The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-09-27
| 81 ths earth goes to chow that it is wise 70
heed the adtiohitions Of Mature IN this

Of tbs earth soes to chow that it is wise TO
heed the adfiohitlons OF Nature IN this
inattef.
Til fifteen or sixteen the growth Of
youth is largely vegetine; he assimilates
and develops, but lives largely for him.
self; bit when ptberty strives the men
til facilities begin 70 wake up; he begins
to feel interested In others, and opens his
eyes to the world around him. Mental
Development does not begin in all its Wig
or till the physical development Is well
nigh complete. Hence we say OF two
youth of eighteen, the one with the we'll
developed physical organization but des-
titute Of much mental training has the adj
vantage over the one with the collegiate
education but with a. dwarfed or stunted
body, for the time for bodily development
is largely past, while that for mental
growth Is but fairly begun. True, the
latter may appear more sprightly and
smart, but when the time comes for un-
RENTING mental toll his enervated sys-
TEN is unable to bear the strain, and he
either succumbs at once or takes his place
among the mediocres, above which he is
unable to rise.
The other, with o healthy, well-devel-
oped body, and being now able to appre-
ciate, somewhat, the importance of edu-
cation, with anything for fair chance for
an education, and bringing large, vigor-
GUS brain to the task, finds study compar-
atively easy and soon masters the course;
and when he comes to wrestle with the
great problems of life he wins success and
rises to eminence.
We have, it is true, supposed rather
extreme case, but one that finds q parallel
in the history of many men who have at
tanned to eminence, among whom may be
mentioned Elihu Burritt, Chancellor Kent
and President johnson, neither of whom
could read at twenty one years OF age.
We do not, however, wish to be under
stood as advocating the neglect OF educa-
ton in early life; much may be done in
obtaining an education while the farm
work that is to develop a healthful phys
ical system is being done.
With majority of farmer boys all the
schooling ever obtained is secured during
intervals of farm work and this may be
done well enough without in any way in
terfering with the proper development of
the physical system.
A farmer boy who labors on the farm
during the summer will, in going to and
from the school house, the play ground,
and in doing his home work-feeding
stock, preparing wood, etc.-find abund-
ant exercise for physical development.
But with the lads of cities and towns the
case is entirely different. These, especial
ly if wealthy or in good circumstances,
are put into schools early and kept there
during their growing years, or till taken
out to ENGAGE in business-generallY some
indoor business or profession.
With these facts before us, is it at all
strange that nearly all our great men have
spent their youth on the farm? So gen.
eral, indeed, almost universally is this the
case, that parents who contemplate a
brilliant future for their sons may we'll
consider whether the road to eminence
does not lead through an apprenticeship
on the farm. Six months in school and
six months at work on the farm, each year
from fourteen to twenty, will make a bet
ter man physically, mentally and morally
than if the whole of the time were spent
in school.-Journal Of Agriculture.