Editorial
The Mentor has reached the farm. We have heard of its work in cities and towns and small settlements. We have had assurance of its acceptance by professional men, business men, educators, reading societies and of the place it has assumed in the home. We have been waiting to hear from the farm—and wanting to hear, for it seems to us that a plan that carries information in a popular and interesting way to the public must be a welcome visitor to any intelligent farm family.
And now comes the first voice from the farm, and it is in its way the finest, freshest, and cheeriest message that we have had. It is so full of simon-pure human notes that we are going to give it to the readers of The Mentor in full. We are sure it will interest all of our readers as much as it gratifies us:
“The Mentor Association, Inc., New York City.
“Dear Sirs: Thank you so much for your offer for becoming a charter member. I think The Mentor is splendid and I desire most keenly to accept, but alas, I am poor. My husband and I are young and struggling farmers. We are in a way of becoming comfortably situated, but at present, though we own quite a bunch of stock, implements, some property, etc., we really have little actual cash, and have to plan with economy and care to make every penny count. The grain in the bins means money, but must pay for labor and other expenses until another crop is harvested next year. The cream from the cows pays for food and clothing and incidentals.
“I have decided to save my dimes for The Mentor, and to forego a renewal of one of my magazines. My husband spends some of his dimes for tobacco; I will save mine for The Mentor, even if it takes fifty, and share my joy with him. When I read the list of previous numbers, I longed for a complete set; but I am of a cheerful disposition, so am consoling myself in thinking I will some time have some of them. Best wishes to you in your great plan, and many thanks also for the two blue coupons for my friends.”
We have always claimed for The Mentor a “wide human reach.” Surely it must have it when a single number can bring a message like this back to us from a far western farm.