The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-12-01
CITY VERSUS COUNTRY roR BOYS.

OOy " DGCOuG d City wy uuiCoo sASA -
was some good opening in the city
where he would have the chance to
advance, provided he showed merit,
or unless he was educated to take up
some professional work. Many a
country boy is ruined by going to the
city without any special opening or
any special qualifications. Thou-
sands make miserable failures, and
remain cheap clerks in banks or mer-
camille houses all their lives. For
the great majority it would be much
better, if bred and born on farm, to
stick to the old farm, but to prepare
themselves by careful study and hard
work to improve on the methods OF
agriculture and horticulture general
ly in vogue, and also to look forward
to becoming in certain sense, spe-
cialists. If near town of considera-
bic size or large city good trade
could be established by progressive
young man in superior fresh vegeta-
bles, dairy products, eggs or poultry.
"Of course, the country boy might
think that the returns in dollars and
cents proportionately were inadequate
for the same amount of work in
mercantile business, but the chances
of failure would be much less, and
the enjoyment of life, if he is the
right kind of a boy, would be greater.
The best things of life, notwithstand-
ing the monopolies of today, still cost
nothing-that is, to those who live in
the conutry and do not have to pay
for the air and sunshine.
"There no longer is the same rea-
son why farmers boys should desert
the farm, because with the rapid su-
burban trolleys the farmers family is
brought in close contact with the
town and city for what social recrea-
tions, lectures, and amusements they
may desire. In starting out in life,
however, the boys thoughts must be
upon his work and not upon his play.
AS he gets older, he naturally will
value more and more highly the
quiet, peaceful surroundings of the
country, with its opportunities for
reading and improvement"
William Horlick, of Racine, Wis,
says: IA country life cultivates in
a boy the power of observation, as he
is brought close to nature in her
many aspects. The wonders of the
vegetable, animal and mineral king
dom constantly appeal to him, and
the practical side, as well, is empha-
sized in judging as to the utilization
of these for the benefit of mankind.
The home life of the country is much
purer than that Of the city. Many
temptations which say the morals of
the growing youth in the city are alb
sent from the simpler home life of
the country. In addition to this,
abundance of pure air, water and sun
light certainly furnish the ideal en-
vironment for the physical develop
ment of the growing youth who has
the battle of life before him.
"In the city the growing boy has
the great advantage of more per-
feet school system and better trained
teachers, together with public libra
ries, lectures, etc. IF he is mechani-
cally inclined and taught to observe
and especially if helped by good
manual training school, he early ac-
quires much valuable knowledge
which will be helpful in his life work.
But he lacks the close contact with
nature which the country boy enjoys,
and is subject to many temptations
which debase his moral and physical
nature. Frequently, it must be
said, his mental development will be
acquired at the expense of the physi-
cal"
Edward w. Pope, of the Pope
Manufacturing Company, Hartford,
says: Advantages offered by the
country: Any boy who has fond
ness for the country, for gardening in
any form, or for animals, should try
in every possible way to find some
satisfactory way of earning his liv-
ing without going to the city. It is
much easier to keep ones health in
the country, without which tits diff
cult to achieve success in anything.
It also is easier to keep from drink
Ing, gambling and other vices, es-
pecially for those who are fond OF
company and so-called good time.
The fact that in the country every
one knows what you do is safe
guard for most boys and men for
even men get to the place where
they are safe against temptation in
some form and I believe that any
property gained by work in the coun-
try, and any reputation gained by
living in the country, is kept easier
than property and reputation gained
in the city.
"The advantages of living in the
country are not so fully appreciated
in early life as they are later, and
MANY a man looks back to his early
life in the country and thinks what a
mistake he made in leaving it just
for the sake of having more money tc
spend, to be able to wear fine clothes
every day, and for other pleasures
that undermine his health and are
not pleasant to look back upon.
81 think the principal disadvantage
of the country, especially farming
ard living with only few neighbors
near, is the isolation. This, of course
is not felt so strongly by a boy born
in the country and I should advise
any boy who intends living in an iso
lated place, or even in small village
to get good education and acquire
a taste for good reading and study,
as it is the uneducated man and the
man used to city life who feel the
most lonely. The chances for trade
and anything on large scale, excep
farming, are less in the country, and
unless the city boy has a decided
taste for farming he would better no