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Rural School Leaflet 



CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM 



Let us suppose that all the boys and girls in the rural schools of New 

 York State are sitting around the fireplace and planning for Christmas, 

 the ha]3picst of all times. Thanksgiving has gone, and now we must be 

 ready for the next great day. Out in the country Christmas is more 

 wonderful than anywhere else, and we all want to make the most of it. 

 If we do not look ahead we may leave out some real joy that would be a 

 great loss. 



In the first place, we must all read again the story of the Christ child 

 whose birth nearly two thousand years ago made such a powerful change 

 in the world. Your teacher will read to you the story of the little child 

 bom in a stable at Bethlehem, who gave His life that the world might 

 find truth and light. Through all the glad Christmas time, even the little 

 children should remeinbcr that we are celebrating the coming into the 

 world of One who taught for all time the great lesson of life. 



Then we must ask the teacher, or the mother or father, to read to us 

 "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens, so that we may learn from one 

 of the greatest writers of stories what the Christmas spirit means. As }-ou 

 listen you will all come to know and to love Tiny Tim, the little boy who 

 has been very real to us for many a year. I hope that in every mral 

 school in New York State there is a copy of this work, and that ever>' 

 year it may be read aloud as a part of the Christmas festival. 



There should be plans for an entertainment at the school, with a Christ- 

 mas tree of course. Every class should have the fun of going out into the 

 woods with the teacher to get the tree, and there should be ver^^ great 

 care in choosing it. A tree is always of value, and when one is cut down 

 it should be taken from some place where it is least needed. Do not cut 



