Laura Ingalls Wilder, Farm Journalist

by Stephen Hines

  There is occasion for all of us to be thoughtful; and we ought to do our thinking before it is too late.

  The Farm Home (3)

  June 5, 1919

  After reading the staggering total of the indemnity demanded by the Allies from Germany and adding to that sum the amount of the country’s internal war indebtedness, it is very plain to anyone that Germany is bankrupt, that it will take many, many years to pay these debts and make the credit of the country good once more.

  But there is an even worse thing which has come upon Germany—the nation is morally bankrupt, also. No one has attempted to put a money value upon this failure, knowing that the honor of a nation, as of an individual, is beyond price, but it is sure that Germany will keep paying on this debt, which it owes the world, for many years, also probably for generations.

  The first installment of this debt is being collected now and that it is hard for the nation to make the payment is shown by an interview with Germany’s foreign minister, Brockdorff-Rantzan, in which he says, “The peace terms are simply unbelievable, because they ask the impossible. The entente3 demands material guarantees and will not accept moral guarantees. This shows its distrust of us. We desire an organized world in which Germany will have the same rights as other people.”

  Germany is finding that as a nation which has for four years deliberately broken its pledged word, that word is of no value; that it is bankrupt in moral guarantees.

  The entente is in the position, with Germany, of the hill man who fought another man for telling an untruth about him. He had knocked his enemy down and was still beating him tho he was crying “enough” when a stranger came along and interfered.

  “Stop! Stop!” he exclaimed. “Don’t you hear him hollering enough?”

  “Oh, yes!” replied the hill man, “but he is such a liar I don’t know whether he is telling the truth or not.”

  When I was a girl at home, my father came in from the harvest field one day at noon and with great glee told what had befallen my cousin Charley. Father and Uncle Henry were harvesting a field of wheat in the old fashioned way, cutting it by hand with cradles and Charley, who was about 10 years old, followed them around the field for play. He lagged behind until the men where ahead of him and then began to scream, jumping up and down and throwing his arms around. Father and Uncle Henry dropped their cradles and ran to him thinking a snake had bitten him or that something in the woods close by was frightening him, but when they came to Charley he stopped screaming and laughed at them.

  Charley fooled them this way three times, but they grew tired and warm and had been deceived so many times that when for the fourth time he began to scream they looked back at him as he jumped up and down, then turned away and went on with their work.

  But Charley kept on screaming, and there seemed to be a new note in his voice, so finally they walked back to where he was and found that he was in a yellow-jackets’ nest and the more he jumped and threw and screamed the more came to sting him.

  “I’d like to have the training of that young man for a little while,” said father, “but I don’t believe I could have thought of a better way to punish him for his meanness.”

  Boys or men or nations it seems to be the same, if they prove themselves liars times enough, nobody will believe them when they do tell the truth.

  “Getting down to first causes, what makes one nation choose the high way and another nation choose the low way? What produces character and conscience in a nation, anyhow? What produces the other thing?” asks a writer in an article in the Saturday Evening Post. And the question is left unanswered.

  In a country ruled as Germany has been there is no doubt the character of the nation received the impress of the rulers, coming from them down to the people. In a country such as ours, the national character is also like that of the rulers, but in this case the rulers are the people and it is they who impress themselves upon it. The character of each individual one of us affects our national character for good or bad.

  “Getting down to first causes,” what forms the character of individuals?

  Training! School training; home training; mother’s training! And there you are back to the first causes in the making of an honorable, truthful, upright individual, the kind who becomes a good citizen, the kind of citizens who collectively make an honorable, treaty-keeping nation, a nation that chooses the high way instead of the low.

  The Farm Home (4)

  June 20, 1919

  On the southern coast of Alaska is the greatest natural-wonder of the world, only recently discovered and not yet fully explored: a region where icebergs float in hot water, while hot streams flow out from underneath banks of snow; where large glaciers of solid ice lie next to steaming fissures and the camper may have cold storage in a cave of ice at the back of his tent and cook his food over a steaming hot hole in the ground at the front of it; where a careless step may plunge one thru the earth’s crust into molten masses beneath and where the solid rock spouts steam.

  The Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes was formed by a volcanic eruption of Katmai mountain in 1912. The whole top of the mountain was blown off in this explosion and the dust and ashes and gases thrown into the upper atmosphere, by the terrific forces loosed, affected the weather conditions of the whole world.

  The Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes acts as a safety valve for the whole volcanic region surrounding Mt. Katmai. The valley was discovered and named by an exploring party in charge of Professor Griggs, sent out by the National Geographic Society in 1916. The next year it was partly explored and it is hoped to complete this great scientific research work during the present year.

  One thousand seven hundred square miles of this Alaska wonderland has just recently been set aside, by President Wilson, as the Katmai National Monument, to be a national park for all the people for all time.

  When transportation to this region has been made easier it will be the great natural wonder playground of America, in time taking the place of the Yellowstone, where the geyser fields are dying, while that of the Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes is only in process of development.

  To quote from President Wilson’s proclamation—“The results of this eruption are still fresh offering excellent opportunities for studying the causes of the catastrophe and its results and affording a conspicuous object lesson to visitors interested in the operation of the great forces which have made and are still making America.”

  Here the workings of nature in making land habitable for man may be studied at first hand to better advantage than anywhere else on the earth. Nothing like it has ever before been seen by human beings. Only the geologist finds records of such in the rocks of prehistoric ages when the world was new and in process of formation.

  From the summit of Katmai Pass the Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes lies below the observer and all the volcanoes of the world set down close together side by side would be less of a spectacle than is spread before him. One of its discoverers says they named the valley too hastily; that there are at least a million smokes.

  The valley is so hot that all water is instantly evaporated and for this reason there are no hot springs or geysers. Instead, hot smoke and steam and gases rise from the millions of vents in clouds and columns. The smoke from one vent registered 432 degrees of heat and melted zinc easily. The gases are smelled 20 miles from the valley.

  It is not known whether the vents are chimneys thru which escape the gases, steam and vapors from a vast molten mass which has risen from the depths of the earth and nearly burst thru the crust in a body, or whether they are caused from the evaporation of surface water by the heated products of the volcanic eruption. A watch is being kept to learn which is true.

  Across the head of the valley stands Mt. Magirk, its three peaks smoking away continuously into the clouds above. There are three glaciers on its sides reaching down to the level of the valley where they stop abruptly as tho their lower edges were melted away by the heat.

  Near the foot of these
glaciers is a fissure from 200 to 400 feet wide with one of its perpendicular walls 35 feet higher than the other. The depth of the fissure cannot be learned for it is filled with a beautiful lake the water of which is a clear green. Along its sides are many snowdrifts which feed the lake but altho filled by the water from melting snow, the water of the lake is warm.

  Another wonder of the valley is called Falling Mountain. From the sides of this mountain hundreds of tons of rock shoot off daily. During the three years that it has been under observation there has not been more than 5 minutes at a time during which its slopes were quiet. Steam is continually rising from this mountain and even spouts out of the solid rocks after they have been dropped into the valley below. The cause of these falling rocks is not known but it is hoped that it will be discovered by the expedition of this year.

  Novarupta is a small volcano opposite Falling Mountain. The force of the volcano seems not to have been sufficient to have cleared the crater and the lava has cooled in the throat of it in the form of a plug 12 feet in diameter and rising 250 feet above the floor of the crater. There is molten lava beneath.

  The floor of the valley is a maze of vents thru which it is difficult for the explorers to pick their way. The smoke comes roaring out of these vents around them as they work and rises in columns 2 miles high when the winds are still.

  Gases incrust the mud of the valley with deposits in all colors of the rainbow. Prevailing hues are caused by the gray and green and yellow alums which are in crystal formation like mosses growing on the ground. Large spots of ground are burned to a bright red and all shades of the color, caused by varying intensity of heat, which are very beautiful. These vary from orange and brick red to bright cherry reds, purples and down to black with here and there streaks of blue. Around some of the large vents the ground is a dull pink with spots of brilliant orange and yellow. In some places the deposits are of a white chalky nature. These white vents are lightly tinted with yellow and pink, a very delicate coloring. In other spots the blue mud is covered by a rich chestnut brown crust. Crystals of pure sulfur can be gathered by the bushel.

  So far, no one ever has entered this valley and viewed its wonders except the members of the exploring parties sent out by the National Geographic Society but as it is more accessible than was Yellowstone Park at the time it was reserved as a national park, the time will soon come when the Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes will be on the tourist routes and for generations travelers will be astounded by its wonders.

  The Farm Home (5)

  July 5, 1919

  Ships, ships, I will descry you

  Amidst the main,

  I will come and try you

  What you are protecting,

  And projecting,

  What’s your end and aim?

  One goes abroad for merchandise and trading

  Another stays to keep his country from invading,

  A third is coming home with rich and wealthy lading.

  Hallo! My fancie, whither wilt you go?4

  There would seem to be distinction enough between fact and fancy to prevent any confusing of the two, but we often do mistake the one for the other, especially in our memories.

  Scientists are convinced from a study of facts that wherever there is life there is possible memory.

  When we speak carelessly of remembering we may not realize all that is comprised in the simple word.

  Memory is composed of impressions made upon the senses, the movements of the muscles and structures of the body. If these muscles and body structures are alive and healthy the memory of events, objects and situations will be correct. If the individual is not perfectly healthy the memory may be inaccurate, false or exaggerated.

  As few persons are absolutely healthy we can understand how unreliable our memories may be.

  The elements of memory are impressiveness, retention, recollection and recall, and a very good memory depends generally upon perfect and complete health for the powers of attention and retention and the ability to recall at will.

  One of the best tests therefore for one’s sanity, youth and health is one’s memory and understanding of the most recent and current events.

  And so there has been organized, at Mansfield, Justamere Club for the study and discussion of current events. The membership is composed of both town and country women with their attached men folks as social members.

  One afternoon of each month the club meets at the home of a member for reading of the papers prepared on topics assigned and a general discussion of them.

  Once every two months there is an evening social meeting for both regular and social members.

  Justamere Club gave the first study program a few days ago and if there is anyone who has been deceived into thinking that women are not going to take an interest and an active part in affairs he should have heard those papers and the discussion following. Such a visitor might have observed a slight awkwardness in the discussion now and then but he never would deny that serious thought and study had been given to the topics.

  Here is the program which is the same for each meeting during the year, each topic being assigned to a different person each month.

  Roll Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Current event

  Secretary’s report.

  Business.

  Paper or talk by president on any subject she may choose.

  Present World Political Situation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Something on)

  Present Economic World Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Something on)

  United States Politics and Legislation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (recent)

  State Politics and Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (recent)

  Recent Invention or Discovery, (Scientific, Geographical or Mechanical)

  Review of Late Book, with Short Biography of Author

  A Late Poem, (recited or read) Something of Interest About Author

  Review of a Late Play or Photo-play

  Music, (Instrumental or Vocal or Paper on)

  Fashions (in anything from Dress to Architecture)

  The Coming Person (Man or Woman)

  The Next Thing Needed

  Each paper is followed by a discussion, the paper and discussion being limited to 10 minutes.

  A unique feature is the rule in regard to refreshments. The hostess of the day is excused from the program and as her contribution to the study of current events must serve for refreshments one course consisting of her first trial of a new recipe with such accessories as belong with it. Members must eat their portions of this latest dish, regardless of how it has turned out, making all comments to the hostess.

  The Farm Home (6)

  July 20, 1919

  Rummaging thru a closet in the attic a few days ago, I unearthed some fashion magazines of the summer of 1908 and was astonished to discover that since that short time ago women have apparently changed the form of their bodies and the shape of their faces as well as the style of their gowns and hair dressing.

  Perhaps the pensive lines and die-away expression of the faces, in the old-fashioned plates, were due to the tightly drawn-in waists and the over-drawcheck effect of the choker collars, or it may be that faces with such an expression just naturally called for that style of dressing.

  However that may be, a comparison of those fashions with the easy, comfortable styles of this summer, which give beauty and grace of line with freedom of movement and plenty of breathing room, is enough cause for celebrating a special Thanksgiving day months ahead of the regular time.

  There is still room for improvement in children’s clothes. They are much too fussy to be either beautiful or becoming. Why trouble with fancy, changeable, children’s styles? There will be plenty of time for them to learn all the vanities of dress later and it is better to keep them simple and sweet as long as possible. It would do away with a lot of needless bother and vexation if we copied th
e English in their way of dressing little girls as their mothers were dressed, in the same kind of a simple little smock frock.

  Fashions in other things than clothes have been and are still being simplified, for the sake of a more economic production, thus lessening the cost of manufacturing by saving time, labor and material.

  Furniture makers cut down the number of their patterns several hundred per cent during the war, cutting out just that many varieties of furniture. This was done by the advice of the War Industries Board to reduce the cost of production and save materials and labor for other work. It was found to be such a benefit that it has been decided to keep on in the same way and so we shall have fewer styles in furniture.

  In the hardware trade the same plan is being used. There are something like 4450 fewer styles of pocket knives for Johnnie to buy and lose than there were before the war, but it does seem that he should be able to please himself by a choice from the 250 kinds left him.

  There used to be 207 kinds of lawn mowers. Now there are only six. This number does not include the regular mowing machine which the Man Of The Place uses so effectively in the front yard nor the pet colt who mows the lawn and puts the clippings to such good use.

  The idea of doing away with useless, unnecessary things is at work in architecture also, in the planning and building of houses so that we are hearing a great deal these days of the dining roomless house.

  The dining room, if kept strictly as a dining room, is used for only a few minutes three times a day which is not enough return for the work and thought and expense of keeping up an extra room. The fact is that most dining rooms are used by the family as a living room as well and so in the new plans the rooms are frankly combined into one. Sometimes where the kitchen is large it is the kitchen and dining room and many steps are saved. Either of these combination rooms may be made very attractive and have been in small houses where people did not wait for it to become the fashion.