Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-10
Why LEAVE IHE FARM
The Growing Tendency of Sons
of Farmers to Choose
Other Professions
BROADER LIFE IN THE CITIES
So 1t App srently Seems to the Average
Son of a Farmer of Today Especially
He Who Has Attended School or
College In the city-Thayer Discus
ses the Subject.

SoHe9e IN ehe -tndyer discus
ses the Subject.
Toledo, Feb. 10.-Mudl, has been
written. grsat dead more has been
said. regarding the apparently grow
ing tendency evinced by che sons of
farmers to quit the place of their boy
hood. and take to other businesses or
professions for THEIR life's work. To
me there are several conditions which
account for this. Seeing the manner
in wirsch their fathers have shaved.
from dawn TO darkness, they seek
some thing else rather than the drudg-
cry of the farm. The average son of
the farmer of today desires broader
lire, one more in the haunts OF men,
where he may rise above the level at
sained by his parent in some craft or
profession. He desires to leave be-
hind this work of the farm and so to
the city where. ais believe he sees
larger opportunities. greater privileges
and conveniences. These to me are some
Of tine reasons why boys leave the
farm. as they almost invariably do. az
ter having once ATTENDED school or coll
lege in 1.-THE city or town.
But why should they stay on the
farm If farming dces not appeal to
them? I met a man a few days ago
who unbu7.dened his soul to me regard
ing his boy. He was the father of five.
/ had suggested the benefits OF a daily
paper In his home only TO be told that
If he had it. he could not induce his
boys ITO work. 1t seems that Fred, the
oldest hoy, did not like farming. and
only worked when there was Moth
ing else to do. Taking a binder to
pieces and assembling this parts again
THE plow. He could repair telephones,
bicycles, in fact was a mechanical gen.
ius. yet his father would make n far
nler of him. BY the pars!stency Of his
elder the life of the boy, who would
eventually leave home. carrying with
him feeling OF resentment toward
his parent, becomes a burden. 1t would
be better by far Cor this farmer to
send his son to some college to fit him
for work more to his liking. He would
give the boy 160 acres of good Iowa land
II he would farm lit, but not enc cent to
aid him On his chosen profession.
Titose stories of boys leaving the
farm, as they appear, always recall to
my mind an incident which came to
my notice in the vicinity of Tama AS
drove along hte country road came
to large house some distance from
the highway, surrounded by fine
grove, q hig red barn and granaries.
filed with grain and products. Every
thing about the place bore silent tes-
timony to the productiveness of its
$50 acres.
Down in THE valley. a half mile
away, lay THE Northwestern and Mil
wlukee roads. His back against the
harm. watcting with dim eyes the
trains as they rumbled from sight in
the distance sat an old man. He had
raised four boys and perhaps several
girls, burt of the latter ne said nothing
AS ,th', lads grew older they were sent
TO school and later to college, with
the usual results. they never again
came back to hive on the farm. One Is
now professor In a state institution,
another ds Il lawyer, still another a
western ranch own.r, and the last a
doctor. All gone, and the nast in the
dimnred eyes told of the disappoint-
ment OF his Mfe. AT the old home he
sits and dreams on of years spent, ds
proud of l1is childrens success. but his
one wish that one of his boys might
take up the work of the old home place
where he left 1t. win never be real
lied. just as was about to leave two
Northwestern passenger trains sped by,
going in opposite directions. Pointing
to George. the other to Henry, but oh.
how wish they might come home to
live
One rarely reads or hears OF the
town boys going to the country. and
why is it? Simply because they have
learned to work by the call OF the fac
tory whistle. The life OF the farmer
is too hard. To get up ait dawn. and
do a days work before the whistle
blows, Is too strenuous for the average
city boy. A story lis told which comes
nearer expressing the life of a farmer
than anything of which I have heard.
1t runs something Like this: A city
lad thinking to lay up some money by
farming, went one afternoon and hired
himself ITO "a ftlrrnsr. After tine days
work was done and chores finished he
ase supper by lamp light and retired.
An hour before daylight he was called
Nlr breakfast, and after eating. he sang
out, Two smpper.s in one might. Hur-
a,ah! I'm off fer bad again" Is it any
wonder tJhe Boys don't stay on the