Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-12-11
On Behalf OF the Farm Boy.

SS
On Behalf OF the Farm Boy.
Wallaces' Farmer: We sometimes
feel like taking up the cudgels on be-
half of the farm boy. Proud as his
father and mother may be of him =,
bright as may be their hopes and ex-
pectations for his future, they do not
always give him a fair chance. They
do not knowingly or Intentionally de-
prive him of any privilege or right;
but he is so strong and cheerful, can
look after himself so well, and is so
little prone to complain, that he does
not always get his own.
Sometimes he has the poorest bed
in the coolest room in the house.
That bed is not Away made up, and
ii there is any bare or neglected spot
it is likely to be the boys room. Now
we submit that this is not fair. That
boy will before many years be the
main spoke in the wheel. While we
do not want him to be a mollycoddle
or a prig or a dandy, he is entitled
to a comfortable room with plenty of
sunlight, a chance for good ventila-
tion, and a comfortable bed. Then he
should be taught to keep that room in
order himself, not always an easy
thing to do unless you begin with him
young. Give the average boy such a
room, n where he is welcome to take
his boy friends, and he will learn to
take care of it and will in due time
be a better nan for so doing.
The farm boy is entitled to have his
appetite respected. He eats more and
eats it faster than his fatheror mother
or sisters. The way he slows away
the provender will sometimes make
you imagine that his legs must be
hollow and his hide elastic. Why
should he not be a good feeder? He
works hard; if not at work, then at
play. He is out Of doors. He there
fore requires, to use a stockman's
phrase, a large amount of the food Of
support, power to run the machine.
Besides, he is growing fast and re-
quires a large amount of the food of
increase. II you want him to become a
large fine looking boy, let him eat all
he wants-bread and butter, ham and
eggs, roast beef and potatoes, perks
and beans, cabbage, turnips; even pie
and cake will not hurt him.
You can't founder the boy. You
may founder the father and the hired
man, if you have something particu-
larly good, but you can't founder the
boy.
The boy is entitled to as good a
team and tools as there are on the
farm. Sometimes the boy gets the
oldest and poorest pillow and the poor
est team, and is expected to do as
good work with that as the father
and the hired man do with better
ones. Now, this is not fair. Give the
boy a chance.
He is entitled to make a little
money Of his own off the farm. Either
give him a piece Of ground, and tell
him that he can have the time to
work it and have all that he makes
off of it; or give him a share of all
that is grown over,a reasonable crop;
or give him a calf or pig or colt of his
own. Then, when he has done his
best with it, don't appropriate the
proceeds. That is about as mean a
thing as a man can do to his son, and
is well calculated to drive him off the
farm and into some other line of bust
ness.
Above all things, the boy is en-
titled to the friendship of his father
and mother, brothers and sisters.
We do not say companionship, but
friendship. It is not easy for parents
to realize that a boy is growing up
and will soon be a man. having his
own opinions, plans and ambitions.
He will need your council in these;
and unless you make him your friend
and treat him as an equal, you are
not likely to retain his confidence.
OF course he may be opinionated and
conceited, and in some ways disagree
able; but if you will deal with him
right you can win his confidence. He
will look up to you and reward that
confidence with better and more eff
Gent service. You will be more than
repaid for the time and trouble you
have taken to develop him along
right lines.
Here's where most parents fall
down. They do not realize that the
boy is becoming a man and is entitled
to the treatment we accord to friends
outside the family circle. It always
hurts a boy to notice his father talk
ing to other boys of his own age, ask
ing their opinions, treating them as
If they were men, and then treating
his own son as il his opinions were of
value. If he wants to do a little
trading on your account, let him.
may make mistakes and some bad
bargains; but, If he does, don't scold
him. or make fun of him. but point
out lin a kindly way wherein he has
tho m scfol o ord fhr,c oi1 hS~o