EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 725 



and to deny our farmers raise better grain and more of it, they have 

 better and higher grade stocli. Almost any farmer is willing to tell 

 the methods he has used that has brought the best results and by this 

 exchange of thought and practical demonstration the good ideas are 

 passed along and even the spirit of friendship has well been cultivated. 



But how is it with the women? These institutes have caused a 

 radical change from some cause. The first institute that was held in 

 Ankney, seven years ago last March, was attended in the morning ses- 

 sion by about twelve men and two women, and the women were ex-Mayor 

 Allen's wife and myself. Today it takes the greater part of this hall 

 to give room for the women. We are glad they have become interested, 

 many of them are on the anxious seat, really desirous of obtaining new 

 knowledge in this field of work. 



B. L. Hathaway, says in Rural Home, "The constant study of other 

 methods and the careful observation and thinking necessary to adapt 

 varying ends to one's own condition will do more to broaden the mind 

 and develop the thinking qualities in the good farmer and his wife than 

 any other agency under heaven." 



"We are glad that so many of our women have abandoned old methods 

 that new labor saving machines (but not as many as should be) have 

 been installed in the homes, saving both time and strength, and we all 

 realize that time is money to the women, the same as it is to the man. 



Life is too short to make many mistakes, and as we travel this road 

 but once, we can not go back and make repairs. The idea held good a 

 half century ago "that we did not need anything for recreation, that a 

 change of work was as good as a rest, but we are glad that idea has been 

 exploded, and every woman in attendance at this institute will go home 

 with some new thought to help her over some of the hard places, and 

 will work with such willing hands, that she will never know that she 

 lost a day's work she will be so full of new ideas, new thoughts and 

 suggestions that the work will slip through her hands almost unheeded. 

 You interest a child in a new story and it seemingly forgets it is tired 

 or sleepy. We are only grown up children, and like them want to be 

 entertained. 



F. Hopkinson Smith, says: "We should never forget, that the one 

 and only one thing that makes us all better than a machine is our 

 imagination." 



Grandma Beaumont, when she celebrated her one hundreth anniver- 

 sary at the old peoples' home, was asked the secret of her long and happy 

 life, answered, "Don't worry, keep busy and think of other people 

 • rather than yourself." How many of us come here today to impart 

 something to this institute, that would do good to many, or have we 

 come only to absorb. Have we not learned by coming to the institute 

 year after year that there are those that have been trying to improve 

 their talents. Some may have greater talents than others, but if I 

 improve my two talents, my rewards will be as great as yours with ten 

 talents. And we are all responsible for what we do not do, as for what 

 we do do. Let every one here add their mite to help make this intsitute 

 a success. We know that a prize at the end of the race is a great 



