Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1888-11-09
Why Young Men Leave the Farm.
Editor Sentinel:

1t is unfortunate for our country's welfare
that the average country youth Of the pres
ent day grows up with and cultivates a
supreme contempt and disgust for the plain
honest calling of his ancestors. Before he
learns, either by actual experience or OBJ
servation, anything about the practical re-
suits of judicious farming and country life,
he envies the baggy-leg dude Of the city,
acquires an intense dislike for his surround
ings, and jumps at the conclusion that farm
ing does not pay" and rushes off at the first
opportunity, after such conclusion, in the
thorny path to exalted fame and fortune
which too often results in a wreck, and he
has to return to his disgusting" country
home for repairs.
This deplorable state of affairs has ex-
listed for many years and has proved a source
of obstruction TO agricultural interests and u
whitening curse to the youth of this genera
ton.
There are two reasons why our youths
acquire at an early age distate for farm
life and avail themselves Of the first eppor
tunity TO enter the busy throng of fortune
seekers.
First. some Of them think ta.1t tEgy 1lle
intended for a higher and more exalted call
ing and capable of mastering enterprises
more elevating and positions more conspicu
GUS, honorable and commanding and that
their superior intellects are of too high an
order for the ordinary routine of the farm.
They regard the constant employment al
forded and required as too tame, too obscure
and monotonous for their turn OF mind"
For this reason there is adequate remedy,
for it originates with conceit and false no.
lions, not unfrequently resulting from read
ing trashy literature, but is based mainly
on fear OF work and finds expression OF ab
horance for honest labor and foolish aud
groundless disrespect for the horney fstei
tiller of the soil who earns his bread by
the sweat of his brow.
Second The sloven, slp.shod system of
many close listed skin flints who call them
selves farmers, their mode of conducting the
farm and its result often tends to disgust the
ambitious minded youth who might under
little encouragement develop into thrifty
farmers. When such youth of average
| intelligence and youthful ambition looks
around upon his fathers farm and sees
everything out of order, live stock unshe
tered, indifferent implements scattered over
the fields to rust and decay, no system OF
management, no time or place for innocent
amusement and pleasant pastime, 1t Is not
strange that he forms dislike for his fathers
calling and longs to mngle In the gay whir
of amusement that enlivens city life. And
when he hears nothing from his father but
continuous worry and iretting about hard
times, low prices, prophecies of crop failures
and the old, old story that farming does not
pay" no wonder his youthful impulse is to
try something that "does pay"
When he thinks of chance acquaintance
who is engaged in some other business, COM
Portable and happy, with ample arrange
ments for the comfort and pleasure of his
| family and then turns to his own home
| where sloven and careless farming is car
ried on, he has been raised, or rather dragged
| up, with little more attention to his bodily
comfort than the live stock, he has been com
PEELED to go about his duties in wind and
storm when but poorly clad, returning at
night, allowed to sit all the evening in wet
clothes and go to bed in a cold room, this
| too often causes not only discomfort, but
ravaging diseases in country children who
are thus neglected.
The mother knows no rest from her I'M
systematic druagcry, she ie often a seor lit
tie smoke dried, sunken-j awed, ever worked
| woman, with some excuse for sour temper,
she has no way provided for going TO church
| or visiting her neghbors but is tied down at
| home with continual toll and hardship. 1t
is hardly surprising that when an intelli-
gent boy sees and experiences this sort Of
farm life that he arrives at the conclusion
that man must be hog in order to raise
| hogs.
But fortunately, there is remedy for all
this, and lies in the power Of every man who
owns or rents more or less ground and calls
it farm
The farm can and ought TO be made at
tractive and pleasant to the youth, and un.
less farmers make an effort to this end and
reform this miserable sloven habit of con
Quoting their business and raising their tami-
lies they will very soon succeed in driving
the best element in the country TO the cities
and towns and rob the farming interests oil
their brightest prospects and future hopes.
The youth OF this free and progressive coun-
try is too important to be ignored. A foun-
dation should he laid for them and the
farmer is the man to lay that foundation.
The professions are full to Overlooking, the
trades are overrun, and the future oil the
young man depends upon agriculture
Farmers, turn over new leaf, make your
farms attractive and your homes happy and
comfortable, elevate your noble calling, in
terest your boys in improvements and show
them that your calling is honorable and re
spectacle, and that upon it the whole world
depends for bread. Turn what seems to
men monotonous drudery into an interest
ing pursuit. Let your experience OF years
be guide to their future prosperity and
the improvement of the farming interests OF
this great country by the rising generation
will repay you Tor your pains, for no man
is too lsnlart to make good practical
farmer. GRUE GUNTLING