“Conservation” by
Mrs. F.B. Ashcraft, from the June 16, 1916 issue of The Monroe Journal.
(A paper read
before the Woman’s Club and published by special request.)
I shall not attempt
to discuss conservation in its broadest sense. As it pertains to our forests,
our mountains, our Niagara Falls, not even Monroe’s shady trees, for they have
been ruthlessly sacrificed for a block of cement. To simplify the word it means
to save, to preserve. So today I want to make the application very practical. I
want to discuss a very vital side of conservation, namely, the saving of our
Monroe boys and girls, and Monroe’s yards, gardens, streets, alleys and public
grounds.
For the second time
I present my views to an organization of public-spirited women. It is not a
fine spun theory of mine, but as I am very much a home-lady, I should say it is
a home-spun theory, for I have given it right much serious and sometimes
unpleasant thought. There are people who object to anything that calls for
money, or more money, this might appeal to them as it requires no extra outlay
of money but, is neither a money saving scheme.
It is this—That the
children of the public schools be graded or given credit on their monthly
reports for work done in their home or around their homes, that is, domestic
work, physical and manual labor, to enumerate: cooking, sweeping, washing
dishes, sewing, cutting wood, carrying it in, cleaning yards and side-walks,
and the backs of the premises, working in the flower yard or garden, in fact, anything
that children and young people can and should do.
Some one may say,
what is the object of this? I should say:
Firstly—To teach
our boys and girls habits of industry, to teach them to be able to appreciate a
well-kept sanitary home and something of what the mother has to do in the home.
Secondly—To teach
them to stay at home contentedly and thereby keep them off the streets and
intruding on others who wish to have their children work and study.
Thirdly—To teach
them that work is honorable and a credit to them. If there are parents who have
plenty of servants and it is not necessary for their children to work, let them
show their public spirit by going out and helping beautify our town. We observe
there are side walks that are disreputable.
Fourthly—To teach
our boys and girls that it is unbecoming and a reflection on their home
training to be seen on the streets of Monroe every afternoon and often at
night, loafing at some corner, or at the picture show, ice cream counters, post
office, or at the depot. It would be far more to their credit to be at home and
relieve mother or father of some of the domestic cares.
Fifthly—It will
partly or largely solve the servant problem and alone with other good reasons
save money these war times. But some one says, how can I keep my boy or girl at
home and employed when some John or Mary is always calling to them to come and
let’s go up town, or play ball, or to walk, or to the depot, or picture show or
something else.
It seems to me that
some such system inaugurated in our public schools would be greatly beneficial
to the children, the parents and the community. It would prove especially good
if adopted in our mill and colored schools. Miss Sowman, the expert sent out by
the United States government, recommends home gardening from a money making
basis. I argue it for the conservation of our boys and girls. It has been
dinned in our ears always that the smartest men came from the rural districts.
Why? It is not because they are born with more brains, but mix their brains
with their muscle and thereby saved from the devil’s work-shop. Listen! We
cannot vote, but we can be training our future city officials.
The children need
the work and the work needs the children.
--Mrs. F.B.
Ashcraft
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