The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-01

keeuing the Young People on the Farm
 An American enjoys the privilege ot changing his location. his occupation, and even his intellectual and soclai station to an extent not equaied any where else in the world. A man can rise to whatever station his character and ability entit1e him. It is to this extreme mobility of American society that the phenomenal development or our country in all lines of civilization and progress Is largely due. IL per nits every man to work in the envlr- onment in which he can do ms pest work We have no heridity of profes- sions The son of the farmer does not look to the farm alone as the theater of his life work but has open to him every profession and every industry.
 In choosing a pursuit the parents and the boy himself in the country feel the Influence of the tendency to prize the distant opportunities more than the opportunities close at hand. Hence the tendency of the farm boys to flock to the city and to city pursuits. It Is well that some should be drawn to the activities of city life through their natural talents and tastes. But for many others, equally gifted, country life holds in store as rich rewards Moreover, we may reasonably expect that within the next twenty years the improvements In the social and indus trial conditions in the country Will make more rapid progress than will the cities, which have already attained their development.
 There is need that parents and boys should not over estimate the chances of success in the city nor under-esti- mate the certainty of a comfortable competence, of health, of absolute free dom, and of happiness. wholesome sur roundings on the farm.
 There is need on the farm for some of the farmers. brightest sons. and when these select farming as their bus mess, they should have every oppor- tunity to fit themselves for their pro. fession. Where circumstances permit, the best preparation is that afforded by the agricultural course in one of the state agricultural colleges. When this is not practicable. there should at least be the opportunity for the future farmer, whose business will be much more complicated and technical than than of his father. to obtain a glimpse of the vistas opened to the farmer by the work of the state experiment. sta tions of thousand of other countries This view may be most comprehensive. ly obtained by attendance on an az ricu1tural course, even for few months, if finances do not permit a four-years agricultural course.
 There are many misapprehensions in the part of the boy who turns his back to the farm and seeks the city What proof has he that he will become one of the captains of industry rather than one of the toilers cooped within crowd ed quarters and always working at anothers bidding? The country boy is apt to think that salary of forty. fif- ty or sixty dollars in city is excel lent pay and enough to enable him to accumulate something. Numerous ex- amples might be cited to show that the young man earning sixty dollars per month in a city finds nearly all of 1t consumed in the cost of living, so that sixty dollars in city or town is often the equivalent of about thirty dollars in the country.
 Another reason why parents should desire that some of their children shall cherish a taste for farm life is in order that there may not be a complete sepa ration of the family during the old age of the parents.