Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-12-29
THE BOY AND THE FARM.

Boys leave the farm, but just
why is a question more or less open
10 argument. The impression pre-
walls that they tire of the life and
want to get where there is more
activity. There is no gainsaying
the fact that the army of city bust
ness men is recruited from the
cnuntry-bred boys. They are not
afraid of work; they are willing to
learn. and for that reason the en-
ployer likes them An Official of an
eastern agricultural college recently
set out to determine just why the
farmers son was willing, and In
many cases anxious, TO forsake the
farm and try his fortunes in the
CITY.
He succeeded in interviewing 155
young men on the subject. and
sixty-two of them answered that
they had enough experience on the
farm to know that farming as
business did not pay. Seventeen CT
the lot expressed the opinion that
the hours they were required to
work on the farm were altogether
too long. Twenty-six complained
that the social advantages offered
In the country were not equal to
those offered in the city. Sixteen
said they had a natural bent for some
other kind of work. Some objected
to the monotony of farm life, and
fifteen declared that they liked
farm life and were going to the city
simply to make money with which
to buy farms of their own.
Those who left the farm laboring
under the impression that farming
does not pay were probably ignorant
Of the fact that the report of the
Secretary of Agriculture is authori-
" for the statement that the
products of the soil in the United
States last year exceeded six billion
dollars. Those who complained of
long hours will probably find that
when they get into business in the
cities that all their waking hours
are devoted to work. For those
who objected to the lack of social
attractions it might be argued that
they were as much to blame for the
condition as were their neigh0ors
and friends. The sixteen who felt
that they were best adapted to
some other kind Of'wOrk may find,
after years of toll and struggle, that
they were mistaken. As TO the
fifteen who are trying TO earn in
ne CITY money enough to buy a
farm on their own account, they
may succeed, but the chance is
strong that a dozen years hence
they will find that the boy who
stayed by the farm owns his own
farm while they, in the majority of
cases, will have to be contented
with employment under salary and
with very little prospect of any
thing else.
If the Doy on the farm can be
brought to realize that his business,
if he earns it thoroughly, if he calls
70 his and science and profits by the
experience of others, is as profitable,
as respectable and as full of pos
slbilities as any other profession,
there will be fewer boys who are
anxious TO fOrsake the farm for the
attractions which the city has to
offer. The agricultural college, the
rural mail delivery, the telephone
and the more intelligent manage
ment Of the farm are bringing the
farmers sons TO realize this fact,
and the time is almost at hand
when it will take more than the
tinselry of the city and the shame
offered in congested city life 70 at
tract the boy from the farm.
The newspaper men who are
alarmed over the fact that their
advertising transportation may be
taken away from them next year
should console themselves witt the
thought that travel on railways is
becoming very dangerous. The
death rate among passengers is in
creasing at an alarming rate. With
out free transportation the editors
VIII run no risk.
The rural mail carriers have
E,oor, ivan r9Otian of q holiday Nav