Excerpts from Laddie and Feminine Appeal

First from the book, "Laddie" by Gene Stratton Porter-

"Think of being allowed to learn your lessons on the top of the granary, where you could look out of a window above the tree tops, lie in the cool wind, and watch swallows and martins. Think of studying in the pulpit (a special place in her parents orchard) when the creek ran high and the wild birds sang so sweetly you seemed to hear them for the first time in all your life, and hens, guineas and turkeys made prime music in the orchard.  You could see the buds swell, and the little blue flags push through the grass, where Mrs. Mayer had her flower bed, and the cowslips greening under the water of the swale at the foot of the hill, while there might be a fairy under any leaf.  I was so full, so swelled up and excited, that when I got ready to pick up a book, I could learn a lesson in a few minutes, tell all about it, spell every word, and read it back, front and sideways.  I never learned lessons so quick and so easy in all my life; father, Laddie and everyone of them had to say so.  One night,  father said to Laddie: "This child is furnishing evidence that our school system is wrong, and our methods of teaching far from right."  "Or is it merely proof that she is different," said Laddie, "and you can't run her through the same groove you could the rest of us?"  "A little of both," said father, "but most that the system is wrong.  We are not going at children in a way to gain and hold their interest, and make them love their work.  Their must be a better way of teaching, and we should find different teachers..."

Second from the book, "Feminine Appeal" by Carolyn Mahaney:

"What are we known for? How would our family and friends portray our character?  As these people observe our lives, they should be more aware of our good deeds than our style of clothing, our talents and abilities, our hobbies or our standard of living.  We should be renowned for good works at home, in our churches and extending to our communities.  Of course, the goal is not to garner attention for ourselves, but to show forth the compelling power of the gospel."