The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-12-29

The establishment by Brooklyn of a
Parental Home on a farm at Flush
ing, for the incorrigible children who
come in conflict with truant officers
and the law in one form or another,
is a long step in advance because
there is more land than at the dis
on Wards Island. This Parental
Home promises to come nearer than
any children's reformatory in the
East to the school at Whittier, Cali
fornia, where there is not bolt or
bar or shotgun and where every
thing possible is done to keep out of
the minds of the boys that they are
under restraint. That is really q
manual training shoot with incidental
book teaching and it turns out good
oitizens-or at least prospective good
citizens, for the school is too new to
have more than young men among its
graduates-from boys who would have
been Jail birds and professional crimi-
nails under the old idea of repression
and punishment. The distance of the
Flushing farm from the crowded sec
tions of the city and its size are ele-
ments very much in its favor. It's
boys ought to learn farm work easily
and the demand for that sort Of labor
at good wages is constant.
Just as the plans for this Parental
Home were published came a page
article from woman farmer in New
England pointing out the difficulty of
getting competent farm help. Some
ii me ago this woman wrote of her
willingness to employ men, only to
bring down on her head applications
from many men in the city who were
out of work and eager to try anything.
Their upfitness stood in their way.
They were men of education and hs d
soft handed jobs in cities. But they
were absolutely helpless on farm. 1t
takes "technic' to milk a COW, not
so much of course, as it does to add
figures two columns at time or play
the piano, but greenhorn is just as
helpless before one task as another.
The farmer wants not merely muscle
for his service, but he wants muscle
that has h d training at farm work.
For that he will pay more than the
same man can command in the city
and will give more leisure time, al
though farm hours are long and hard
in the busy season.
That is the field where these unruly
boys VINO are sent to the Flushing
home would find hearty welcome
and chance to make men of them
selves. For it they ought to have a
familiarity with as many sorts of fam
work as possible, but they ought to
get a liking for country sights and
SCUM and ways j a their impression
able years. All through New England
old farmers are ling out because
their sous and their neighbors' sons
have got the itch for the city and pre-
reach of theatres and brilliant streets
than to stay in material comfort on
farms That is a fascination which
ought to be overcome 70 far as possible
with every city boy who falls into an
Institution Of correction. Their own
experience should have disillusionized
most of them with cities bat they
ought to aquire in addition liking
for the country and a Knowledge of its
work. The farm is thu real salvation
for tie city crowds who oanuot find
work. bnt you cannot fit grown man
city bred for farm work soon enough
to make HIM desirable. With the city
boy who is sent to q place like this
Parental Home it ought TO be differ
emit, brooklyn Eagle.