The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-06-06
A Word for the Boys.


Recently, while in California, spent
some time on ranch, and was the CUES.
of family numbering among others,
seven sons, the youngest of whom had
nearly, if not quite reached manhood.
Not one of these seven boys had been
taught any useful trade or mechanics
art, but all were expected to follow in
the Improbable farming footsteps of
their sire. As the ranch, when divided
among so many there were also three
daughters would leave each with very
few acres, they had no future before them
except that of laboring man. II used
to make my heart ache, to see the hope
less yet doggedly filial way in which
these boys went about their daily labors.
The parents were more than ordinary in
telligent people of Irish-American ex-
traction, and their carelessness in bring
ing such a family of children into the
world. without taking any thought for
the future. seemed 10 me most culpabie.
One of the lads had worked out Ca
reer for himself, and was known as the
best whip and horse breaker in the coun-
try, and on this account could command
such wages as $50 month and board to
drive the stage between Truckee and
Lake Tahoe, and another had hired him
self out to a neighboring nurseryman,
with vague idea Of learning something
by which he could raise himself above
the level of a day laborer.
Speaking with the mother, a hand
some, brown-eyed, white-haired lady of
- who could talk intelligently of the
books and topics Of the day, in ,uired
why she had not tried to have her sons
learn trades, since she and her husband
had found farming 80 Improbable She
replied that her husband was very set
in his way and finding that his boys
showed no special aptitude for books, had
become discouraged with the idea of
making anything Of them.
This reminded me of the old Scotch
man, who when he was asked if he in
tended to send his boy to college, replied
God forbid that should spend 5000
on ten-cCnt boy" Very possibly this
ten-cent boy, if rightly directed, and
guided, would have turned out to be at
least a good and useful member of socie-
ty. Don't think because your boy is no
genius, that he is not fit for anything
Make il your business to find out his one
talent tif he has only one), and to cult
yaie that TO the best of your ability. The
more ! study the lives Of boys and young
men, the more am ! persuaded of the
value of such institutions as the trade
schools, of which the Rural recently treat
ed. A boy who would make poor law
yer or doctor, or accountant, may have a
genius for engineering, and make sue
cess as a mining engineer, or bridge
builder. Surveying and architecture are
thriving occupations. II boy has a
taste for outdoor life let him stick to the
farm, but don't let him go on in the old
ruts. Inspire him with desire to un-
derstand the scientific side of farming
and stock-raising. Teach him to feel, if
he elects to be farmer, that his occupa-
iion is an ennobling and not debasing
one. Let him stay on the farm, not be-
cause he feels in hopeless sort of way
that he doesn't know what else to do,
but because he would rather do SO than to
follow any other calling. To be success
ful man or woman must have some
sort of belief in himself and his work
Rural Ntu Yorker