that the family may be economically supplied with delicacies all the year round and some extra quantities may be sold that will bring a good income? Something like this should be possible for any energetic and capable farmer's daughter. Perhaps, again, as a result of this discussion of the young woman's duty and opportunity in the rural community, we shall have many ingenious suggestions from girls all over the country as to clever ways of earning money. This is what we greatly desire; and to this end may we ask that question No. 6 on the discussion paper be answered with considerable fullness, that no good suggestion may be omitted? There are now over six million country girls in our land. Does it not look as though this body of eager, buoyant young women might add something valuable to the welfare of our rural life, if they could but be of one mind as to the formation and expression of their ideals and as to the practical means of realizing those ideals in actual life? REFERENCES Problem of the young woman in farm life Bailey, L. H. The country-life movement. The Macmillan Company. Gillette, J. M. Constructive rural sociology. Sturgis & Walton. McKeever, W. A. Farm boys and girls. The Macmillan Company. Boys' and girls' agricultural clubs. Farmers' Bulletin 385, U. S. Department of Agriculture. Training for efficiency Bailey, L. H. The outlook to nature. The Macmillan Company. Spencer, Anna Garlin. Woman's share in social culture. Mitchell Tarbell, Ida. The business of being a woman. The Macmillan Com pany. Wilbur, Mary A. Everyday business for women. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Reading A group of biographies of country girls Gilchrist, B. B. Mary Lyon. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Palmer, G. L. Alice Freeman Palmer. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Recreation Needham, Mary M. Folk festivals. B. N. Huebsch. Parsons, Belle R. Plays and games for indoors and outdoors. A. S. Barnes & Co. Sanford, L. G. The art crafts for beginners. The Century Company. Extracts from some letters from farmers' wives Now that we farmers' wives have learned so many things in our reading-courses, such excellent truths about the chemistry of food and about sanitary conditions, have been taught how to work, how to rest, how to beautify our homes, how to stay young and to be lovable and lovely I would like to talk a little about how we may keep our children in the rural home. "As a beginning I would suggest that no one should ever, in their hearing, deplore the dullness and drudgery of farm life. Rather let us teach them from infancy to prize its pristine quiet and peace. I would dress the boys and girls as well as my means would allow and in no way different from the young people who live in the town. I should hope that my boy would never hear the remark made concerning him, 'He looked like a regular old farmer!' As far as possible I should let the boys and girls do what they wanted to do. If they wanted to plaster the walls of their rooms with posters that did not appeal to my taste, I would make quarts of paste for them. If they wanted thirteen pillows for a cosy corner, I would cut up Aunt Caroline's feather bed for them. I would read with them the books that they liked rather than the books that I thought they ought to like. And if they gloried in some wild tale of the sea, I would have patience, knowing that the time would come when they would enjoy 'The Chambered Nautilus' and' The King of the Golden River.' Why do so many boys and girls want to leave the farm? It is because, unless the parents are thoughtful in regard to rearing and training the young minds, the children on the farm fail to observe the beautiful possibilities and opportunities of the country life; are apt to think that there is too much work for the amount of profit, and no time for the sports so natural to children. A boy is so handy on the farm to run and do this, that, and everything, that the time goes without thinking that all work and no play is not a wise and profitable way to keep the children on the farm." "As I look at it, there are the same amusements for girls that there are for boys in the outdoor life. The girls enjoy caring for animals as well as the boys do; also they like the care of flowers, and even the plants in the garden and all over the farm; and they are more inclined than the boys are to see the beauties of everything in nature. Besides, the girl can combine the life in the home with the life of nature, thus having the better part. "It seems to me there is an erroneous idea that when a woman reaches mature years thoughts of reading, and of the development to be gained through it, should be put away along with other childish things. This idea is sufficiently widespread to give a feeling of separateness to the sensitive woman who cherishes these ideals. Some knowledge of botany, geology, and astronomy are for the mother particularly desirable in order that she may interest her children in nature. It is seldom, indeed, when on a starry night I do not remember with keenest satisfaction that my mother taught me to know Orion and some other constellations when we looked out upon the heavens. A woman, if she cannot read much, can read a little. She can pore over a favorite book, a poem, or even a sentence till it becomes a part of her very being. Culture depends not so much on multitudinous opportunities as on making the fullest use of what we have. The problem of life consists in learning to make the most of all things, whether they be material or the abiding things of the spirit." The Cornell Reading-Courses PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY W. A. STOCKING, Jr., Acting Director A. R. MANN, General Editor COURSE FOR THE FARM HOME, MARTHA VAN RENSSELAER, Supervisor VOL. III. No. 63 MAY 1, 1914 RURAL LIFE SERIES THE YOUNG WOMAN ON THE FARM DISCUSSION PAPER In the future issues of the Reading-Course for the Farm Home we hope to help in furnishing opportunity for farm girls to earn money at home and to find recreation and education for farm home-making. The Department of Home Economics asks the young women of the country to answer the questions on the accompanying discussion paper. The readers are asked to write anything that they like, in addition, which will show what their interests are and will make it clear what the American country girl of the future desires for contentment and usefulness. There need be no fear that the name of any person will be made public. The correspondence will be considered personal. Will you help us in our plan by answering the questions and returning the discussion paper to the Department of Home Economics of the New York State College of Agriculture, at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York? If we receive these answers we hope to be ready to send you some suggestions as to contests and recreation clubs, some outlines for pageants, and some new ideas for country industries. Address Supervisor, Reading-Course for the Farm Home, New York State College of Agriculture, Ithaca, New York. 1. What are the reasons, in your opinion, for attractiveness of farm life? |