The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-07-19
THE BOY AND TIE FARM.
HOW THE FARMER MAY HELP ro KEEP
THE BOYS on THE FARM.


have notice several articles OF late, ,
on the tendency of the boys to leave
the farm. In these articles, several
theories have been advanced to account
for the dissatisfaction which, il can not
be denied, exists anon" the young men
on the farm. IL seems to me that
none of the theories fully meet the
case. From my own observation, am
led to bclicTc that the farmer is ycncr.
ally more to blame for this state of
things, than hlS son is. IL is not so
much ambiion, on the part Of the boy, ,
TO enter upon city life for the sake of
ITS advantages, rs il is Il desire to cs-
cape from the drudgc"y Of life made
unatlrlctivc and munOtOnOllS for him
because 1t is Il round OF labor from one
weeks end to another Il life without
variety, and one m which he plays the
part OF Il machine, To Il great extent.
II is il Fact which cannot be denied
that most farmers ignore the desire Of
their boys for variety, and seem to con
Sidcr them unequal 10 the task OF as
Stunning amy responsibility. This Is, no
doubt, the result Of early training.
Thry are SIMPLY bringing up their boys
aS they were brought, ami they excuse
themselves Tor doing 50 bY the foolish
argument that what was good enough
for them is GOOD enough for their
children. They can not be blind To the
Fact that the would moves, and that the
mrlhods and practices Of Il generation
AGO can not be successfully applied to
the present generation. | can never
rld myself Of the FEELING, when | hear
Il man say tins, that he feels sore over
the hardness and narrowncSs OF his own
yhildhord and he experiences IA desire
to ""cl rvcn' 10y making life us un-
pleasant for others rs 1t has been for
him. Perhaps | may hr doing the av-
cra%c lalmrr an injustice IN thinking
tins, bHt find SO many who say that
what Was ,,oud enough for them is
GOOD enough tor their boys, that | can
not help hrlcvin" that am not far
out OF the way.
believe the farmer is the one who
lS most to blame for the exodus of the
boy from the farm. This is an acc Of
thought, oi progress, OF new ideas. The
time has gone hy when farming can be
carried on automatically. old methods
must be superseded 10y new ones,
which ar" in harmony with the pro.
GrrssiVc spirit Of The times. These new
i"ndvnri,S = are seen in all lines Of life,
and there is no reason why the farmer
should remain in the old ruts. The
boy feels this, and he would like to
Keep abreast with the times. He
| would Ito this if his father gave him
ANY rnc"ura""mcnt, but this he fails Ia
"ct. He j. kept in the back ground ~
much ~ p">slhlr, IN the planning of
! farm work, amt the management Of the
! lIrm. l. It to be wondered al that ne
| r,>rlls such treatment ? lie knows
| the pu,~ihlilirs of his nature, he feels
| himself equal to Responsibilities. and
lh" constant repression put upon his
! desire tu Ito things IN Il new way, and
be something more than a machine to
operate M the will of l's owner, calls
and lr"tS him, until, liud ins lic haas no
'lltucr to assert his Individuality, he
rebels II the uld HE and leaves The
farm. Nine ont oi ten boys who do
tins, would hc content with farm life
il ii cuu,d hr made more attractive {,
them. They would be willing to work
bat they want Il chance To- work
~ lh"lr OWN way = way lhal lI, some
| Thought and brain IN il. They bjrct
! To hrln" treated H. children after they
ar" able to do Il man WORK. Let the
farmer t;tnr his bows into hi, ,nnlihcncr
and hIS council, and treat them as he
w"ud like IT, be treated hy those above
II I,,lt ., nj I,.,, ,.l