Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-01-09

an all-round intelligent farmer?"
An agricultural department seems
to be Just now the thing in demand
at all the colleges OF the state. Here.
the students, the girls as well as the
boys, obtain some idea OF what a
knowledge Of scientific agriculture
means IN our state, but the girls
get no "hand education" in practi-
cal farming. The boy does. and he
goes back from his alma mater with
not only the best practical and ad-
vanced ideas Of farming, but also
the knowledge OF "the how to do"
and how to apply these Ideals to the
real work Of the farm. At the col
leges, and, in fact, at our UNEQUAL
ed Iowa State Agricultural college
at Ames, the girls do not 60 right
out into the fields and learn how
to prepare the soil, select the seed,
put into the ground. watch and
guard It's tender growth with proper
cultivation. The boys can do this.
However much any enterprising
girl student might desire to do this,
and to learn all the hand work in
raising every variety Of crop posi-
BILE to our soil and climate, she can
not, under existing circumstances,
do 1t.
An institution where this hand
education In all, that Is done on q
farm strikes me as very desirable,
and, may say, as an absolute need.
We need q farm school where all the
work can be, and Is, done by the
girls themselves under competent
and high-minded and devoted teach
ers. Think OF the vigor and robust
health, the development Of every
muscle Of the body, and the feeling
OF independence the students Of such
a school would gain! The various
kinds OF work on a farm would so
develop the whole being that there
would be no need of any gymnasi-
UNI.
At such q school for girls, alone,
they could dress in the best posi-
BILE fashion for the work in hand.
am writing at present. more for the
purpose OF placing this matter be-
fore the thinking men and women
| OF the state. Is such school need
ed? Is not the time near at hand
in Iowa when intensive farming
must to an ever greater extent be
the rule!
Such farm school as suggested
here, for the purpose of teaching ac-
| tual farming, should, II possible, be
in a measure, isolated from the pub
| lie, enough not to embarrass the
workers because OF the work cos
tune they have selected as best and
necessary for the proper and easy
movement Of the body. The Bene-
Idiot home Is located about three
ifourths Of mile from the public
highway, and little further sti)
from neighbors, excepting my home
my buildings are nearly in the cen.
Iter Of my farm Of some TOO acres. 4
seems to me an ideal location FOL
|such a school.
The thought has come to me fol
| the last two years: why not do
nate Willowedge to this seemingly
great want?" With this thought II
mind / have spent some time in Chi
cago among the settlement workers
talking with them Of their work
and asking their opinion Of such
farm move. All familiar with tn,
subject were strongly in favor O
1.-THE establishment Of such a school
Ian acquainted with my farm. ant
Its advantages for such school. tel
line 1t Is the ideal place for this kline
LOT an institution; with Its runnin'
water and springs; woodland. past
lure and plow land so combined as !
often found on an Iowa farm. witt
the best timber enough for all ne
cessities. The buildings are shelter
ed In the north by fine groves. Ha
mot God given me this grand farr
Ito hand It down to coming gener
ations. to be blessing to the girl
|of this splendid middle western
farming country. and to help them
In the best possible way. to becom
the strong. healthy mothers OF tn
future boys and girls Of Iowa; 7
help them to maintain this gran
commonwealth in It's place at tn
head Of the agricultural states.
Mrs. Perry starkweather. assist
ant commissioner OF labor Of Min
|nesota, says we have 10000 WON
en- employed in shops and factorie
in Iowa. Many Of these are work
inr at less than a living wage, 9