The Human Animal 3 



abundant food of the open country give oppor- 

 tunity for the finest development of tlie liuman 

 animal. It is true that even on the farm there 

 are sometimes overwork and privation ; but, at 

 the worst, these cannot be so severe as in cities 

 so long as the sun shines, the wind blows, 

 and green things grow for the worker out 

 of doors. Here the child may be born right 

 and nourished by pure food and air. It is 

 surrounded by animals whose life and motion 

 become an incentive to action, and who become 

 its companions without danger of moral con- 

 tamination. The lamb, the calf, the colt, are far 

 safer playmates than the city urchin precociously 

 wise in evil ways. 



Professor Amos G. Warner says that "chil- 

 dren reared in institutions are much below par 

 because they lack the power of initiative." The 

 farm child has an incessant, varied and uncon- 

 scious training of the eye, the hand, and the 

 mind. While he is developing strength, sym- 

 metry, courage, the mental is being coordinated 

 with the physical. The hand is made to obey 

 the will, while the fact that the handicraft is 

 made useful lends charm and delight to the 

 work. The city child must try to learn, by a 

 course of manual training in some public school, 

 what the country child picks up unconsciously 

 in the natural process of play and work. 



