Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-01-09
Criticisms on Farmers Families and
Homes.
Read ut a Farmers Meeting at West Berlin, b.
Mrs. G. f. DEWEY

am well aware that this is not Il new
subject, but it is one in which we are all
interested; and though may not present
any new ideas, they may be of interest for
fhe moment. was led to take up this
subject for the reason that cannot agree
with many of the criticisms and statements
found in some of our papers on this class
0fpeope.
If we accept these us true, we find that
farmers are II species of the human race
who " live in homes utterly neglected and
completely repulsive."
lfany trees were ever planted in front
of the dwelling they are untrmmed, twist
ed, half dead and ill-looking objects. A
low raifence surrounds the yard, a pair Of
rckety bars offer YOU ingress and egrees !;
often there is no alternative but to scale
the fence to gain admission
Pigs have II wallow under the kitchen
windows where the Stops are thrown !;
chickens run on the old front porch and 90
down between its boards half broken out,
to lay, and at night roost upon its rail
ings.
Calves and sheep are browsing on the
poor stuntcd trees and bushes in the front
yard.
The windows have pillows, pants and
dresses as substitutes for glass, u few
bricks are off the chimney top and few
shingles are loose upon the roof
The hogs and dogs occupy the space
under the dwelling to hide from the heat
of the MONDAY summer sun or the cold of
winter
The old well has never been cleaned out,
is uncurbed, and the water is drawn by u
rope OF chain, attached to the old brass
kettle, owned by their grandfather hun
bred years before. The wagon and sled
are Immediately in front of the house, the
wood pile is scattered thirty rods along
the fence and is in immediate association
with old plows, harrows, rakes and every
thing else used on the farm here laid up
! for future use,
1t seemed pity to disturb the harmo-
nious outlines Of the above picture of a
farmers home, SO have quoted it nearly
entire from one of our Vermont papers.
With kindly charity, which am sure my
sisters will appreciate, the writer adds
The inside of the house. for the sake of
Womanhood, we will not describe, but only
| say that the idea Of rearing II family in
such a place, and having them intelligent,
reasoning, responsible beings, cannot for a
moment be entertained" This is claimed
to be the case with tWo-thirds of our farm
crs. That a Vermont paper with circu-
laton and correspondence extending from
Maine to California should give place to
such representation of our homes. seems
Incredible.
1t is no wonder that people from other
states think we are rough and uncultured,
barbarians, in fact, and are surprised
they chance to visit Vermont, to find the
farming population possessed Of average
intelligence.
We must derive our ideas of people and
countries largely from three sources, OBJ
serVation, experience, and reading; but
upon this question | am u little doubtful
about admitting what we read to its third
of influence in forming our opinions
Farmers and their wives write so little for
the press that we must conclude that such
statements rs the above come from those
who write for the press as profession and
are glad to seize on any chance report
and make the most of ii; if these state
ments were corroborated by observation
and experience, we would the more read
lily receive Them but they are not. | be.
I'eve if you were to look through every
town in the state you could not find the
counterpart of the above picture.
we admit that there are many places
) that in some points present an appearance
very like what this writer terms prison
, houses to be left us early as age or con
ycnience will allow, but that two-thirds o
: our homes are in this condition-let the
inmates of each home prove to the con
trary. But another fact (O as set forth il
: our papers these farmers "live on sal
pork and other fried things. Sell all thu
best Of the produce and live on what the,
can't sell. " Their tables are supplied
with indigestible food by housekeeper,
who are ignorant and careless as regards
the planest laws of health, many of then
not even hR0OjHg what good bread is
Now some of us scarcely taste of salt porl
: from one years end to another, though
when it is good, rightly cooked and dant
lily served it is occasionally desirable, ant
while we claim it to be probable that nc
class of people live better than our farm
ers, we must exercise charity toward thest
writers, for it is self-eyident fact tina
they are simply behind the times. They
have received their impressions from read
inc of the past, and not from observations
and experience among the farmers Of TO
day.
In our grandfather's time t'U0 barrel.
OF GnIt nOTk ut lpuCt ppaIaJ E,ts IA,