Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1870-02-17
farllurs dlepartnlent.
4 farmers Study.

a EdfuloA SSuuJa
Have you any room about the
ho,,sa fbst answers the place OF
studyq If you have not, you want
one Every farmer, who claims to
he ANYTHING else than mere laborer,
needs study as much as any pro
fessional man does; and for that mat
ter. he requires it more. Tie farm
er's home is not ordinarily very
ouiet one. There is much work to
DO in it: there is the clatter of milk
mans. the noiseof the churn; the prat-
lie, if not the crying of the children.
1t is hard for any one to make
much headway in mastering the con-
tents of a book, under suck circum.
stances. 1t is ''the pursuit of knowl-
edge under difficulties. An editor
might write, or lawyer might study,
under such circumstances. because
they have become accustomed to in
telIectual labor amid noise and con-
fusion. Necessity compelled them
to labor in this way, but il took
long time for them to become mas
tiers of the situation. But for far
mer to do it, whose times for study
are limited, for the most part to
rainy days in summer, or to the
bleak, stormy seasons of winter, the
thing is next to impossible. He
wants a cosy little room where he
can shut himself up with his books
and papers.
A farmers study need not be a
very large or very expensive affair.
A room fifteen feet square would an
swer the purpose well. Six hook
shelves, which should be permanent;
running across one side, would hold
8 respectable library and leave room
for files of papers, magazines, PAM
phlets and farm account books. A
few pictures on the other side would
do for adornment. A table with
drawers, a few chairs and stove
are all the furniture that is necessary.
Twenty-Five dollars and few days
work with the plane and hand-saw
would fititup.
Such room as this would be a
blessing to every farmers house
hold. The house would be more Or
derly, because here would be placed |
the books and papers that too often
are scattered about, and being lost |
or ruined. Rainy days and winter
days would be turned to as much ac
count, with facilities for study, as
are the brightest days of summer.
The disposition to leave the home
for the tavern or grocery would in
many cases be taken away, for the
reason that there is q better place to
spend time that cannot be employed |
in out door work.
Nor is it to the farmer alone that |
such room would be of comfort and |
value. The children could use it |
during the evenings when they are
attending school, and thus derive !
more benefit from each term of
school. To the wife, toe, such a
room would be a blessing. With
her manifold cares and perplexities,
with the odor of the cook room in
her nostrils, with children clinging |
to her skirts, how pleasant would |
such room be in which to retire oc
casionally and read book, peruse a
newspaper or write letter to a
friend.
Every thrifty, well to- do farmer,
who has provided warm stable for
his horses, convenient barn for his
cattle, and even a commodious pen
for his hogs and kennel for his dogs,
can certainly afford a place of re
treat for himself. It would result in
having better planned farm, bet
ter ordered house, happier home
and cultured minds. A library of
books will accumulate when there is
a place to put them. Papers and
magazines will be preserved when
there is place to put them on Gle,
and spare time be put to good ac
count when there is an opportunity
to spend it without being interrupted.
Prairie Farmer.