Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-05-03
BOYS, RIaHrs on PARM.

As a rule, boys on a farm never
have any choice Of occupation; and
are ordinarily put TO do the things
that the grown up hands dislike to
engage in, - --
4 As with occupations, 90 with tools
thu worst are given TO boys. Theirs
are the dull seythes, the twisted saws
and the blunt axes. tits necessary to
have improved implements for men
to use, but anything ever so antiquat-
ed viii do for the youngsters who are
learning TO work. Secondhand tools
pass as naturally into their. hands as
second hand clothes. Sometirnes the
old tools are made over for them, as
/ the old clothea are. With such tools
as these, as a matter Of course, poor
work is done, and modification Is the
consequences.
Is It any wonder, then, that a boy
under such circumstances becomes
discouraged and tired Of his way OF
/ life? Is Il a marvel that be sighs for
I the village machine shop or the city
| store? There are few men who can
constantly work on without word OF
I appreciation or encouragement. And
| If IN the place Of these there Is stOieal
/ indifference or constant fault finding,
the case is 20 much the worse. We
are inclined TO the opinion that II
most farmers were obliged to do the
/ work they impose upon their boys,
I aud to do it with the tools they fur
/ nish to them, they would become so
/ disguised with the drudgery Of farm
! ing that they would change their bus
Z iness the first opportunity.
Z There are many things about the
farm that boys delight in doing, and
q part OF these pleasant emplOyments
should be assigned to them. For
1 them to take q pride in their work, IL
must be done well, which can only be
effected by having good tools 70 use.
Boys like those emplOYments the do
I ing Of which requires some skill and
/ Involves the exercise Of judgment.
They are ordinarily delighted with
Z the management of horses, the use OF
machinery and the practice Of me-
j ehanieal operations. In short, they
i have a great desire to become skilled
& lsborers and not 10 be accounted mere
underlings. To give 3 boy nothing
but mere drudgsry to do Is the surssi
and most effective way Of causing him
| Co form q dislike Tor farming, which
( be viii never In after life get nd Of
i Of-oourse no boy, t,the first time
I tryinR,n viii plOW as straight q fur
4 row, make as good run with q now
I ing machine, or build as good 3 garden
I gate as his father can, who has had
\ years OF experience bus most boys
i will do much better as their first St
X tempt than certain cautious and very
We1 meaning people think they VIII;
snd by iittle kindly ep eourag emeni
and showing, they viii do most kind
Eof msnls work a. skillfully es those
Y who are many years their seniors. A
boy feels an honest pride. when he Is
employed in doing work that requires
some skill and Judgment, and which
has generally been mOnOpOlized by
u persons Of mature years. This sort oi
pride is q good thing to appeal to Il
Won want TO bring up your boy TO be 8
farmer, who shall be content with hi:
I occupation. The rule that applies d
putting boy early TO learn a thing in
books, If you want him to acquire
knowledge Of IL easily, Is OF equal ap-
plieability in the case OF learning the
more difficult operstions in farming
II LuouEn many pcE70La seem very SAoh
lin leaning that such is the case
! Your boy Of fourteen viii quite
/ likely learn to graft q tree quicker
i'han you can, II yoa give him 8
chance. What II few ciOns do fail
I and a couple Of Seeding apple tree:
never leave out again? The result !;
no more than you see In orchards
Ewhers older persons have practieed.-
Next year your boy will have success;
equal TO the average grafters, and in
two years time you can trust him N
any orchard. BE will learn 10 grind
a seythe or an axe, too, II you will
turn the grindStone as long and stead.
lily as you require him to, and you
amuse yOurself-fOr you viii need
something to break the mOnotOny-hy
i giving him some instruction from time
j to time.