An Hour with the Family 67 



has been done. And more than that, the man (or 

 woman) who has the blessed privilege of recalling 

 these bygone scenes of childhood receives from such 

 contemplation a new sense of inner strength and new 

 enduement of power to go on with life's struggle 

 and master the larger problems that come to him. 



THE EVENING HOUR 



No matter what the cares of the day may have 

 been, how many things may have gone wrong, how 

 much hay left out in the field unprotected from the 

 rain, how many acres of corn unplowed and losing 

 in the battle with the weeds, how many items of 

 household duties unperformed there is every jus- 

 tification for laying aside these work-a-day affairs 

 at the approach of bedtime and for the spending of 

 a precious hour with the problems of the children. 

 Farm parents as well as other parents can thus 

 preserve their youth and add immeasurably to the 

 joys of their own lives. This thing of being with 

 the children at evening may seem slightly awkward 

 and prosaic at first, but it will slowly grow into a 

 habit and will become transformed into an experi- 

 ence of great charm and beauty. Best of all the 

 high refinement, potential in the lives of the children, 

 will thus be gradually brought to an expression, and 

 the foundation stones of substantial manhood and 

 womanhood will be laid in their lives. Yes, it is 

 true, even farm parents may learn to lay aside their 



