The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1906-03-10
COLLEGE STUDENT PEDDLER
Many Earn Way Through School by
Selling Wares of Farmer-Proft
in Several Directions.

College students were employed
hast summer in peddling yegeta
Alss for a farmer at Hough's Neck,
Mass. Young men from Harvard
and Dartmouth, although the only
enE Americans employed, the
farmhands and the pickers being
Italians, found this fOrmO of employ
ment one which involved no sacri
hce of their self-respect as stu
dcnts and which yielded them large
returns in health and money.
The college boys were not re-
quired to cry their wares. Each
fellow had a regular route which
he covered daily, taking orders
and delivering the same as the gro
Gerry clerk. In addition each was
expected to load his wagon and to
make his own collections, AS it is
almost wholly cash trade, the col
Iecting takes almost no extra
time. As soon as Il man has sold
his load he returns and has the
rest Of the day to h mself.
Mr.. Cavanagh's farm being sit.
mated at a summer resOrtthe col
lege peddlers had the opportunity
to enjoy many Gifts pleasures, and
80 combined fun with work. When
they returned to college their
bronze tinted faces, clear eyes and
Increased weight told how well
their work had agreed with them.
and their work had been s~atisfac'
tory also to their employer.
Mr.. Cavanagh, who has long
been a progressive farmer, first
conceived thenotion of puttingcol
kge men on his vegetable teams d
few months ago. Ei- l~~~ o"eri
ence with college stu3cltsin theil
SUMMER activities made him fee.
sure that the opportunity to dc
light farm work would be glad,
accepted hy young men who were
putting Themselves through col
lege; SO wlen the vegetable sea
son opened Ike went to the employ
Hent bureau at Harvard and Sc
cured rroia there and from Dart
moutl asmany men as he could EN-
Ploy.
When. the farmers in the neigh
Rorhood first heard of Mr.. Cav
anagh's idea as to vegetable ped
dlers they snorted in disdair
~COllege men selling vegetables
what do they know about it
Probably can't tell a squash froI
haymow," They felt thei
doubts confirmed when they hear
Of their arrival one day late i
June. The men who took ther
down to the farm heard one as
the other, pointing TO some lie
tuce, if those we're pea bushes. Hi
companion did not know wha
"those" were but suggested toms
toes. pea bushes" spluttere
the farmland in telling the stOr.
Sand tomatoes. Oh, just wait u.
til they get an order for lin
beans, they will probably fetch
SQUASH" Butt did not take the.
long to learn the different kinds
vegetables, not only to distingui,
between them, but to learn d
about their cultivation, so tn.
they could talk most intei gent
with their customers.
1t is an interesting fact in tilt
trating the change in the nations
4 ity of farm employees in rece
y years that these college men we
:, the only Americans employed
i, the farm. All the field hands we
y Italians and the pickers we
a women Of the same race.
- D..
J, The college men were prOvid
- with all the comforts of home il
!, neat cottage on the farm, WHIT
u their meals were cooked by a IN
y cook. When night comes afte.
=, days work on the farm insoml
is an unknown element in the liz
:, Of these young men.