The mother’s office as teacher
In his usual familiar and straightforward way “Uncle” Henry Wallace thus addresses the country mother through the medium of an editorial in Wallaces’ Farmer:—
“It is the mother that shapes and molds the character of the girl. If she is sweet spirited, looks out upon the world hopefully and desirous of seeing the best in men and women, her daughters will as a rule have the same sort of outlook. If she permits gossip and fault-finding at the table, her daughters may reasonably be expected to do likewise. If she sharply criticises the preacher’s sermon at the Sabbath dinner, she need not expect her daughters to become devout. If she is a poor housekeeper, how can she expect her daughters to excel in that finest of all arts? We know something of the depth and tenderness of a mother’s love, how earnestly she seeks the welfare of her daughter; but if she has a wrong conception of what is best in life, even this unspeaking affection may be the source of evil instead of good.
“One of the first things you should consider about that girl of yours is her health. Give her plain food and plenty of it, sensible clothing, a well-ventilated and well-lighted room, and all the exercise that she wants, even if she does seem to be something of a tomboy; and, barring accidents, she will usually be healthy through early girlhood. When she begins to develop into womanhood is the time for you, mother, to do what no one else can. Tell her about herself, about the changes that must come, and about the care she must take of herself if she is to be a healthy and happy wife and mother. A mistake here through false modesty is often the source of trouble for years to come.”
Home-life education
This book is based on the assumption that every good young woman is good for something of a practical nature. In considering the make-up of such a character, it seems reasonable to assert that no other qualities stand out more prominently than the trained ability to carry on successfully the work of the household. The necessary drudgery of the home life seems to be the greatest burden that modern society has placed upon women. Proportionately great should be the preparation to bear this burden. The ideal to be realized is, perhaps, not that the girl may be enabled to do more of such work, but that she may be trained to be true mistress of it. Woman’s work is never done, and it never will be, no matter how many worthy women kill themselves in an attempt to finish it. So the greatest thing to be desired in respect to this unending round of toil and drudgery is that of a well-poised, spiritually-minded character, such as may enable its possessor to sit down at the end of a working period unusually long and in spite of the confusion and unfinished business restore the composure and keep in touch with the higher implications of life.
It is not really a difficult matter to teach the ordinary growing girl to work and perform faithfully all of her assigned duties. It is more of a task to teach her how to quit when she has worked long enough and thereby to preserve her health and prolong her services.
Plate XXIX.