The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-03-15
A TIMELY TOPIC.
Interesting Remarks at a Meeting
of the Farmers Club of Fea-
gaville, by Messrs. Cutler
and Rem

Limited space prevented us from
publishing last week the interesting
remarks made by Mr.. d. NJ. Cutler,
at the meeting of the Farmers Club,
at Feagaville, on Thursday evening,
February 2Sth. The subject was,
why do farmers SONS leave the farm,
and what is the remedy?"
Mr.. Cutler said:
The first part of the above is ques-
ton L have often heard asked, and
whilst | believe there Is some tenden-
cy in that direction, yet | think the
common exaggerated idea of the
Proneness of the farmers boy to leave
the farm is to very great extent only
surnise.
l believe there are but comparatively
few young men brought up on the
farm, who, if there is any encouraging
outlook TO any reasonable degree for
an opening to him when ready to SET
tie in life, will not stick to the farm
But if you will just look about you
will find that it is generally because
of compulsion or the next thing
to 1t, that they leave the farm.
l heard Il man say just last Friday,
that friend of his requested him To
write to Il landlord in regard to renting
his farm, and the reply was that his
chance was very slight, for the reason
that ne (the landlord) had already
thirty-five applicants, and expected
more for the same farm. But come a
little nearer home and we find some of
our nelghbo!s, young men, selling OFT.
Why?
Because they cannot get a chance to
make a start under the existing cir
cumstances, and they desire to see
something more of the world than is
contained within the borders Of the
two or three hundred acres which
they have helped to till since able to
handle a pillow or drive a rake or har-
row. [ do not think that the pcrcen-
tage of such cases, however, reaches
more than twenty per cent. at the
highest computation. 1t all depends
upon the opportunity a young man
has of making himself independent OF
his parents.
Farmers SONS, who have been off to
college and become possessed of fair
and liberal education and for the first
time see something of the world aud
its possibilities, naturally are amb!-
tiOus to try their hand at some trade or
profession for which they believe them
selves peculiarly fitted.
There are some instances where
farmers sons leave the farm and try
their fortunes in the great and busy
world, that are justitiable, but the
ground should be thoroughly gone
over and the uncertainties thoroughly
impressed upon the mind.
could go on and name Il thousand
reasons "why farmers sons leave the
farm" but the gentlemen who have
preceded me have told you quite
enough.
Next in reference to the remedy
for that unrest which seems to pervade
the ranks of the farmers sons,
would suggest general change in the
manner of treatment by parents, who,
thinking that what they is the best
for the youth, actually accomplish the
very end they wish to avoid.
Teach specially the younger lads,
that the allurements of city life are
not all they are painted and that sue,
cess in any enterprise is only gained
by great effort aud talent.
| think we ought to set before oul
boys the responsibility of the farmers
calling; its independence, its compar
alive freedom from temptation t.
vice, and the sure reward to intelligent
small it may be- Not all who eX
change the farm for city life become
! good, great, or even rich.
1t has been said, and the fact has
been made manifest in the persona
history of multitude of distinguished
men, that the farm, not the city, has
been the birthplace of the leading
minds of all countries.
! believe, generally speaking, oul
boys have been kept too much as mere
drudges. usually having all the un
pleasant jobs to do, and frequently
with the most inferior tools, parents
surprising that most anything will dc
for a boy to work with. | think tina
we ought to give our boys chance
"All work and no play makes Jack ;
very dull boy" and all play and NJ
work is still worse for him.
Season his labor with reasonable
amount of recreation; make the home
attractive; have innocent home amuse
ments, and give him chance to earl
a little sum of money for his own, 70
which exact strict account of how
used.
| think the whole question, summed
up in a nutshell, lies in giving him !
chance to do something for himself
and seek to encourage his individual
enterprises by showing him how t
earn something and make the best u.s.
Of the advantages he has before him.