Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-03-23

nosp. Agricultural Editor Oxford pemocraa
Paris. Me-
FATHER AND SON ON THE FARM
Why IL il that so many Of our farm
lads conceive dislike to the farm, and
seek precsrious livelihood as clerks, o,
In the over-crowded professionss The
answer IL not far TO seek. 0verworb
and the evils resulting from Il; lack OF
leisure for heslthful and congenisl recre-
alton: the relaxed muscles and strained,
disordered nervous system, refusing the
spontaneous action Of body and brain
| necessary To mental, moral and physical
development.
liz Is not uncommon to hear parent
remark: AYES, Johnnie IL growing up
He can do mans work almost any
where you put him." But poor, l2-y YEAR
old Johnuie's STOPPING shoulders, luster-
less eye and dragging feet, tell very
different story.
Ii Is nothing less than cruelty 10 ask
or expect n boy from II TO 10 to do
mans work, or even the half of it. Even
up the work, aud there are few boys that
viii shirk or neglect his share. liz he
prefers chores, let him be chore boy, IL
he would rather work in the field, well
and good. But II YOU want your boy TO
stay with you, don't send him 10 the
field all day and attach as much work,
In the shape Of chores, morning and
and night, as should comprise his daily
task.
Getting up In the morning at an unres-
sonably early hour IL one OF the things
that the average farm boy breads. Nor
is he 10 be blamed for this. A growing
boy requires great deal Of sleep. What
Is the use Of tumbling the whole family
out of bed at I O'Clock In the morning
and prowling about in the dark for two
hours, waiting for u TO get light enough
TO work, Just for the sake Of being read.
when DAYLIGHT comes: OF course, there
are certain seasons when early rising Ia
a necessity, such As planting, harvesting,
and husking times, but two months, or
at most three months, out OF the year,
will cover the period when man, woman,
child and beast can do as much good be-
tween sun-up and sun-down as Is good
for their physical well-oeing.
Pocket money Is another problem
which our country lsd-God bless him
Ia almost certain TO stumble against
sooner or later. The method that pre-
walls To a great extent of allowing boy
10 cultivate certain amount OF land FOR
his own ben, III. or OF giving him colt
or a calf 10 have for his work In caring
for same, offers many advantages. But,
for various reasons, We do not approve
of IL so we'll as another plan. In the
first place, the cultivation OF almost any
crop TO profit is uncertain, and disap-
pointmeut TO boy Is not only bitter,
but discouraging as well.
IL the boy prefers, give him reason
able amount Of work with the under
standing that he is working for all, and
that all are working for him, without
any cash basis, placing the whole case
on the basis Of mutual helpfulness and
affection. Then on DAYS when he really
wants money, Fourth OF July. county
fair days, and circus days, allow him a
generous outlay. What IL he does spend
il on things that seem foolish TO US;
they are not foolish 10 him. Let him
spend il ss he likes.
Remember the country boy, unlike the
city boy, has his world all around him !;
the fields, the woods and the streams At
his feet. There are no expensive jour
news and exorbitsnt hotel bills TO be
planned for him before he can enter into
his own. All he needs is 10 be taught 10
understand Alright the wonders which
nature constantly reveals to those who
study her, and leisure for these revela-
tions TO develop. The result In nine
cases out OF ten, will be healthy, con-
tented boy.
After all. sympathy Is the Keynote OF
success with our boys, aud IL We want
them 70 love the farm, we must give ii
without stint. We have always heard a
great deal about the duty OF children to-
ward their parents. Turn il the other
way around, aud let the parent consider
his whole duty toward his son, and We
believe farm life will assume an entirely
different aspect 10 the average boy. To
feed and clothe the creature for whose
existence we are responsible, Is not
enough. We should study him, play
with him, work with him, laugh with
him aud grieve with him
Blessed is the boy whose father re-
tains enough of his youth to enter under
stsndingly into the dswning manhood OF
his son: who will share with him all the
simple sports dear to boyish hearts, and
who has no secrets, business or other
VIE. which his son cannot share
l. v Hopkius