Rep07't of Missouri Farmers' Week. 153 



institutions of the country were the church and school. Country 

 people, he thought, were suffering from the efforts of reformers to 

 better conditions in rural communities, and said that these prob- 

 lems must be solved by the country people themselves. He thought 

 the churches should change their ways, become more progressive 

 and liberal, and felt that fewer churches with larger congregations, 

 where there would be a resident minister, with general co-opera- 

 tion, would bring better results. His childish belief had been that 

 the ministers were the only men sure of heaven, and he yet be- 

 lieved that the pastor should be held in high regard, and in turn 

 should establish a close relation between himself and the com- 

 munity. He also suggested that the church might be used for giv- 

 ing simple entertainments for amusement. In former days, he 

 said, the school-teacher had to have as much qualification for keep- 

 ing the school in order by physical strength as for proficiency in 

 mathematics, but there were no more so many large boys in the 

 country schools to be kept in order, since they had gone to town, 

 as had many farm families. 



Mr. A. F. Field of the department of physical culture told of 

 "The Need of Physical Training for Country Boys." The boy's 

 heart, he stated, increases in size so rapidly that activity is neces- 

 sary; so it is not natural for him to sit quiet and read. He stated 

 that ninety per cent of the boys in the University have some degree 

 of curvature of the spine. Athletics and play stiffen the muscles 

 and backbone and should be encouraged. When the boy is passing 

 into manhood, exercise is then most important. The boy does not 

 feel natural at church or at table, he is ill at ease ; but in play and 

 games he is at home. Eleven counties in Michigan are giving their 

 attention to the physical and moral training of rural boys. He 

 thought the country could be made attractive to the farm boys, and 

 thought that social intercourse and opportunities for amusement of 

 a physical nature kept many of them in the towns. 



"The Woman's Side of the Farm Home Management" was 

 given by Mrs. J. Ed. Hall. She thought that a record could be kept 

 in the kitchen, where it would be convenient in passing about the 

 home work to jot down each expenditure. 



Mrs. Horace Windsor in her paper advised the giving of good 

 reasons to children when they inquire why things are denied them. 

 She thought mothers should read books before their children do, 

 and that children should be given some interest in the home and 

 farm products. 



