Pocahontas star herald., 1925-10-29

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and light will be available for the
towns and farms of the Randolph coun-
ty hill section.
1t is a question with some whether
or not they can afford electricity. An
Ohio farmer who has electric service
on his farm, recently was questioned
on the matter, and he said: "It saves
us headaches. The strong, clean light
does away with the necessity of strain
ing our eyes by lamp light. con-
slider electricity an economy on the
farm. We get our current from a
high-tension line, and prefer it to the
individual plant. We use current for
the following: Lighting up buildings,
running washer. ironer, sweeper and
mixer The average cost of one year
is $50. Electricity is not cheaper than
burning oil lamps, but the convenience
pays for the difference in the cost. 1t
is a great saving to us inasmuch as we
do not need to hire an extra man to
help milk. Getting current from a
high-tensiOn line, if you can, saves the
cost of buying an outfit and it does
not cost as much to run as an indi-
vidual plant 1t also saves a lot of
headaches and risks. l would advise
any farmer to do all he can to secure
electricity on his farm, and l think
cooperation to obtain current among
farmers is very practical"
The principal of progressive school
asked the parents Of his pupils what
they would like their children to he at
the age of eighteen.
Almost all parents have very high
ideals for their children. We recall
such phrases as Unsuitable intellect
ual curiosity" keen joy in living"
''well grounded in the three RS" "a
sense of social responsibility"
All the writer's overlooked one i'm
portant point sense of humor.
We do not know that a sense Of
humor can be implanted in boy or girl
who lacks it, but certainly sense of
humOr can be cultivated. Too often
sense of humor is repressed by parents
and teachers who fear that sense of
humOr is not mice"
We are convinced that high per-
centage of children are born with a
keen sense of humOr. To us, this is
their most delightful quality. The un-
restrained laugh of child is the most
beautiful thing i'm the world
Some parents will not let their chill
dren read the comic strips in the news
papers. We think this is a mistake.
Furthermore we have been cOnclus-
lively convinced that an appeal to the
sense of humOr is the most effective
means of correction. Proper table
manners, proper care Of clothes, prop
er posture, and all the other proper
things a child is expected to do, can be
taught by an appeal to the sense of the
ridiculous. Show boy how you
would look if you conducted yourself
as he does, and he will reform more
quickly and more permanently than if
you punish him.
The only danger with this system is
that the children progress so fast that
the parents have trouble keeping up
with them. This is probably the rea-
son why this system was not generally
adopted long ago. The department of
many parents cannot stand the search
ing reproof of a child who has been
encouraged to express his sense of
humOr.
All are agreed that modern civiliza-
tion is extremely complex and artific-
ial. 1t is a strain on the nerves, on
the temper, on the instincts. The
ideal sedative is sense of humor.
Civilization will be saved, if it is
saved at all, not by democracy, not by
idealism, not by the League of Ma
tions, but by sense of humor.
No man is really civilized unless he
can laugh at himself.
If the schools can cultivate this
sense of humOr, and produce for this
nation new generation with a keen
sense Of the ridiculous, what a lot OF
silly. useless institutions will crumble
away within the next fifty years