Many over-work their children
In connection with your efforts in behalf of the holiday or weekly picnic, take up carefully the matter of the proper amount of work for the farm boys and girls of any given age. You will find such willingness on the part of parents to do the right thing by their children and a proportionate amount of ignorance as to what ought to be done. Therefore, you may be able to carry on most profitably to all a campaign of instruction in regard to such thing. You will, of course, first make out as best you can with the aid of all available literature, an ideal schedule of hours of work and play and recreation suitable for the boys and girls of the different ages.
At the holiday picnic it may be found advisable to organize the boys into a club of their own and the girls, likewise, for the promotion of their several and mutual interests. Inspire all with your earnestness and enthusiasm and lead them to consider the latent possibilities of the neighborhood, of how it might be transformed into a place of great worth and attractiveness. At the same country picnic, look to the practicability of organizing into a club the tired mothers of the district. They are many. You will know them by their careworn looks. Create a sentiment in behalf of more frequent outings and more recreation for these women. Help them obtain literature relative to their own affairs, to exchange ideas and plans in behalf of their own betterment. Show them especially the possibility of quitting the work at stated times even though that work be less than half finished, and getting away from the tedium thereof—all in the interest of longer life for themselves and better service for their homes and families. Almost any sort of club which these mothers can be induced to attend will achieve the purpose desired.
Federation for country life progress
Federations for country-life progress are now arising in many parts of the country. One of the first was organized in New England, under the leadership of President Butterfield. The Illinois movement may be described, as an example.
The Illinois State Federation for Country Life Progress is composed of nearly half a hundred subordinate organizations. Their platform of ten principles given below sets forth a number of most important and practical purposes, as follows:—
1. Local country community building.
2. The federation of all the rural forces of the state of Illinois in one big united effort for the betterment of country life.
3. The development of institutional programs of action for all rural social agencies. This means a program of work for the school, another for the church, another for the farmers’ institute, and so on.
4. The stimulation of farmer leadership in the country community.