LECTURES AND ESSAYS. 507 



for greater knowledge let them seek admittance at the doors of the higher 

 institutions of learning the State so liberally supports. 



Every district would have a circulating library if all the money belonging 

 to that fund was legitimately used. A teacher suggests that dictionaries, 

 encyclopedias and other books of reference be purchased with this money if 

 there is no library. It certainly would be as lawful as using it for other 

 purposes. 



All interested persons, especially mothers, should attend the annual school 

 meeting, where plans for the ensuing year are devised. Let them place upon 

 their school boards men and women who will conscientiously assume their 

 duties, with a determination to work for the public good ; who will study 

 the books of Michigan school law, and abide by its instructions. In short, 

 let us choose the wisest, most prudent and public-spirited ones in the com- 

 munity. If they cannot afford to spend the time required for the work, pay 

 them a salary and expect them to earn it. 



The county officers are making persistent efforts to raise the standard of 

 country schools, but these efforts will avail little if they do not have the 

 hearty co-operation of patrons. It would be a good plan for patrons, officers 

 in particular, to attend meetings of teachers' associations, and get an idea 

 of the work that is being done by others, hear the discussions and profit by 

 them. 



Children need social, physical and moral, as well as mental training ; one 

 cannot be neglected without affecting the others. God has created us social 

 beings, and children on the farms learn this as quickly as others. It then is 

 one of the duties of farmers to give their children good social privileges if 

 possible. In this vicinity we have found it pleasant and profitable to organ- 

 ize literary societies in the different localities, there being nine within as 

 many miles of this city. Several of these societies admit men, women and 

 children, who seem equally interested. Even at social gatherings, literary 

 programs are rapidly taking the place of progressive euchre and the dance. 

 Some of these societies have a school committee appointed each month in 

 each district, consisting of three persons, whose duty it is to visit the schools 

 in their various localities and acquaint themselves with their condition and 

 progress, and encourage the teacher in her work. This interest is appreci- 

 ated and may accomplish great good. 



After all the money, study and legislation expended, we may find our- 

 selves in the dilemma of the physician who worked hard, faithfully and suc- 

 cessfully to set a broken bone. It was in the back of a man's neck. His 

 final conclusion was that setting the bone was an easy matter, the difficulty 

 was in making the man live. If school training fails to impress upon the 

 minds of the young that they must live, and that they are only true Ameri- 

 can citizens who are capable of earning their own livelihood, then there is a 

 grievous mistake somewhere which can only result in disaster and ruin. 

 Many of our young graduates seem to expect that the world has made a 

 place for them, and feel sadly disappointed that they must work their own 

 way to success. 



Fortunately the pupils in country schools have no lack of manual train- 

 ing. The scarcity and consequent expensiveness of help, making it neces- 

 sary for farmers' children to learn to work as early in life as possible, and 

 they have fresh air and sunshine in abundance. Within the school room 

 there is such a lack of practical training that young people must acquire the 



