The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-16
A Boys Vacation Prophet.


/ The proper disposition Of our boys
Ct such periods Of the year as the schools
are not IN session IL often problem for
parents, although an interesting one.
During the summer time and in the
fcity i i particularly acute. The sons
lof wealthy or wcll-to-do people in these
days may accompany their parents. or
that one OF them who takes the whole
season for an outing, to such places as
are selected for time killers and health
rest0rers; or they may 90 or in groups
and camp out, taking satisfaction in the
thought that they are getting back to
the primitive life. The normal boy en-
joys troughing itH to a degree, and he
would experience more of it and be the
better for IT, could he see his opportuni-
ity oftener. No boy should reach the
period when he is called upon to take
up his share Of the worlds work without
a fairly intimate acquaintance with the
country and its conditions, not through
observation merely. but BY contact as
web, and there Is no better way to ac
quire that than by taking hold OF farm
work ard learning something about our
fundamental industry. escaping from
the arbitrary environment II city life
and getting back 20 nature. which Is one
of the kindliesa teachers that boys can
have
"A movement IF this sort tentatively
inangurated last year IN New York City
was 50 successful on a small scale that
it Is to be continued this year on a
much larger one Last year the princi
pal of one 81 the Brooklyn high schools
wrote 10 the agricultural department Of
the state that a number Of high school
boys were anxious to spend the long
vacation period in the country working
upon farms. This information was adj
vertised and IN few days 1850 farmers
had made application for these boys
Thirty were sent to various parts of
the state. and all gave satisfaction to
their employers, as well as received il
tor themselves Already this year III
the schools of Greater New York there
is an enrolment OF $500 boys planning
to spend the summer vacation as farm
aborers, and the number il likely stead
lily 10 increase as the date for the con
templated services approaches.
Instead of twenty-five hundred there
should he fifty thousand, and the sons
Of milionaires might prodtably be repre-
sented. as well as those Of the day
laborer Both are of similar clay and
the Influences that would help one class
would be no less beneficial to the other
Each would respond to the upbuilding
processes Of pure air, vigorous exercise
and plain but wholesome fare, with
The enjoyment Of frequent dip in the
ola swimmin hole" and the other recre-
ations which healthy hoy can find
for himself where he has all outdoors"
for his field OF operations. II is the
barefoot boy with check of tam that
inspires the poets, not the one that
sticks to the pavement or depends upon
the alley FOR his distractions The city
hoy can not only find health and enjoy
ment on the farm. but he can come back
when the curtain rings up upon new
school year with fund Of ready money
9s wen asa larger one 81 physical Yigor
and mental clarity He gets paid for
the privilege OF giving himself an inter
esting, an educational and a physical
beneficial summer. Youth desires change
and that Is why so many country boys
vearn for the city The reverse move
ment Is not 50 common hut II 1t could |
be given regular working it might be
quite as satisfactory and perhaps more
profitable. We arc glad 3 hopeful begin /
ming has been made in our largest and I
most eongested eity.-Boston Transcript I