St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-03-23
APPRECIATION or BRAINS.
An Instance OF the Advantages OF EducA
ton ia the Farm House.

An Instance OF the Advantages OF EOuc1
ton ia the Farm House.
In prosperous farming community
in one of these blessed United States
lives a man who has a good-sized fami-
Iy of children. some of them quite
young. The profits on farm produce
have not been amazingly large for the
past few years, and while he has man.
aged to keep his head above the water,
he has not been able to hire as much
help as he would have liked. He has
two daughters and son, the younger
of the three being about sixteen years
old. They were bright youngsters,
this trio, and a couple of years ago,
when the district schools closed in the
spring, the oldest girl sought an inter
view with her father, in the course of
which she put some pretty plain busi-
ness propositions before him. He had
regretted that he was not able to hire
necessary help both in the house
and out of doors, and the daughter
proposed that the father pay to
her. her brother and sister about
one-quarter of the sum that a couple of
good men would cost, and they would
do the work in the house, the dairy and
the garden, and the boy take his share
Of the regular farm-work and the care
of the stock. Half of the money was
to be paid in cash at the end Of each
month: for the other half the fathers
note was to be given. or, instead of
this, some farm animals that they
might rear and sell on their own ac
count, due allowance being made for
keeping, etc.
They We're all ambitious for more
education, but found it impossible to
obtain it at the adjacent school. They,
therefore, devised a way for self-educa-
tion that was worthy of a genius
Every month they sent to the city for
books, papers and other literary mat
ter, joined some summer schools and
literary organizations that could he
kept up with by letter. and among other
things took a full Chautauqua course.
There was always time for a couple of
hours study in the evening, the noon
hour was utilized and every odd moment
was made the most of. At the end
of two years there were not three bet
ter informed young persons in their
section of the country. Not only in
general literary work were they thor
oughly posted, but having taken to
scientific study in one direction, they
spread out into others. They investi-
gated everything that was worth
knowing in farming, gardening, fruit
calture and the florists art. The re-
suit was a great increase in the amount
and value of the crops, and much bet
ter methods in the marketing and man
agement of the farm and produce.
At the beginning of the third year
the eldest daughter and the son had
the refusal of excellent positions away
from home; but the father. realizing
the advantage they had been to him
and the business, paid each one as a
salary the amount over and above the
estimated ordinary value of the prod
ucts of such place. This agreement
was accompanied with the contract
could make they were welcome to.
the last bargain has been
less than year, the results of
their research and industry are SO ap-
parent that both are likely to realize a
sum for their work.
Instead of scrimping and depriving
these young people of their pleasures
and privileges, as many people in mod
crate circumstances in their vicinity
have done, this man has appreciated
of the value of brains, and,
realizing it, is willing to pay for it.
Each of these three Industrious young
people has his own horse and goes
about when his work is done at his
pleasure: they have an admirable
library, between them take all the pop
ular publications, and their society is
sought for by all the neighhors. who
nd the value of the knowledge
of an expert.
Many fathers would find their domes-
cand financial condition in much bet
ter shape if they would adopt this idea.
N. Y. Ledger.