Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-02
HANDICRAFTS AT THE FARM.
How the Former Contribute to the Joy
of Farm Life.

The question is being asitated lust
now as to whether there could be in this
country successful alliance OF handl-
crafts and petty agriculture. TO this J!
can answer with an emphatic Yes" and
with the direct assertion that, ditl:-
cult as the task might prove at first.
there ought to be found ways and means
to accomplish it. The experience Of the
ages has proven that the backbone OF
any country is its agricultural popu-
lation
alone represents stability and reality
Financial. commercial and manufacture
irg deprcssions may hurt him to some
extent, but they cannot down him. fol
his work and always is certain of OBJ
tanning some return 70. It. The falrae,
is the real personifcation of indepen-
Gence. Nevertheless. it is necessary
healthy condition: otherwise the whole
country suffers
II. Europe we regard this question as
worthy of our most serious considera-
vailins Impression that it is the duty
of the different societies formed to pro-
mote social welfare to limit their work
to the cities and manufacturing centers
1t is not that the tjller of the soil is for
gotten, but the idea seems to be that as
he works in the pure open air. unhanr-
cred by crowded or unhealthy conditions
he is not in need of any consideration
from the workers for social welfare.
This is right in one sense. but it is be-
ing carried too far. No one seems to
consider that the work Of the farmer
is largely routine. and that routine work
must be followed by recreation and dis
ERECTION it brain and body are to be Kept
in healthy condition. The city dweler.
as soon as he leaves shop or factory,
finds plenty to divert him from his daily
toll. and even if he goes straight home.
glance oct of his window will SHOW
him the ever-moving panorama of city
life with it's thousand small happenings
and it's unending interest. But what re-
lief has the farmer?
W hat does the community at large do
to telp him kill the monotonv of the
of the wear he works so hard and for
such long hours that he mas no time to
think Of anythng hut his work For TIL.
other months there Is lnEch idle time to
be disposed or and then is when he needs
something to guard against the harmful
inactivity of body ana brain.
Reading rooms or Il library form sonic
only when the farner lives in or p near
village. Resides. there is always the
objection that either one would prove
expensive or Inadequate if maintained by
the farmers themselves. while, if main
tanned or donated ny others. they would
come perilousy close to charity, which
no one who wishes to preserve the indie
pendent spirit Of a nation would care to
introduce into its mos: self-reliant com
From the experience gained in my own
country; ! can safely say that the
only solution for this problem is the in
PRODUCTION Of handicrafts and home in
dustries Tn times of the wears when tie
form work slack:nS it provides inter
esting and reru:lncrative work for thc
older members OF the family ard is
valuable factor in the education of the
children. Furthermore, the pursuit OF
almost any one Of the h me industries
would be rot only Inexpensive but a
great saving. because the only cost to tn,
workers is the price OF the raw materials
and their own time. The returns from
such work are twnfol1. for not only Is
there clear addition to the family in
come hv the .sala Of the articles made
but a great saving in the ability to max,
for home needs articles for which other
wise cash must be paid. The Craftsman
Dr. james c. Monaghan has been CLOSER
as the recipient for 1898 of the Laetar.
medal awarded by Notre Dame Tnivrr
sity to some prominent Roman Catholi.
lavman az mark of honor. DR.. Mona
CHAN was born in Boston in 1857. worked
in the cotton milk; a. Salem praduate