SOCIETY OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. 147 



languages, write the best, detect the greatest number of grammatical 

 errors, that have the truest education and the one most needed. 



True education is that which will fit any one to occupy their 

 allotted place in the world, and accomplish the most good to their 

 fellow-men. 



It is our self-made men and women of good home education that 

 make their mark and fame in this world ; not those reared to have 

 every wish gratified and that to labor is a disgrace. 



Our rural girls, many times, do not have the college advantages 

 and opportunities for accomplishments that our city girls have ; but 

 the home education should be such as to make truly good and useful 

 girls, to instill within them a desire for knowledge, so that all oppor- 

 tunities presented may be grasped and improved. 



Now, while we educate the intellectual, moral and spiritual 

 faculties, one other thing of great importance must not be neglected, 

 that is, the physical education. Of comparatively little value are all 

 others unless we possess the latter. Teach them that good health is 

 to be valued above all things, that a sickly, complaining girl can not 

 accomplish the good, or be of as much use and pleasure in the home, 

 as the healthy, robust, happy one. 



One. careless act may ruin health — then early imbue them with 

 the necessity of special care and attention to it. It is not necessary 

 to adopt the extremes in common sense dress, but I do contend that 

 more common sense must be used in dress before we will have 

 healthier, happier, better wives and mothers. 



Healthy, useful employments and amusements should be 

 encouraged, and think no time wasted that is spent in gaining or 

 keeping health. " The soul of childhood is pure white, and will take 

 any color that touches it, or be stained by any impure thing." Oh, 

 how my heart fills to overflowing as I feel the responsibility and the 

 need of a good, pure life to train and rear the little ones God has 

 placed in our home. May we fathers and mothers look to a higher 

 power for help and guidance in this great work of education and 

 training our girls to a life of usefulness, and a developing of the 

 powers within for good. 



PROGRESS IN HORTICULTURE. 



Mr. Jonathan Periam, of the Prairie I^armer, spoke extempor- 

 aneously. A synopsis is as follows : 



Who among the masses of civilized communities appreciate' the 

 importance of horticulture, or its true relation to agriculture ? 

 Who among all these understand how short a time it is since agri- 

 culture was first taught to "speak English ?" Who among us 

 appreciate the grand work that Evelyn did, in the reign of Charles 



