No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 649 



is very largely what you make it? If you arc deprived of some of 

 the advantages to be derived from a life in town, you have blessings 

 which more than compensate you for all those losses. We believe 

 in the old adage, "Where there's a will, there's a way." 



We can think of a number of methods which may be made the 

 means of culture, and the first and most important of all is polite- 

 ness in the family. If the child is taught to be kind and courteous 

 in the home circle, he will be the same at school, in company or 

 wherever he may be. 



Secondly, every farmer should own a good library and teach his 

 children to read and love it. This library need not be large, but 

 it should be well chosen; and only those books that will ennoble 

 and elevate the mind should be found in it. In connection with this 

 library one or two standard magazines should be taken. In these 

 days of cheap books and papers there are very few farmers who 

 are too poor to own such a library, and no one can estimate the far- 

 reaching influence of good books. Set before your boys and girls 

 high ideas of life and they will be very apt to make those ideals 

 their own. 



Thirdly. Every farming neighborhood should have at least one 

 organization for the promotion of social culture. The more intelli- 

 gent progressive members of the community should take the lead 

 in starting such a society; then all the people in the place should 

 rally around these leaders and give them their hearty support. 

 When this is done, the success of the project is assured and much 

 public good is the result. 



Cities and large towns have many means of culture which would 

 not be practical in sparsely settled districts, but we think of two 

 societies which, if properly conducted, may be made very efficient 

 means to this end. The first of these is the Reading Circle. By 

 means of a systematic course of reading, such as may be taken in 

 one of these circles, one can gain more thorough knowledge of 

 those great minds who have made the world of literature, than could 

 be gotten in any other way. 



Another and still better aid to social culture is the old fashioned 

 literary society. Here the country boy may get his first lessons in 

 parliamentary rules and usages. Here he may learn to stand up 

 in debate and speak intelligently on the different questions as 

 they come before the society for discussion. These are very im- 

 portant lessons. The young man who can stand up before a society 

 of that kind and address the house properly and gracefully, has 

 scored a point for himself the value of which can hardly be esti- 

 mated. 



Perhaps sonic one will ask, Can such a society be made a success 

 in the country? We answer, yes. We know of one that was sus- 

 tained for three years, and only given up when so many changes 

 had come to the neighborhood that there were not enough members 

 left to sustain it. In this free republic of ours, the farmer need 

 stand second to none in intelligence or culture. Education is not 

 all book learning. A prominent educator has said, a man is edu- 

 cated when he is able to make the most of what there is in him. 

 Think of this subject, ye farmers! Ye are nature's noblemen and 

 your children are equals of any in the land. Then leave no avenue 

 untried that will advance your mental, moral, or social worth. You 

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