WINTER MEETING. 200 



which includes right knowing, right thinking and right behaving— generalized, 

 perhaps, eflfectively enough for our present U3e in the word " culture." 



Now to secure culture, it is not Indispensable that one should live in Cam- 

 bridge or Boston, in Baltimore or Richmond, or in any city whatever. 



Culture does not depend upon lines of latitude and longitude, a certain for- 

 tune or a city home; it depends upon the fashion of the home itself— just as our 

 happiness does not depend upon our skies nor our environment, but upon the tem- 

 per of our souls. 



In speaking of culture in the home, I shall confine myself to what maybe 

 possible in and applied to a country homa ; for the country home is the norm or 

 center of development of all oar homes . Farm life is the beginning of all civilized 

 life; out of it bud and unfold all our industries and qll our achievements. Close 

 beside the farm homes lie the village homes ; if we can raise the rural homes to 

 their highest possible ideal, then the prosperity of our land is assured ; we shall 

 have all that the old Saxons included under the words " stal-worthy citizens." 

 Moreover, if we can bring the rural homes to their highest ideal, we shall stop 

 that ominous push of the population upon the cities, whereby the cities become 

 as the dragons of old— devourers of young men and maidens, and leviers of disas- 

 trous tribute on all the land— the threat, and incubus, and mob-masters of the State. 



When the inhabitant of a rural district finds himself at a disadvantage in his 

 habitat, he flies to the city, expecting to find there all that has been lacking to his 

 comfort. Generally he changes the place but keeps the pain, for his disadvantages 

 are not the result of his locale, but of insufficient culture therein given to him; and 

 lacking that culture, his discomforts are equally great anywhere. 



We want homes that shall make their occupants rich in themselves; which 

 shall bestow upon our children mental, moral and emotional riches; which shall 

 make them happy in themselves and sources of happiness to others. To secure 

 such happiness and such culture we must have stfitable appliances, and these are 

 neither diflicult to obtain nor to put into active service. Our homes must be such 

 that our young people shaH be happy in them, and feel that they are on the up- 

 grade, making the most of themselves; then they in turn will joyfully make the 

 most of the home. I submit to you the proposition, that unless our homes them- 

 selves are constantly improving, and also improving their inmates, unless they are 

 offering scope to our higher faculties, then our sons and our daughters cannot 

 hopefully remain in them, expecting a benignant future. 



What are some of the methods by which we can elevate and improve our 

 homes, and, therefore, ourselves? 



We must individualize ; 

 Give time lor culture ; 

 Possess appliances for culture. 



By individualizing I mean that the natural tastes, the mental proclivities of 

 each member of the household, should be recognized ; that his cultivation should be 

 in the line of his abilities. In the cultivation of plants we regard the kind of soil 

 which, as we say, is preferred by each, as clay, sand, loam. Why not give the 

 human individual as fair a chance as the plant individual ? 



The solution of each term of our biological problem is largely the same. 

 Where the lad's taste is for geology, for archaeology, why not give him some scope 

 in that line, instead of virtually saying ' 'literature or nothing." The girl's pas- 

 sion may be for flowers, or for decorative art ; why, then, give her a piano and an 

 exercise book, and say, music or nothing ; or if the yearning is for music, why 



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