The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-12-05
WHAT'S WRONG ON THE FARM

Life IS Investigating
Charles Dillon in Harper's Weekly


we put in schedule here. We q
TO supper now at six O'Clock and d.
the chores afterward. In that way
the women can clear up things by
seven O'Clock For many years ",
didn't get our chores done till min,
o'clock. and often it was an hou,
later. we'd work in the fields til
the last minute. and that kept suppe,
waiting. I've seen the time, often
when we didn't eat till nearly nine
O'Clock. That was what drove thu
girl away. Two of my boys left me
too. but I caught them at Chicago.
aud they came back on the promise OF
an allowance. I'd never les them
have any money. l made an agree.
ment with them. and they share in
the profits after the home expenses are
paid" One farmer had been in oon-
slant warfare with his sons because
of what they called his "skinflint'
methods. All the boys old enough
had beer schooled and three had been
in the state agricultural college.
They said. frankly. that they would
not remain on the farm unless their
father would consent to have it run on
new lines. The apple orchard on this
place had not been pruned for years.
The trees we're producing small, poor
class fruit. and the branches were bad
ly broken and run together. Such an
orchard would be crime in Oalifor.
mia.
Agricultural colleges and farmers
institutes are exerting a very impor-
tant influence in making farm life
more attractive for boys and girls.
In the first they learn. or should
learn. new methods of farming, all
tending to increased yield and less la
Dor by the application of intelligence.
The girls get competent instruction
in domestic science. and are trained
to think of farm life and farming as
uCSlIdO1O duu I.
The telephone. the rural free de-
livery Of mail. and other innovations,
have done much to improve farm life
conditions. bu. the desired point is
still far distant in many communities.
Farmers have kept their families in
poorly constructed houses that have
no conveniences; they have isolated
them from their fellows; they have
worked them too hard; then the boys
90 to the city to be mechanics or
clerks or doctors: the girls study to be
teachers Or stenographers or clerks.
Their early environments have been
such that they do not care to marry
farmers, for that. as farm girl said,
would be stepping from the frying pan
into the fire.
In several farm families girls return
ing from high schools or colleges or
State universities have taken over the
management of the household until
they have taught their mothers the
Importance of system. Boys or young
men have done the same for their
fathers. with the result that life is
made easier aud pleasanter on the
farm. II see no reason to conduct
farming differently from any other
business. said one young graduate
from farming institute. farming
in the future is business and not a
drudgery for men and women. There
is no reason for working eighteen
hours on a farm unless the weather
threatens the hay or something else
that has been cut and is on the
ground. It's all foolishness to get
up at four O'Clock In the morning and
work till ten O'Clock at night. No
other class on earth does it. Work
in the fields should begin at seven
o o'clock and cease at six. A farmer
owes that much consideration to his
horses or mules. Certainly hts wife
ought to stand an equal show with
the brutes. bat she doesn't always
get It. :"