The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-09-25
A REPLY.
EDUCATING THE CHILDREN-SENA-


IOR JUDGES VIEWS.
Editor Representatives:
In his second article in the F. S. & H.
under the above head, Professor Downey
says, 1.-The want of culture, taste and re-
f7nement in farm homes, is the third hind
rance to the education of. the farmers
children. Now is it mark of culture in
college Professor to try and hurt the
feelings of those whose manners he would
correct! Was he so deficient in the use
| of language, that he had to refer to the
sturdy intelligent, hard working farmers
son as person barren of thought, ignor-
ant, and crude in manner. All of these
faults, he says, has befel the farm boy
because his home is destitute of beauty,
no tasteful furniture, no needle worked
drapery, and what is still more shocking
in the eyes of this refined Professor is,
that the farmers Libraries contains only
two volumes, an almanac and bible.
What pity it is that the libraries of the
professional men had not contained more
Bibles if they had, the blacklist page of
criminal history would not have been
written of Holmes, Durrant, Fraker, and
Jack the Ripper, all professionals.
Would it not be we'll for Prof Downey
to do little missionary work among the
professionals before he tries to make fun
of the farmers poverty by counting the
almanacs in his library. And not salts
fed with this silly thrust at the poverty
stricken farmer, he must reach out for a
more tender fibre in the farmers heart
by pointing at his children as possessing
weak intellects, crude, Ignorant, and ILL
hammered, dwelling in desolate homes
unadorned with chromos and rich drap-
cry. The farmers home would have con-
tanned more of the comforts of life, if all
college professors had not favored gold
bug system Of finance, which has been the
means of cutting the farmers meager
income in two, while the fat salaries of
the Professors is left intact. The shrink
age in value of farm stock alone, in 1891,
was according to government reports,
$88, 000, 900, this sum lost to the farmers
on single farm product, would have
given a collegiate education to 10000
farm boys and girls, and when we add the
loss on all other farm productions. which
has been shrinking in value, year by year
since the demonetizing of silver. the total
No, it is no wonder the farmers son
turns his back on the mortgage ridden
home and seeks other avenues OF support
But it is wonder, that a Professor can
be found, who has the gall to chide the
farmer on the leanness of his. library,
when he and his brother professionals
have by their votes and speeches, done
more than any other class, to fasten upon
the country monetary system that has
ruined our agriculture, and opened the
door for the gaunt wolf to enter million
farm homes, in which he insists there
should be more rich display of refine
ment and furniture.
The Professors theme is, educating
the children" but be has not a word to
say Of any ones children, except the farm
ers', and he has figured them out to be
mostly FOOLS He don't say a word as to
how the children of professional men and
| merchants are refined, perhaps the fol-
lowing refined program out at Lake Har-
riet may explain. 1t reads about as fol-
lows: Neck pulling match, Punching
bag, Swimming match, purse $500. Great
bicycle race for women, prize $1,000.
Great horse race at Hamline etc. So
we see that refinement is laying around
loose almost within the shadow of two
Universities. The Professor undoubt-
eddy thinks that where refinement is so
plenty, teacher in this line is uncalled
for.
In contrast with the whitening stigma
which Prof. Downey casts upon the
farmer and his children, F. S. and H. in
recent article speaks of the farmers
as intelligent, progressive, liberty-loving
husbandmen, that are the creators, sheet
anchors and saviours of nations. And
-, k411N IA Co.., h1,~,
alluded to as cradles of that sturdy youth
of the farms from whence have come in
the past SO many Of our greatest, purest
and most useful men and women. 1t
seems that F. S. and H. estimates the
farmers home and family, at their true
worth, and not by the display or absence
of drapery or chromos.
E. M. DODGE.