The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-11-04
Anaersua gute11igsa1eer.
Why Children leave the Farm.

We commend to the consideration of
our readers some thoug hts of Adeline E.
in the Rural New Yorker, as to why so
many of our youths are eager to leave the
farm instead of following the calling Of
their fathers and mothers. In the FIRST
place, they are not brought up to love
the country, they are early accustomed
to hear both father and mother grumble
about the hardships of farm life. Then
there is too much work and too little
play for them. The boy works in the
field all day, aud his little opportunity
for amusement in the evening is cut
short by long range of "chores" till
bed time; meanwhile the sister has
much the same experience in the house.
And no agricultural college in the land
will restore what their parents have
blindly allowed them to lose.
Study the bent of your children. If a
boy hates one kind of farm work and
likes another, don't make him do what
he dislikes all the time, but so far as pos
sible let him do the agreeable work.
When he offers suggestions or forms
plans, don't laugh at him, however
impracticable they may be, but if there
is anything in them make the 1ost of it,
point out his mistakes, and encourage
him to use his thinking powers.
Keep your daughter at home by getting
for her as far as you are able, some of the
things she particularly likes-a maga.
zine; 9 croquet set or an organ; and let
her carry ont some of her pet plans for
improving the flower garden and front
yard And il you have given her some
domestic animal, and allowed her to pet
it and regard it as her very own, don't
sell it and pocket the money. Let her
keep it and dispose of it as she will.
Let gift always be real one.
Don't drive your children about farm
work, but teach them and train them so
that they may consider it happiness to
follow in your footsteps. Teach your
girls to discriminate between dude or
tailor. maid man and one made by the
Almighty, at the same time teach your
boys to dress better, and, if possible see
that they have means of doing 30. A
Sunday suit and a working suit, which is
more than likely patched and faded, are
not enough. Let each have another cor.
responding to the business mans every
day suit in town; so that, when he goes
away from home on week day he may
neither feel humiliated by his old clothes,
which are good enough to do " 5rk in, or
feel foolish in his Sunday best on q com.
mon occasion.
Teach your children to be proud of
farm life for its independence, freedom
from petty annoyances and temptations,
and its importance as one of the worlds
industries.
.Annother essential plan is to give am
bilious children some piece of ground to
cultivate for their Own, or something in
which they take a great PERSONAL interest,
and from which they have the income to
use as they please. And in everything
about the farm, try to show them the
reason of things and processes, that they
may feel that they are learning, and that
the farmers lot need not be one OF igno.
rance.
Lastly, the social longipgs of young
people must be grati6ed. Provide them
with plenty of good reading matter, and
encourage all legitimate, literary musical
and social entertainments. Youth is not
intended to be without society, and ought
not to be.