Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-08-28


crave, they are very often refused and told
that the garden needs wedding, or that
some wood should be chopped at the door,
and that fishing and hunting are idle and
lazy employments, only fit for the incident
to engage in. Farmers also frequently try
to console their boys by telling them that
they have great many more privileges
than they enjoyed when they were young !;
and even would make their boys think that
they are living on the "Delectable Noun
tains," and in the "Plain of Ease" where
as they themselves had toiled through the
"Slough of Despond," and over the EN-
chanted Ground"
Now the fallacy of such sayings and
teachings as have been enumerated, cam
not fail to be manifest. Farmers, in many
instances, fail to examine the topic candid
ly and philosophically They seem to for
get, or fail to appreciate, that times change
and that people change with them. No
farmer of to day would send his son into
a field of grain to harvest it with sickle,
when a good reaper was standing idle on
his premises, any more that he would SEND
his children to school to learn to read out
of the old English Reader, and to acquire
good, practical knowledge of mathematics
| bv pouring over the obscure problems
| Of Dabolps Arithmetic Then why should
men be continually rehearsing to their
| bows the disadvantages they had to under
| 90 when they were young, and using these
as criterion by which to govern their
bows? Certainly there can be no possible
reason for it.
| Farmers, be willing to let the children
enjoy the innocent amusements OF the
time. They may be superior to those
that you enjoyed; if so, you ought to be
proud of it; you ought to rejoice thatyour
children live in an age of advancement,
which may be superior to the one in which
your infancy was spent, and therefore 1t
is your duty to let your children enjoy
moderate portion, at least, of the advan-
tages which attend the age in which their
lot is cast. Remember that boys are not
men, and that boys wants are not always
mems wants Give the boys a fair chance.
Strive to make them happy. Endeavor
to make them see that their situation is
desirable one. Keep the yard in good re
pairs. Keep the garden clear of weeds,
but do not keep the boys forever at 1T
when there comes a rainy day, or when
they want little sport. Give them little
time of their own now and then; do not
be penurious, gruff or coarse with them
when they ask little favor of you; and
last, though not least, buy them good and
interesting books to read, and the difficulty
in persuading the boys to remain on the
farm will be greatly obviated.
If, however, after you have done your
duty faithfully, your boy is not contented,
do not urge him against his will to do
what he thinks is not adapted to his wants.
How many boys are spoiled by being
driven to pursuits which are not in har-
mony with their own natural inclinations.
Hence, if your boy is not suited with farm
ing, and chooses to engage in some other
occupation, do not attempt to dissuade him
from his choice. 1t does not follow that,
because man is a farmer, his boys must
invariably follow the same pursuit, any
more than it follows that the sons of cler-
gymen, lawyers, or physicians should en-
Gage in the respective professions which
their fathers have followed. A suitable
place for every body and everybody in his
place is the only safe criterion.
Farmers also frequently become dis
heartened and vexed if their sons mani
fest desire to leave the farm, and engage
| in some other vocation, and therefore do
not try to assist them, but rather try to
discourage their undertakings. This,
when properly considered, all will acknowl-
edge to be wrong. No such feeling should
be INDUCED. If everything, in the shape
of making home agreeable, and making
farming desirable, has been done, and your
boy is not contented, then it is your duty
! to give him all the assistance that is prac-
ticable, and as much as you would have
given him had he stayed on the farm,
| with which he may be better enabled to
prosecute his undertakings, in the vocation
which he thinks best adapted to his wants
And if he be vigilant, honest, and ener-
getic qualities which are essential al. to sue
ciously smile appreciation on his efforts
and ultimately crown them with success.
A. III. G..