The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1883-09-27
Why Bows Leave the Farm.

|
Why Boys Leave the Farm.
This subject has engaged the atten-
ton of many thoughtful people, especi
ally those who look upon leaving the
farm to engage in some occupation in
large town, with extreme regret or con-
slider it as akin to crime. Recently
gentleman in indianapolis has been in
vestigating the matter. He talked with
= large number of city men, and learned
why they left the farm. He also cor
responded with large number. He
learned that boys left the farm for q
great variety of reasons. Some were
worked quite too hard. Some had no
means of enjoyment and few opportu-
mites for increasing their stock of
knowledge. Many complained that
they were obliged to do ali the drudgery
of the farm and about the house, while
the adults were engaged in more pleas
urable pursuits. Some stated that they
were never allowed any spending mon
ey and had no opportunities to travel.
Others complained that they were not
allowed the money they earned in do
ing odd jobs. and were not allowed to
select the articles of clothing they were
to wear. Some stated that they were
sometimes presented with a calf, colt,
lamb, or pig, generally one that had
been deprived of maternal care, and
that they took pleasure in raising it in
anticipation of the money it would
bring in the market when it became
mature. They found, however, that
at the end of certain number of months
or years another calf, colt, lamb, or pig
was given in exchange for the mature
COW, horse, sheep, or hog. The greater
number, however, gave as a, reason for
leaving the farm that there was 4 lack
of refinement about it; that there was
no carriage to ride in; no flowers in the
yard, and no pictures and nice furni-
ture in the house. They wanted all
these, and so came to the city where
they might enjoy them to their hearts
content.
There is very much that is ridiculous
in most of these statements. Every oh.
server has noticed that most of the
country boys who come to large towns
and cities leave good homes, where
there arc many evidences of refinement.
The sons of the poor tenant farmers in
New Eng land, Of the renters of cotton
and tobacco patches in the southern
states, of the "crackers' in the noun
tain regions of Georgia and Arkansas,
of the herders in Texas and Colorado
do not flock to cities. They stay in thci1
miserable homes that are utterly devoid
of all evidences of refinement, and con-
tain few of the means of public comfort.
They see no flowers except those that
grow wild among the rocks. They never
in MI
ures except those contained in medical
almanacs. They rarely read a book.
They have no money, and an opportu-
nifty seldom occurs in which they can
make any. They have no choice in the
garments they are to wear They are
glad to get almost anything. They
have no opportunities to travel. They |
make few acquaintance. Still such |
boys do not leave the farm. They are
not attracted to large towns and cities.
There is no occasion for expending /
money in books, pictures, carriages,
billiard tables, croquet sets, shrubbery
and flower seeds to induce them to stay.
AS rule the boys most prone to leave
farms arc those who haye rifles, fishing |
and other means of amusements, who |
read daily papers and illustrated maga.
zines, who sleep on spring-beds, who
ride in covered carriages, who have
money of their own, who wear fine
clothes of their own selection, who ut.
tend parties, who have stylish acquain-
tances, and who have been about the
world considerably. These boys wish
to live in the cities they have visited.
They desire to share the companionship
OF the urbanc acQuaintances they have
formed. They leave the farm.
1t is hardly likely that many boys
leave the farm and come to city in
order to escape drudgcry. If they dc
leave with that intention they are des.
tined to be speedily the victims of dis.
appointment. The boy on the farm has
most Of the drudgery to perform to be
sure. Ii he has attained sufficient size
to work in the field he is generally ex.
pcctcd to keep up with the hired man
in doing most kinds of labor and in ad.
dtion to run on all the crrands. He
must do the chores for the people in the
house as vel rs for those in the fields.
Turning grinh-stonc, churning butter,
and driving COWS to pasture are duties
that devolvc on boys. The smaller the
boy the poorer are the tools given him
10 use. Inc Dlamo iOf nearly every
accident is put upon the small boy. In
many respects his ''lot is not happy
ono,n But his condition in respect to
performing drudgery and doing chores
is not improved by leaving a farm and
going to city. Let him enter an of.
fec, store, shop or manufactory and he
will find everyone above him in age OF
position in large establishment and
he will be likely to be 'ordered round"
by fifty persons instead of by three OF
four on farm He will be required te
come early and to leave late. His du
ties will be numerous and his opportu
mites for enjoyment very few. Hi
work will be hard and his pay very
small. Boys do not rs rule, leave the
farm and come to the city because they
expect to escape from drudgery or be
free from doing chores. Their motives
are as various rs the disposition and
tastes of boys. Some simply desire
change, and when they have enjoyed it
q limited time they are glad to 90 back
to their old pursuits. The majority,
however, think they are better adapted
to some other pursuit than farming. Il
such is the case the change from the
country to the city is highly beneficial,
to themselves and the community.