The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-07-22

Grant. Garfield, Greedy, Weed, Whit
tier, Clemens, Depew, Rockefeller,
Gage, Cyrus w. Field, Eddison,
Westinghouse and Beecher are only
types of hosts of men who on farm
and In country town have gained
minds and characters; that have
made them kings in whatever work
they have undertaken. Seventeen of
our presidents were from small towns
and farms, and ex-President Roose-
welt, although city born, has by pre-
cept, example and demonstration
shown the good of getting next to
nature in enthusiastically strenu-
Gus fashion, the freely circulating
ozone breathed in great Inspiration
during muscular effort gives tho
country boy lasting lung power.
lPloughing. hoeing and moving add
vigor to his muscles. The farm is
sort OF gymnasium, a manual train
ing school, he must run, adjust, re-
pair many machines. He is a strang-
er to 10 mechanical principle or tool
and in an emergency, is an ALA
round handy man.
Untold benefit, besides mere phys
ical health and manual dexterity is
derived from the life OF a country
boy. He lives closer to nature, is in
constant touch with with the Great
ing power which brings fourth all
that is natural and real. He touches
the truth of being as city boy never
can. 1t is perfectly natural that a
boy on the farm should dream OF
great opportunities in the city, that
he should chafe amid what seems to
him narrowing and forbidding sur
roundings, that his restless ambition,
should picture the great triumphs OF
cities as compared with the POSSIBLE
tiles OF residents of farms. He sees
in his mind enormous stores, vast
Libraries and reading rooms, great
opportunities for self Improvement,
excellent day and evening schools,
young mems Christian associations,
where seekers after knowledge may
satisfy their longings. In other words
to the country boy, the great city is
throwing away his time on the rocks,
in the forests, and on the hard soil.
But he should realize that the gran
lite hills, the mountains and the rocks
which he looks upon, are every mo-
ment registering their mighty poten-
cies in his constitution and are put
ting iron into his blood and stamina
into his veins, which will make hi
future success all the more certain.
He should realize that he is storing
up energy in his brain and muscle,
and bottling up forces which may be
powerful factors in shaping the ma
tons destiny later, or which may
furnish power to keep the ship of
state from laundering on the rock.
He should realize that the reserve
power stored up in the country re-
appears in our successful bankers,
lawyers, merchants, railroad men
and statesmen. He should never
loose sight of the fact of his being
born and reared on the farm, and
If country boy is made of the right
stuff instead Of dreaming of great
opportunities in the city and longing
for access to better libraries and
larger schools, he will try to redeem
himself from the narrowing influ-
ences of his surroundings, every
book will be to him precious luxury
an opportunity to open little wider
the door of his narrow life. If he
is determined to get on in the world,
the things that seem to hold him
back will be converted into stepping
stones to higher levels.
Little Helen Post recited very
nicely. After which the chairman of
the program committee announced
that the August meeting, which will
be held at the home of Lewis Lyons,
will be entirely given over to the
young people.
The meeting adjourned and we
partook of an excellent supper, after
which we departed for our homes
and thus ended another very pleas
ant gathering of Riverside Farmers
club. Reporter.