1924 - Annual Convention Report

              • It) A L B K H T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
N o self- respecting w o m a n thought she was c l o t h e d a n d i n her r i g h t m i n d unless
t r i c k e d out i n b e f r i l l e d , t u c k e d a n d e m b r o i d e r e d underwear and a b l a c k p e t t i c o at
was a t h i n g u n h e a r d of. Now the black hose, the sensible c o m b i n a t i o n s , the
bloomers for added w a r m t h a n d the c o m f o r t a b l e short s k i l l m a k e d r e s s i n g of m o t h er
a n d c h i l d r e n more simple, a n d saves t h e useless e x p e n d i t u r e of m u c h t i m e a n d nerve
force over t h e sewing m a c h i n e a n d i r o n i n g b o a r d .
T h e greater a t t e n t i o n g i v e n to household economics i n i t s v a r i o u s b r a n c h in
our schools a n d colleges, t h e g r o w i n g i m p o r t a n c e of h e a l t h f u l a n d a p p e t i z i n g c o o k e r y,
shows t h a t the t r e n d of these t h i n g s is t o give the c o m i n g w o m a n the advantage
of k n o w i n g i n t h e b e g i n n i n g w h a t m a n y of us h a v e l e a r n e d b y m u c h t o i l , expensive-experience
a n d the sacrifice of some of t h e best t h i n g s i n l i f e.
T h e girl who has mastered the chafing d i s h recipes t a u g h t i n t h e m o d e r n cook­i
n g schools w i l l be at no loss for a s a v o u r y d i s h i n case of a n emergency t h o u g h i t m a y
be " c h a f e d " i n a g r a n i t e b a s i n.
T h e past years h a v e been f u l l of advantages for women, a n d a m o n g the m a ny
for which we s h o u l d feel t h a n k f u l is t h e fact t h a t our g i r l s are l e a r n i n g w i t h their
L a t i n a n d t r i g o n o m e t r y , the art of h o m e m a k i n g i n i t s b e a u t y , d i g n i t y a n d economy.
H O W TO K E E P T H E B O Y S O N T H E F A R M .
B y D R . G . W . K E R D Y , P r i n c i p a l of M o u n t R o y a l College, C a l g a r y .
B e i n g a m i n i s t e r , I s h a l l t a k e the subject assigned me as a t e x t , a n d d i v i d e it
i n t o three parts. The farm,— the b o y , — a n d the l i n k i n g the f a rm w i t h the boy.
F I R S T . — T H E F A R M .— T h e f a rm i s a good p l a c e t o s t a r t f r o m . It is a g o o d p l a ce
to be born, a n d it is a good p l a c e t o get the cue for one's life. T h e c o u n t r y w i th
f o r t y per cent, of t h e p o p u l a t i o n , has f u r n i s h e d f o r t y - s e v e n per cent, of t h e success­f
u l men of the w o r l d . One t h o u s a n d to one, genius comes f r om t h e c o u n t r y home,
r a t h e r t h a n the palace of l u x u r y a n d w e a l t h . A b r a h a m L i n c o l n , J o h n W a n a m a k e r,
E d g e r t o n R y e r s o n , were b o r n o n t h e f a r m . The successful m e n of t o d a y , d i d not
feed their y o u t h , o n cigarettes, champagne suppers a n d a l l n i g h t parties.
T h e farm is the s t a r t i n g p o i n t of h i s t o r y . It was w a i t i n g for man, when he
appeared on t h e earth, and w h e n he f o r f e i t e d his r i g h t t o P a r a d i s e , i t was t h e means
used t o r e s t o r e h i m t o D i v i n e f a v o r . In t h e sweat of h i s face he w a s t o eat b r e a d.
T h e world t o d a y has been made out of t h e f a r m . When m a n r e c e i v e d the e a r th
at the h a n d of G o d , i t was a d i a m o n d i n the rough. Its forests were s t a n d i n g,
i t s r o c k s were u n b r o k e n , its s o i l was u n f i l l e d . Its commerce, i t s l i t e r a t u r e , i t s art,
i t s science, its cities a n d towns, its factories a n d m i l l s were u n k n o w n . A l l these
are the o u t g r o w t h of the farm.
T h e farmer has changed the face of the earth. He has made a n ew a n d more
b e a u t i f u l w o r l d , out of t h e one h a n d e d over to his s k i l l and- genius, i n the d a w n of
c r e a t i o n . Paradise regained, is more glorious a n d exquisite t h a n P a r a d i s e lost.
I f A d a m were to v i s i t the e a r t h today, his l i t t l e g a r d e n p a t c h o n the E u p h r a t e s,
w o u l d be a s m a l l concern, compared to the magnificent farms of the t w e n t i e th
c e n t u r y .
A g r i c u l t u r e i s n o t o n l y t h e b a s i c i n d u s t r y , b u t i t i s one of t h e m i g h t i e s t agencies
i n p r e p a r i n g the w o r l d for m i l l e n i a l g l o r y . The harvest is a m i r a c l e o n a g r a nd
scale, i n w h i c h G o d m u l t i p l i e s b r e a d for the subsistence of m a n k i n d.
H u m a n i t y has wandered too far f r om the farm, a n d needs to get back to the
f a r m . For fifty year.} the trek has been f r om the c o u n t r y t o the c i t y — p e r h a p s the
next fifty years w i l l see t h e s i t u a t i o n reversed.
T h e world has been g a z i n g l o n g enough i n t o space. We have been d e a l i n g too
l o n g w i t h the unreal, the u n p r a c t i c a l , a n d the v i s i o n a r y . We have been c a r r i ed
awav b v t h e h u r r v a n d r u s h a n d glare of c i t y l i f e . We need to come b a c k t o M o t h e r
E a r t h .
O u r sin is not been so m u c h i n g e t t i n g away f r om the farm, as l e t t i n g t h e f a rm
get away f r om us. We m a y be c a l l e d to leave the f a rm to fill other spheres of
s e r v i c e ; or one may by poor f a r m i n g , a n d adverse c o n d i t i o n s be f o r c e d t o let the
f a rm leave h i m , b y reason of a n u n p a i d mortgage; but no m a n i s e v e r excused, in
l e t t i n g t h e f a rm die out of his heart. It is t h i s l a t t e r process, t h a t has brought r u in
a n d disaster u p o n t h o u s a n d s of y o u n g men, a n d left t h em s t r a n d e d , a n d s h i p w r e c k ed
o n the streets of t h e great cities.
I repeat the statement, that one of i h e great p r e s s i n g needs of t o d a y i s t o get
b a c k to the f a r m . M a n y people s h o u l d never have left i t , t h e y have never a m o u n t ed
to a n y t h i n g since. Botch carpenters, unsuccessful merchants, s t a r v i n g lawyers,