River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-03-07
CHILD LIFE ON THE FARM

D Daily Courier-News:
In the course of my talk, if l
speak often of my home and my
children and experience, l hope
none will think me an egotist,
simply know no other home or any
other children in the intimate home
way. 1t is not at all in the spirit of
me and my wife, my son John and
his wife, that Ispeak.
When one has felt the clasp of
many baby fingers; has welcomed
eight little souls into the world and
has, with prayers and tears laid one
away, it makes that one, mother to
the world of children, and her heart
goes out in sympathy to all homes.
FARM PLACE FOR CHILDREN
Il have always been more than
just thankful that we could bring
up our children on farm. My hair
would have been white long ago if
should have had to watch my chill
dren all the time. l know many of
our best men and women grow up
in towns or cities but | always
think, "God pity the mothers.
There are SO many advantages
to be gained from the life in the
country. First, is their perfect
freedom, no Keep Off the Grass
signs. The great comfort of know
ing just where they are and as a
general thing about who they play
with. Another great factor is the
learning to do things, to make things
go. When your boy can harness
four horses and do mans work,
even though it be done in boys
way, it gives him manly feeling
and he has his place and feels the
joy of it.
LEARN EARLY TO HELP
"Our little girls learn early that
they are great help to mother and
you know we all like to be sure that
we are of use in the world. re-
member visiting my aunt once
with ny 10-months-old baby boy.
1t was in the fall and she said,
well l suppose when we come
down to see you in the spring, this
baby will be doing chores. : Not
quite as soon as thas, but very early
in life each had his or her little
work that must be done. Don't
talk as though any work of the home
were drudgery-thatis such an ugly.
word-not fit TO be used in the home.
| would advise not keeping it in the
home vocabulary. Your daughters
are to work as you do for the home.
1t is worth working for. ] don't be-
lieve in hiring children to do the
ordinary house work. 1t is their
home and their work to do.
PLAY PROBLEM
The entertainment problem is
no small one. When we came to
Dakota our older children were well
past the play period. Among the
beautiful hills Of Wisconsin-with
the birds, berries, white sand piles
and grand trees-there was little
left to wish for for summer play.
In the winter there was skiing, to-
bogganing, coastine and skating al
most at our door with the compan-
ionship of our neighbors' children,
the conditions were about ideal.
After coming to this state conditions
changed materially and the play
problem for the younger children
was problem.
JUST TRIED TO KEEP HOME
Eve bought a fine farm-with an
old tarred paper shanty, tumble
down outbuildings and the yard
was adorned with three cottonwood
trees. There was simply no place
in which to play. My health at that
time was far from what a mother S
health should be and from sheer
WEAKNESS l would tell them to go
outdoors and play They invari-
ably came back with the inquiry,
Where shall we play, mammal At
last after many a heartache and
much worry-for came from long
line of fore-mothers whose house
work was done before noon-I made
up my mind to give up trying to
keep house and just try to keep
home. While was in a state of
ferment over it, an old lady visited
me and as | was going over my wor-
ries, she said, 1t won't be long.
The words sent chill through me,
but they helped more than could
tell.
MUST ENTERTAIN THEMSELVES
so many children packed in the
little place-each child must have
his or her things, and they must
play. Far from neighbors, they
must entertain themselves, with