Home Makers' Conference. 351 



heads and hearts together and planned a beginning, which is slowly 

 evolving, and, while still in its infancy, it is giving the greatest amount 

 of enjoyment to our children, who previously had no amusement save 

 to stand and watch the larger girls play basket ball. We talked play- 

 ground upon all sides, and gradually help is coming — money from one 

 lady ; lumber from a gentleman for various amusements ; from another 

 sand for the little ones, for hard is the heart that will refuse help for 

 the needs of a child. What has been done in one community can be 

 done in another, though in varied ways, and I want to pass on to others 

 the inspiration of our success. It is to the mothers that I make my 

 special appeal. Some one has so beautifully said, "Home is held to- 

 gether by the silken cord of love, and in most cases the mother ties the 

 knot;" and so it is the mother who will help solve this problem. Per- 

 haps she cannot do much alone, but there are other mothers who will 

 share in her efforts, and a most grateful teacher stands ready to give 

 her service as a leader in their plays. Some farm has an old discarded 

 wagon wheel, and in the near-by woods are plenty of strong timber from 

 which the larger boys can fashion a post for the wheel, "Flying Dutch- 

 man," juggling board and double see-saws. Their happiness will be 

 your rich reward. These same facilities at your own home would help 

 to hold the young boy and girl on the farm. 



The efforts put forth for the child will be your recreation. More 

 than this, you will have learned to loiow the mothers of your children's 

 daily companions. You will have found in your teacher a most pleasing 

 young woman who has been left to struggle alone with the varied condi- 

 tions of each rural school, when even an appreciative word or a helping 

 hand would mean so much to her and her work for your child. You will 

 have learned how happy and proud your child was to have you visit the 

 school. You will have learned that the co-operation of mothers and 

 teachers can make a success of a playground and the school when possi- 

 bly failure has been its past history — with the drawback of a new teacher 

 each year. 



School playgrounds mean much more than merely a place for play. 

 The school thus becomes a community center for the physical, social and 

 moral uplift of the commimity and not merely a building to be used a 

 few months, and lie idle the rest of the year. 



THE RURAL HOME. 



(Dean F. B. Mumford, College of Agriculture.) 



It is generally recognized that the open country offers advantages 

 for healthful living and the development of sterling qualities of mind 



