FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 573 



him. Here was a case of serving a father which deserves to be immor- 

 talized. When' sickness and bodily infirmity comes, how beautiful ta 

 hear of filial services performed by a son who has grown to manhood. 

 How terrible to hear in such a case the mournful tune of "over the hills 

 to the poor-house." 



We could write page after page on this subject. This duty of 

 service is one of the highest pinnacles of high Christian living. It 

 makes life beautiful. It makes life worth living. It is the ripe fruit 

 of the beautiful flower of Christian charity. 



We believe that it is to one who is negligent in such service that 

 the words of Solomon apply most forcibly: 



"T.he eye that mocketh at his. father. 



And despiseth to obey hi-s mother, 



The ravens of the valley shall pick it out. 



And the young eagles shall eat it " 

 We believe that the hopes of the future of our nation depend upon 

 the maintenance of the home circle, and we must add that the greatest 

 stay in the home circle, the strong bond to perpetuate it, lies in the- 

 son observing his duties to his father. 



CHILD CULTURE. 



Mrs. J. L. Van Horn, before Humboldt County Farmers' Institute. 



The subject of child culture has always attracted much attention, 

 and is one to which much earnest thought has been given. 



During the past few years public opinion has been undergoing radi- 

 cal changes as to methods. 



When our grandparents were children they were trained on the 

 principle that a "child should be seen, but not heard." The child's 

 rights and privileges in the household were regulated in harmony with 

 that idea. 



Possibly the pendulum of time has swung a little too far in the- 

 opposite direction, for today no one will question but that the children 

 are not only seen, but very much heard. 



It promises well for the future that our public school system is 

 claiming the attention of the wisest and most thoughtful throughout the 

 world. 



It is difficult to realize that less than a hundred years ago England 

 had no free public schools. The masses were then purposely kept illit- 

 erate. The principle was reverenced as indisputable, "that the ignorance 

 of the people was necessary to their obedience of law," 



During the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign public-spirited men 

 saw the pernicious results of this "reign of ignorance," and became im- 

 pressed with the necessity for popular enlightenment. 



Educators are still studying the problem — how to make the work of 

 our schools more effective. 



