The Bulletin. 45 



stand, how important that we make it beautiful. The artist paints a picture 

 which will last only a few years. The work of the sculptor may stand for a 

 few centuries; the Egyptians hewed out of marble a work that will probably 

 stand as long as the world stands. But long, long after the work of the 

 artist and sculptor has vanished; long after the pyramids of Egypt have 

 crumbled into dust, the character we are building must stand. 



Artists of soul are we, 

 Moulding life and destiny ; 

 Workers at a task sublime 

 Which defies the touch of time. 



Ah, then, mothers, build carefully, so that the light of Eternity will reveal 

 a structure fit to grace and adorn the temple of the King. 



Farm mothers, do we realize the importance of this God-given task? The 

 building for Eternity. The all-important thought for our children is their 

 morals. Have we ever known a person of low moral standing to accomplish a 

 good, great or lasting deed? 



Education is the one means of moral uplift; without this all-important 

 factor little can be accomplished. No teacher is so important or can accom- 

 plish so much as the mother. As she goes about her thousand daily duties 

 she, ofttimes unconsciously to herself as well as the child, puts before it 

 ideals which make a lifelong impression. She can teach lessons teachers and 

 text-books never reach. The teacher in the school and the teacher in the home 

 (the mother) must be closely associated for best results. Next to "mother" 

 the teacher has best influence. Without the sympathy and support of the 

 mother the teacher in the school is at sea. The mother can inspire the child 

 with the thirst for knowledge, present the highest and best ideals to his 

 vision. If discouraged, the mother can clear and brighten the way, and self- 

 confidence is soon regained. If a child is timid and retiring, who can remedy 

 the failing so readily as the mother? In every phase of the farm life who is 

 so important a factor as the farm mother? 



Then how very important is the training of the mother! By growing vege- 

 tables and plants the farm mother adds dollars and cents to the income of the 

 farmer as well as knowledge in agriculture to the minds of the children. By 

 carefully caring for the cows a nice sum can be realized from well-made but- 

 ter. No employment on the farm pays better dividends than the time given 

 to poultry, and where is the child who does not become interested in caring 

 for poultry? Little girls, especially, like to care for the fowls, and boys are 

 more interested in cows and horses, and take pride in their success. The 

 extra fruit can be marketed fresh from the vines or trees in most places, but 

 if there is no market near, the careful housewife, with the aid of the chil- 

 dren, can make it into delicious jellies, preserves and marmalades. She will 

 find sale for it, too. 



The whole family can help in the preparation of the fruit for the making 

 of these delicacies; while at work with their hands their minds can be em- 

 ployed with discussing the latest books, stories, some event in history, or per- 

 haps some member of the family may read aloud, and you have killed two 

 birds with one stone. 



In all this work there is a twofold accomplishment, for is not the training 

 of the child in the important work on the farm and the making of the farm 

 products into marketable form a twofold accomplishment? 



Have our farm mothers had the training they should have? Have we had 

 the opportunity to obtain it? Does the training we can obtain here in our 

 own State compare favorably with that of other States? Let us take a little 

 visit into some of the other States, and see the result of the comparison. 



In Michigan there is a Teachers' and Patrons' Association in eacli county. 

 It backs a rural lecture course, with topics divided equally between home and 

 school consideration. 



Nebraska has the Home Economic Association. 



