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A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF THE FARM, HOME, AND GARDEN.
Vol. VIII
INDIANAPOLIS, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1873.
No. 11.
REMARKS OF DR. A. C. STEVENSON
BEFORE THE CLAY TOWNSHIP
FARMERS' CLUB.
Upon a former occasion, I had the pleasure
of spending a very pleasant day with you at
this place.. It is with equal pleasure I meet
you again to-day, witb the confident expectation of a pleasant time. I now ask your indulgence just forty minutes, for the expression of a few thoughts that I have arranged
for your consideration. There is one peculiarity in yonr exhibition that I may allude to.
Your premiums are all honorary, only. No
awards are made in money or any other valuable material. This, although not so attractive as premiums in valuables, yet it has many
valuable considerations. It is free from those
dishonorable inducements and temptations to
dishonesty that are but too often witnessed
where large and valuable premiums are offered. To award large and valuable prizes has
been J;he cause of most dangerous and demoralizing practices at our State, and too many of
our county, exhibitions. The licensing or admitting into their grounds the mos); obscene
exhibitions, the lowest class of shows, gambling stands, liqnor establishments, and horse-
racing, for the sake of money; these dangerous admissions are introduced into the very
places where we are inviting the young and
the thoughtless. By introducing them here,
they seemingly have the approval, not only of
the directors of our fairs, but, to some extent,
of all who visit them. Now, permit me to say,
that the youth of our country is worth more,
far more, than any agricultural product; more
than horses and cattle. It is suicidal to endanger their morality fbr the sake of awarding
large material premiums. Here, by your plan,
there is no inducement to any such course.
Your awards are in honors which are not to be
procured at the hands of shows, gamblers, or
sellers of liqnor. I see none of these sloughs
of the most degraded humanity here to-day.
This atmosphere is too pure for them. Our
first duty is to ourselves and to our families.
"He who does not provide for his own household is worse than* an Infidel." We propose,
on this occasion, a few inquiries'as to what we
shall do for our children—those that are soon
to take our places here. Educate them. I
mean this in a very bro id sense. I mean to
embrace all that they should be taught. The
most important part of every one's education
is that which is obtained at home". If home
education is bad, that at schools and colleges
will be of little value". We invite your attention to
HOME   TRAINING.
How shall it be conducted ? The first, and
an indispensable requirement, is to obtain the
confidence and love of our children. Then
they are ready to receive onr teachings, and
the mind becomes indelibly impressed with
the truths furnished. AVe must be the companions of our children—their every-day associates. Now let it be remembered that we
rarely make our children better than we are
ourselves. Our example is constantly before
them, and they are ready imitators. Then,
by example, as well as by precept, we should
teach self-government; not to yield to evil
passions, not to speak evil of others, but bear
their faults with patience and forgiveness.
Honesty should bc daily impressed. It is an
indispensable quality to success in any pursuit.
The young are very apt not to see this at once,
hence the greater necessity to show them
clearly that a single dishonest act may effectually debar them from a lucrative employment
that would have made their fortunes. In buying and selling, nothing adds more to success
than a character for honesty. To know from
the character ofthe vendor that the article is
just what it is represented, and just what is
wanted, goes far toward obtaining a purchaser
and a good price. The honest man bas a decided advantage over the dishonest one in the
market. Honesty has become the rare-t quality of the present time. Talent is abundant,
capacity for business is not wanting, bnt honesty is a rare article, and is of priceless value.
The Government is in want of honest officials.
Corporations of every kind—banks, railroads,
manufacturers, merchants,and farmers—every
business is seeking for honest emploves, and
they are almost of priceless value. Temperance must be taught with ceaseless care. Precept and example must be combined to secure
success. This vice is a sure destroyer. Its
odium must bepresented in the strongest light
day by day.   This vice is very often innocent?
lano
ly introduced by the use of what is supposed
to be health-restoring bitters, or other medicines; too frequently by physicians, some of
whom recommend it for all diseases, and wo
innocently acquiesce, until the demon has its
sure clutches upon us. But we by no means
propose an enumeration of all the vices and
the means of meeting them. The above have
been alluded to on account of their enormity
'and their too general prevalence. But we
may, we trust, be permitted to allude to some
general means of protection against all vices,
and at the same lime act as strong inducements
to'a virtuous life. We have already stated that
the most important part of one's education was
that obtained at home, and I here add that
home is thc greatest security against vice. How
shall we, then, be made keepers at home?
Home must be made attractive. There should
be neatness in all its arrangements, as well as
convenience in its fixtures. Cleanliness in the
dwelling, and in the barns, adds greatly to the
enjoyment of home. All can not have fine *
buildings and large farms and great herds, but
these are not necessary to make* home attractive. Some of the most attractive spots that
we remember having seen were log cabins—
made so by their exquisite cleanliness and the
judicious surroundings of trees and flowers.
One such I remember to have .seen in Kansas,
and another, many years ago, in my own toun-
ty. These cheap elegancies are worth more
than gold; they beget a love of home where
no pernicious vices have been permitted to engender. But this is not quite sufficient. Children, as has been before hinted, are not to be
treated harshly, nor unduly burdened. Love
in such a home should be conspicuous in every
face. How can home be attractive where there
is no love ? Harshness and ill-nature make it
repulsive. A very common error, and one lhat
tends to render home repulsive, is the overburdening of our children with work. They
are worked all day, and at the common hours
of rest there are a dozen things thought of that
they are ordered to run and do. No rest is
permitted until poor human nature is exhausted, and is willing at last to accept any other
place tban home, where rest may be obtained
AMUSEMENTS.
Children need amusements. "All work and
no play makes Jack a dull boy." Nothing is
more amusing to children, and especially those
that are compelled to labor a great part of tbe