The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-02-21
BY mrs. v.
H. GRINSTEAD
Read at the Farmers Institute,
February II. 1919.

1t is easy to heap burdens that
are heavy upon the shoulders Of
the other fellow. | have no de,
sire to do this. With all rever.
ence to country communities, fOT
lived on farm and grew up
there. The social life of the farm
communities is very meager III
many instances, especially for the
women folk. The men get oul
more and mingle with their fell,
lows. Women are kept in the
homes too closely and DO not de.
yelop and broaden as wOmanhood
should do. What matters it if the
lar S be filled with alfalfa and the
White Faces" be sleek and fat,
and the big horses be strong and
capable, does that feed that hun
cry longing in the heart for social
touch with the world of men
What matters if the farmer could
write his check for cool tilOuSand
or two. the roses are fading from
the cheeks of chat little woman.
She needs stimulation, inspiration
and comradeship. We talk about
the children in our cities who are
so poor they can not attend church
or Sunday school. We have
country children whose bodies are
we'll clothed and we'll fed who
never come under the vitalizins
touch of these influences.
The teacher can not be expected
to transform the community tina
Is hers for little more than hal
the year. She must be guided b,
conditions as they are, not as sht
might wish them to. be. | laugh
in one community where there
was no church service nearer thar
the town and the only social meet
ing was the literary society and
was the editress of the able papel
that compared favoFably with tht
News or Democrat in personals
for literary papers deal with per
sonalities. One lonely maiden
would insist on personalities about
myself, until come back at hel
thus, POLITICALLY:
Once there was a maiden, witt
great knowledge laden. She was
a teacher too, and one term hac
pulled through; when home cher
ries were ripe, of every kind and
stripe; she climbed up the fpai
tree, as careful as could be, anc
bDgan to pick so fast, when pa she
saw go past, she hailed him thu:
with glee. Oh, pa, it's me, it;
me, your little school ma'am up q
tree, she dwells where cherries
bloom, waiting for fates great
doom"
She let me alone ever after.
Help the literary society by put.
ting it on a real literary basis anc
encourage the women to come anc
bring the children. You will have
no trouble in getting the men out
II
The use of great deal of lit.
erature in your schools will stimu,
late a desire for wholesome read.
ing and with a few entertainments,
small library of good books
could be established at each coun.
Try school house. Inculcate 10
the child heart, a love for GOOD
literature. beginning with the
Book of Books. No one can OBJ.
ject to the child learning the
Psalms, The Beatitudes, The Para
bles, etc., etc. The people who
object to the Bible on the ground
of sectarian bias, do not love the
Bible themselves and put this up
as an excuse. Teach Longfellow,
Whittier, Riley, Havergal and 8
host of other writer's. This will
reflect on the home and culture
and develop that home.
/ am for consolidation of coun-
try schools only when 1t place.
the high school course in reach Of
the country lad and lassie.
The producers of the food sup