The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-11-22
WHY ! AM THANKFUL

that I cannot begin to write them
ALL l will put down only few
connected with my life on a farm
or in a rural community.
First, I am thankful because I
was born in log house on a farm
and reared to life of self-reliant
labor: for a strong constitution and
vigorous health inherited from farm
ancestry of clean lives and deeply
religious nature, and for training
that has made the Bible a beloved
companion from my early boyhood;
and the church and Sunday School,
nlaces of weekly spiritual instruction
and inspiration.
I am thankful for the old log
school house and the district school
library; for the little academy and
especially for the man at the head
Of it who made his pupils not only
scholarly men and women, but,
placing character before scholarship,
made them haters of evil, sham and
pretense, and infused into them his
own love of right and righteousness.
am thankful for the little church
across the road from the academy
which Will Pitts made famous by
his song "The little Brown Church
in the Vale;" and for the college
where I was permitted to work my
way through
am thankful for the opportunity
to have been in close relationship
for many years with scores of boys
and girls from the farm, the ranch
and the cattle range, the best ma
terial this old world affords for the
making of noble, clean, efficient men
and women; for the privilege OF
helping to shape their ideals and
develop in them sturdy physique,
clear vision and moral courage to
do effective battle for the right as
it is. revealed to them. They were
good stuff. those farmers boys and
girls, and they are making good
wherever in the world God has set
them.
| am thankful that my country
life brought me close to nature and
that early learned to love the
woods and hills, the fields and
the swampy boys with their ever
changing glory of flowers, leaves
and fruit, and the never-failing won
ders of their insect and larger ami
NAL life. And this is the reason
why the country child is so recep-
tive. He learns to be listening al
ways for the revelation of natures
secrets. His mind is open and he
doesn't think that he knows it all.
l am thankful for the spirit OF
cooperation that is growing so rapid
ly among us, the brotherly spirit
that will lead US to sacrifice to the
common good such individual ad
vantage as we might possibly gain
for time by going it alone.
am thankful for the thoughtful
study we are making of political,
social rnd civic problems; for the
tendency to independent political
action and the reaching out for a
purer and better social and civic
life.
| am thankful that as farmer
In Kennewick [ have as the fruit of
the labor of my hands many, many
things that money could not buy for
me IN my former home.
| am thankful that [ do not have
much to do with knockers. They
make me unhappy because they are
50 unhappy themselves and 1 do not
seem able to help them up to my
!. optimistic viewpoint. They make
others unhappy too. Gloom is catch
Ing as we'll as sunshine.
am thankful for my neigh Dor,
who, though hard pressed financial
iy' goes cheerily about his work
he always greets you with a smile
ana never complains. I think he
prays every day, Give us this day
our daily bread" and then goes out
after it and gets it.
l am especially thankful that l