12 



RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



Then there were the kitchen dances in the winter, and each man 

 took his turn at entertaining, and showed with pride the good 

 thinjrs that his wife could make. The good times, as we look 

 back upon them, seem so simple and wholesome, they were en- 

 tered into with such a spirit of enthusiasm and expectancy, that 

 it makes one wish that one could now have so whole-hearted a 

 good time from so little. It seems almost as if the hard work 

 and drudgery of daily life gave a fine zest to their amusements. 



Later on the Lyceum came to try the sinews of men in debate, 

 came to prove the literary ability of their wives and daughters. 

 They debated on everything under the sun huge philosophical 

 subjects jostled trivialities; questions of morals, religion, and 

 politics followed discussions of farming and cattle raising. The 

 records of such a Lyceum lie before me. The members began 

 their work by this debate, "Resolved, that a scolding wife is a 

 greater evil than a smoking house." They decided in the affirm- 

 ative, and then passed to this, "Resolved, that the old man in 

 the story in Webster's spelling book was justified in throwing 

 stones at the boy." They next discussed the morality of giving 

 prizes in the schools. Excitement often waxed high, and per- 

 sonalities were dealt in, but the end of the evening brought calm. 

 It was devoted to the literary efforts of the women of the Lyceum. 

 These consisted of recitations, readings, and original essays. 



So our fathers on the farm varied their hard work with fun 

 in much smaller quantities than we enjoy to-day. But in those 

 days the actual struggle was less; a man toiled for his daily 

 bread itself with no competitors but the soil, the weather, and 

 his own temperament. Now a man works at his specialty to 

 outdo his competitors, to get his goods to the market quicker and 

 in better condition, to sell that he may buy, not to grow and 

 tend that he may eat and be warm. 



Through all their life there is a note of contentment, and I 

 think that deep in the heart of most modern farmers that same 

 note could be struck. For after all is said, the actual owner- 

 ship of a large piece of mother earth is a continual source of 

 peace; and the freedom from the oversight and commands of 

 others, to be at no man's beck and call, lends a dignity to the 

 farmer, and enhances his self-respect, until he feels himself and 

 is the equal of any in the land. 



