656 [1 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



well-being. Mothers should not spoil their children and destroy 

 the foundations of character. h< t the children do errands and have 

 work of their own and feel the responsibility of doing it. They 

 should be taughl a self-sacrificing spirit to feel that it is no bard- 

 ship for them to give up personal comforl it' it means happiness to 

 others. The sacrifice should not be all on one side. It is not well 

 for children never to be disappointed or to have their wishes always 

 granted, at whatever expense. Exacting children should be made 

 to wait upon themselves, to practice patience and self-denial. Many 

 a man and woman lives to regret the lack of proper discipline in 

 youth. Farmers' wives and their children should work together in 

 harmony and remember that if the farm is the place in the work- 

 shop of life in which they have been placed, they did not come to 

 that place by accident. It is the place God meant for them and iu 

 performing its duties they are performing the duties to which God 

 called them. This alone gives dignity to the humblest work and the 

 humblest life and if we are "diligent in business, serving the Lord," 

 we will soon be called to something better. 



THE EDUCATION OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS ON THE FARM. 



By MRS. GERTRUDK CROPP, Saegtrstown, Pa. 



The education of the boys and girls should begin in the home, 

 continue iu the home and end in the home. There should be uo time 

 in a child's life that the parent does not take an active part in his 

 education. What a child sees, hears and conies iu contact with 

 through the senses, makes the most lasting impressions. The 

 parents should be very careful what they do and say before a child, 

 for those little eyes are watching and those little ears are hearing 

 all the time. There is nothing so important iu all the duties of 

 life as the early training of a child. So it behooves us to be ever on 

 the alert to help the child and prevent him from forming bad 

 habits of thought, speech and deed. The first thing that should be 

 impressed on a child's mind is truth. Every care should be taken 

 to teach him rules of hygiene: (that is to sit, stand erect and 

 breathe deeply, keep his feet dry and habits of cleanliness, also 

 moderation in eating and drinking,) proverbs of high moral stand- 

 ing and scriptural quotations, so that he shall enter his school life 

 with a knowledge of caring for his health, conscientious principles 

 and desire and thirst to learn. He should be taught to love and obey 

 the teacher. 



There are three things that we especially desire our boys and girls 

 on the farm to possess. They are honesty, courage and brains; all 

 of these traits can be developed in the home and schools. They must 

 be honest in purpose, courageous in action and have a chance to 

 acquire a fair education. We want graded schools and township 



