The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-04-12
sAarirnAraL
HOW TO KEEP THE BOYS ON THE
FARM.

tural author, Col. George B. Waring, OF
Newport, on the interesting subject OF
cFarm-Vilages." The writer has been
active in urging the adoption of improve
ments in American farming fer many
years, and has had good opportunities
for studying the needs Of American agri-
culture. Familiarity with the life and
work of European farmers, where 1t is
usual for those who cultivate the soil to
live in villages, suggested to him the
idea that the condition of our own agri'
cultural population could be much amel-
iorated by a similar concentration into
communities where the material and
moral benefits of better social relations
could be secured.
The paper considers the way in which
land NAV be divided 30 as to secure the
end in view with the least Inconvenience
10 the men who have to till the fields,
and with the least drawback to the busl-
ness of the farmer Two cases are con-
sidered. |. When 1t is a question OF the
settlement of new lands. 2. When farm
houses are already scattered over the
country, each on its own farm In both
cases it is attempted to show how he de-
tails of the plan may be regulated 80 as
to cause the least, annoyance and loss OF
time to the men, to compass the greatest
convenience and comfort Of the women,
and TO provide the best advantages for
the vounger members of the community.
These two schemes are illustrated by
sufficient diagrams, which indicate the
way in which the farming land and the
village tract should be divided.
Suggestions are also given as to laying
out the village green, the care OF roads,
paths, grass ground and other open spa
ceu, so far as such suggestions are appro'
pirate in this connection.
The way in which the proposed change
would affect the work of the farmer, his
wife. his hired men, and his teams, is
fully considered, and it seems to be de-
monstrated- d-while it is admitted that ir
immediate money.making there may be
some slight dsadvantage-that OH the
whole, and in the long run the general
prosperity of our agriculture would be
advanced by the change.
Considerable space is given to the com
narrative effect of the life of the isolated
farm house, and of the more sociahle life
of the village on the character Of the far
mer and his family, and, therefore, on
the future farming people of the country
The following quotations indicate the
line of argument
1T may seem strange doctrine to be
advanced by a somewhat enthusiastic
farmer, but it is a doctrine that has been
slowly accepted after many years obser-
yation,-a conviction that has taken pos
session of an unwilling mind, that the
Young man who takes his young wife to
an isolated farm house dOoms her and
himself and their children to an unwhole-
some, unsatisfactory and vacant exist
ence.-an existence marked by the alb
sence of those more satisfying and more
cultivating influences which the best de-
velopment of character and intelligence
demand. 1t is a COMMON experience of
farmers wives to pass week after week
without exchanging word or look
with q single individual outside of their
their own family circles
"The young couple start bravely, and
with determination to struggle against
the habit of isolation which marks their
class but this habit has grown from the
necessity of the situation and the neCes-
stiles of their own situation brings them
sooner or later within its bonds, During
the first few years they adhere to their
resolution and 90 regularly to church, to
the lecture, and to the social gatherings
oftheir friends; but home duties increase
with time, and the eagerness for society
grows dull with neglect, and those who
have started out with the tirmest deter
mination to avoid the rock on which |
their fathers have split, give up the strug- |
ole at last, and settle down to humdrum |
uninteresting and uninterested perform
ance of daily tasks.
ain saying all this-and l speak from
experience, for have led the dismal lie
myself-it is hardly necessaryto disclaim
the least want of appreciation of the ster-
ling qualities which have been develop
ed iR \ the American farm ! household; I.
If American agriculture has an un-
satisfied need, it is surely the need for
more intelligence and more enterprising |
interest on the part of its working men
and women. From one end of the land |
to the other, its crying defect--recogni-
zed by all-is that It's best blood-or, in |
other words, its best brains and its best |
energy-is leaving it to seek other fields |
of labor. The influences which lead the |
best of our farmers sons to other ocCupa-
tions is not so much the desire to make |
more money, or to find less laborious
occupation, as it is the desire to lead
more satisfactory life,-a life where that
part of us has been developed by the bet
ter education and better civilization for |
which in this century we have worked |
so hard and so well, may find responsive |
Companionship and encouraging inter-
course with others. \
"The social benefits and the facilities
for frequent, neighborly, and informal
intercourse are obvious. To say nothing |
of the companionship5 and intimacies
among the young people, their fathers
and mothers would be kept from growing |
old and glum by the constant friction of
their kind and in so far as a more salts
factory social relation with ones fellow
men gives cheerfulness and the richness
of wider human interest, in that pro-
portion would the village life have a
Wholesome, mellowing effect that is not
to be found in the remote farm house,
nor even in the sort of neighborhood we
sometimes find in the country, where
several farm houses are within a quarter
of mile from each other. The habit of
running in" for moments chat with
neighbor is good one, and it gets but
scant development among American far
mers."
The better development of the church,
and especially of the school, is discussed
at some length, and the paper closes
thus:
81 should hope, further, as an out
growth from the community of living,
for modest village library and reading
room. Indeed, if l could have my own
way, should not confne the attraction
4 81