FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 593 



ness of many girls and boys is directly due to their early home life. 

 had the conditions there been such as is possible to secure by training and 

 development by the father and mother, the dull mind would have been 

 bright, the slow brain active and the stupid scholar intelligent. The 

 mother — the home-maker — is the chief element in the home life. I do 

 not ignore the father, as much can be said of his influence in the home 

 for good or evil, but the mother is nearest the child. Hers is the dom- 

 inating influence during the most plastic period of the child's life. Chil- 

 dren take with them to whatever place they may be called in their ma- 

 jority the results of the influence (conscious or unconscious) of their 

 mother. When we stop to think, we find that the home talk is one of the 

 most potent influences in the world. It is powerful because it is the 

 audible expression of the principles by which father and mother are 

 guided. The father who swears, the mother who uses slang (not one of 

 you men would tolerate a swearing wife) and whose voice is always 

 pitched to the scolding key, will not occupy quite the same place in their 

 children's hearts, will not be on quite so high a pedestal, as if their 

 words were always pure and gentle. The parents should give much 

 thought to this home talk. When they are truly wise and good they will. 

 If one could control the language of every home in the land, they would 

 be the world's master. All forms of expression, all human manifestation 

 in every department of human activity, owe their character, tone and 

 their texture to the homes from which they came. So the most thor- 

 ough education, the most brilliant gifts, the most fascinating personality, 

 are not too much to bring to a home, and the investment of wealth of 

 heart and mind will insure rich returns to the sacred spot where love 

 and service go hand in hand. 



The home woman may be the happiest, the proudest and wisest woman 

 in the world if she flrst tries to understand the nature and importance 

 of her position, and will bring her faculties and powers to the grand 

 purpose of making all that is possible of the one sacred spot from which 

 influences radiate, that will multiply widely and forever. 



WOMAN AS A MONEY SAVER. 



Mrs. H. H. McKee, 'before the 8i<Mx County Fmyners' Institute. 



As a money saver, woman on the farm has a wide field. We all 

 know the adage, "It is not how much a man makes, but how much he 

 saves that makes him wealthy." A man cannot be a money saver unless 

 his wife, or whoever is mistress of his home will assist him, for a woman 

 can throw out more than a man can bring in. A man will be no better 

 than his wife will allow him. In saving, the mistress of the home 

 has untold influence as well as in many other matters. She may not al- 

 ways save by buying the cheapest article to be had, but always purchase 

 a good article, for a cheap one is dear at any price. This is true whether 

 buying food, clothing, cooking utensils or furniture. 

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