Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-05-26
Might Pattern
From the Geese

true family group ! have ever seen is
given by our geese. We have four
Toulouse ganders and eight geese
and seven of the latter have had their
turn as incubator. The eggs from
the young geese were not very fer
tile, but there is a group of goslings
and they are certainly being well
cared for. The entire flock Of IL
geese stay right by these youngsters
They move about the farm as fam
lily group, the old birds walking
slowly, so as to accommodate the
children. In case of any threatened
danger the goslings scurry to the
center, and the old geese range
around them with open mouths and
wings ready for a blow. No rat or
dog or cat Would dare approach
this squad of home defenders. The
goslings are taught how to Craze and
what 10 eat-how TO swim; in fact
veryth,ng that a goose ought to
know. From grandfather gander
down to the youngest goose every
member of the flock is on deck, ready
0 brood these fortunate youngsters
or fight for them. 1t is a great thing
20 see this group Of gray birds, as
much alike as peas, in pod, sitting
On the grass in a group, taking turns
1t brooding these little ones. How
different this is from the way the
hens act Take that big Red men
with her brood of Black chickens.
She never goes near the other hens.
The rest of the flock will give her
10 help. The rooster is too lazy and
,elfish even to scratch a worm for
lis children. They grow up as best
hey can, and no feathered friends
seem to care whether they live or die
Except their nurse. AS soon as they
ret reasonable size this nurse drives
hem away to shift for themselves
while the geese remain together as a
community as long as they live.
There are a good many rural COM
nunities which might we'll take pat
ern from our geese. Too many chill
lren are treated much as the hen
reats her chickens. We turn them
yer to a Enthusiastically stranger
whom we know nothing-and for
'et them. The teacher is hired to
.eep them straight y why don't she
10 it? We pay her enough; why
ont she tend to her business That
about the spirit of the hen, and
Who can wonder if when the chickens
row up to be hens and ROSTERS they
,ecome the most selfish things you
an imagine-utterly incapable of
airing for themselves without direc-
ion from some super-mind. And
nat is partly why so many of our
oys and girls grow up so narrow
md selfish that they cannot get to-
'ether in real cooperative work The
esult is that, like the poultry, they
must be directed Or ruled by some
uperior mind, and forced to pay
bout all they produce, and their very
ives in addition, for the privilege of
eceiving protection which they
night easily give themselves if they
ould only organize as the geese do.
or the geese seem TO have at least
ne right idea about raising children.
very member of the community is
Interested, each one willing to give
p some little personal gain in order
protect the young geese. Some
f these older geese might easily
wander off by themselves, where the
worms and grubs are thick, aid have
ich picking. But they refuse to do
t, and remain together in order that
he goslings may have a full chance.
have heard well-to-do men say:
II have no children to send to
chool. IL is an outrage to make me
'ay taxes. The children are no good.
nyway, and the schools are worse"
My geese do not talk or act that
way. They gladly give up what is
leeded to educate and care for the
Dung generation. That is why geese
re so self-reliant, independent and
trong - capable of taking care of
themselves. And that is Just the way
NH6HN W NC III every ScnOOl OlS-
rict. We cannot have good schools
+ good teachers or good children un-
Il we work on the principle Of my
'eese and give up something worth
While for the benefit of the young
ters. In our district the women
ave organized School and Home
'ociety, which meets regularly and
works. with the teachers. They are
loing great work. 1t is high time we
discarded the hen as a type of in
tructor and teacher and set the
:oose up in her place. And when we
Q father will have to initiate the
rander and do his full share of car
ne for the brood.-H. w. c. in The
Rural New Yorker.