Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-03-25
David Starr Jordan, president of


Leland Sanford Jr. University, Palo
Alto, CAL, says: FThe first advan
tage of a country boy is that he has
grown up face to face with realities,
and knows that there are such things
and how to master them. [ value no
part of my own education more than
what [ learned on farm. Not that I
want to do any of those things now,
but that the habit of meeting things
squarely and doing them was vital
part of my education. The horizon of
the farm is narrow, but that is good
| for boy. It leads him to see clearly
| To get face to face with nature and
action, is the purpose of the "nature
J study" and manual training which
in the city schools imperfectly take
| the place Of farm life and farm work
Minor advantages Of the farm are
its health and freedom, the absence
of wasteful leisure, and the certainty
of mastery over the horse; a thing
without which no man should be turn
ed loose in the world as educated.
But first of all, place the contact
with realities and the need of the
country boy to meet and master them
for himself"
Hon. John Wanamaker, postmaster
general in Harrison's administration
speaks as follows:
cit is an undeniable fact that the boy
in the country possesses advantages
not open to the youth growing up in
our great cities. The lad whose in
PRODUCTION to the busy world about
him occurs amid rural surroundings,
finds his horizon not limited by the
countless structures of Gods goodness
to man as exemplifed in His works
through bounteous nature. The
country boy has abundant evidence
that among the honored men of the
nation, many have had the advan-
tages of youth spent amid the green
fields and pleasant surroundings of a
country life.
The many benefits of heal tn giving
atmosphere and wholesome food are
advantages the country boy possesses
in excess of the boy in the city. Com
bined with these, regular hours of
sleep and rest serve to perpetuate the
"sound mind in a sound body" so
necessary for those who would attain
the highest measure Of usefulness in
this busy world.
Free from the temptations which
beset the city youth on every side,
Turing him on to dissipation and ruin,
the country boy finds his JOY and
recreation in rational amusements,
which leave no aftermath of vain
regret. Thus he prepares the founda-
ton of a vigorous constitution and
good health on which to build his life.
The late James s. Mount, governor
of Indiana said: "There are prerequis-
ties essential to a useful and success
full life. Prominent among these is
early training to habits of industry,
frugality, economy, and temperance.
Coupled with these and Of no less inn
portance, are the environments that
develop individuality, independence
OF thought and action, selfreliance,
courage, originality, will power and
q strong body. 1t has been we'll said,
The man without self conf dence
and an iron will is the plaything of
chance, the puppet of his environ
ments, the slave of circumstances.
With these ne is king, ever master of
the situation.' The country pre-em
inently offers the best opportunities
for this needful training. Remote
from the associations of evil and from
surroundings that are conducive to
dissipation and prodigality, the coun-
try boy is less liable to be enticed to
sin.
While General Grant, poor coun-
try lad, was breaking wild colts, and
when, below his teens, he was sent to
the woods with wagon and team and
chain to load heavy timbers, TASK
all the tact and genius of a
man, he was forced to rely upon him
self. Necessity was the mother of the
resourcefulness developed in young
Grant that enabled him to accomplish
this marvellous feat. 1t was by such
conditions in country life, and not at
West Point, that forces were put in
motion that made General Grant the
hero of Donelson and Vicksburg,
in the browning honor of