PTA President stepped forward and said the Argyle PTA would support the
project and carry the major portion of the funding. Other parents asked
for and obtained donations of paving stone and flagstone. We then
needed the support of serious gardeners and people who really know what
they’re doing when they’re digging in the dirt. The DCMGA stepped
forward with willing helpers. We had a meeting with the owner of
Sublime Water Gardens about the details of a pond and after considering
the cost ($3,800.00), our most knowledgeable Master Gardener, Mary,
assured me we could do it with the help of the MG's. We set up a work
day – the 11th of February, for all the raised beds to be constructed
and for the pond to be dug and the lining to be laid. This
monumental task was achieved with the help of parents, the DCMG's,
Argyle High School honor society members, and members of the community.
A 3rd grade teacher arranged for the parent of a pupil in her class to
donate a 5 ft steel fence. The fence and the pond were constructed on
the weekend of the 26th of February. On the 23rd a trip was made to
Forth Worth – Herrmann’s wholesale nursery – to purchase plants for
another huge workday. All the plants were planted on Thursday March 2 by
hardworking MG’s.
Future plans include
the planting of a redbud alley, the construction of an entrance to the
garden and construction of an outdoor structure where the children and
teachers are able to work. This was a tremendous learning experience
for all to see – the travails of starting up a project from the very
beginning, and how essential it is to have the support of knowledgeable
people.
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