8(> STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



against every home stands the school house. And how soon do the little 

 feet find their way from the home, where nothing but tender mother-love 

 has guided and shielded, to the care and guidance of a person hired for 

 that purpose! In this State a child of five may attend school, and all 

 from eight to thirteen must, at least a portion of the year, or be taught 

 by some competent person outside of the school room. What true mother 

 does not feel a sinking at the heart when, for the first time the child sets 

 its face toward the, school house? 



ONE OF THE VERT FIRST DUTIES 



of a mother to the school, if not the first, is to keep her babies at home. 

 Think of sending a child of five to school — to our common schools! The 

 mother who does this is defrauding her child of the sweetest, truest part 

 of its life, that of just living and growing, watching wonder-eyed the 

 various forms of nature with which it comes in contact; asking ques- 

 tions, making investigations, learning as only little children learn, with a 

 beautiful trust that only comes to little children and saints. The mother 

 is also defrauding herself, robbing herself of the sweetest phase of 

 motherhood — that of directing the young, pure life and helping it to 

 solve the most wonderful mysteries that will ever come into its life. And 

 not only that, but she imposes upon the teacher and upon the school. 



8aid*a very solicitous grandmother who felt sure that the little grand- 

 son of five oiight to be going to school: ''In my day children were sent 

 to school, and his father went the summer before he was five. He ought 

 to be learning something, and not be around under your feet. I do not 

 suppose he knows his letters yet." "No, mother; he does not know his 

 letters, but he is getting acquainted with his father and mother and we 

 are getting acquainted with him. He is learning to know his little 

 brother and sister; to know his home, the birds, the flowers, the animals, 

 the insects. Their is plenty of time for him after he is seven to go to 

 school, and I am sure should I send that restless, active, .irrepressible 

 child to school it would be almost an insult to the teacher. And as for 

 his being under foot — my rhildren are never in my way — never too near to 

 me — I want them close — I want to study them, and what is more, I ex- 

 pect to hold them close as long as they live. 



THE NEXT DUTY IS TO PREPARE THE CHILD 



for the school. School life to the child is a new life — it is a new world 

 to him. For the first time in his life he comes in contact with his fellows, 

 some pure and some impure. Shall the child be sent without any fortifi- 

 cation, without any help from mother? Shall the fallow ground of his 

 nature be left bare of any seed sowing until he comes in contact with the 

 tares of vice? It is much easier to plant good seed and have the ground 

 covered with clean pure thoughts of that which is highest and holiest, 

 than to attempt to take out tares after they are sown. The next thought 

 comes as to 



THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE SCHOOL 



and its surroundings. Sui-ely you say you would not have mothers inter- 

 est themselves in that which laws effect? How frequently is it a fact 



