The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-23
THE FARMERS BOY.
WHAT TO DO WITH HIM?
Why. Educate Him.

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question is worrying many farmer In
North Carolina to-day. He is thinking
about his boy just turned from child
hood into youth, and he knows that the
next turn will be from youth into man
hood. Time was when he cared mostly
that the little one might be healthy
and bright, and might bloom into Wig
Orous youth As to his manhood there
was little care and as little planning
but only the feeling that somehow the
dear baby must become an honored
and successful man. But now, kind
friend, as your boy stands midway
between childhood and manhood, YOU
begin to feel that if there is ever to be
anything in the man it must be got
out of the boy that the man is to be
made out of the boy. The rifle barrel,
you have observed, is only three feet
long, and yet it fixes the course Of the
ball for thousand yards So the man
is apt to take his whole course from the
boy. But the boy, gay, light-hearted,
rollicking fellow, what does he know or
care about the future? So preparation
for this future must be made largely
by you. The question once too far off
to disturb you is now pounding at the
door, What makes the matter more
serious, too, is the thought that it will
be very bad Tor the man to undo a
mistake made ON the boy. But the
question pushes itself forward and must
haye speedy answer. Well, have you
decided? Wait awhile till you haye
thought the matter over again.
You see, the rest Of us, as we'll as you
and the boy, are deeply concerned
about the kind of man he is to be-
For remember, this boy represents the
largest class OF boys. Taking the whole
country, farmers boys are just about
equal in numbers to all the other boys
together. But in this State, where
there are no large cities and but few
manufactures, no doubt the farmers
bows out number all the others five
times over So this farmers boy is to
take the greatest share in controlling
our State. He is to do most OF the
voting. He is to make the laws, direct
ly or otherwise He is going to step
forward and take the relns of govern
ment, or say who shall do SO. He will
determine what kind of schools and
churches we shall have, or whether we
shall have any at all. So we are all
anxious to know, dear sir, what kind of
man you are going to turn out from
your boy
And, now, let us see your boy and
trv to make out what kind of fellow
he is. 1t may help you, too, to take
him apart and look at him. You can
tell better what kind of timber is in
him. Well, he is pretty lively, should
say, up to any kind of frolic. He sapt
to be so If farmers boy. You get him
up soon in the morning and let the
sharp air take him. You brace him
up with plain food and healthy work.
You give him a turn with the calves
and colts, and light sweat at the wood
pile and when night comes you plant
him in bed early, and he sleeps till you
call him. Well, if that kind of boy
isn't lively, you had better put him in
a doctors hands. for he's about dead.
But YOU don't want a corpse nor a
mummy; you want your boy lively.
Oh yes : who wants an engine with no
steam? Only see that you keep the
valves in order and the track In good
condition, then pile on wood, and move
things.
He Is probably the best boy we have.
Not better, perhaps, than other boys
raised in the country, but better than
the average town boy. He has fewer
temptations he knows less about many
things concerning which it is virtue
to be ignorant. Many of his faults
come from the city, in one way or
another. He Is apt to be more Of a
home boy than the town boy. He
probably comes home earlier at night,
and STAYS there better when he comes.