Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-24
Tells How to Keep
Boys On the Farm

Thirteen out of 10 years of my life
1 have spent on the farm and 1 will
give my ideas upon the subject.
Boys are not made with dispositions
alike; if they were it would not be
hard to tell what they need to keep
them in the rural districts.
One boy will be satisfied with his
environment and like his tasks; anoth-
er may despise Z his surroundings and
hate his work; so before preaching for
the boy TO stay on the farm we should
find out what work he likes best.
If he is not cut out forf farmer
he may be a born builder of skyscrap-
ers and / think he ought to go city
ward, and go while young. Boys are
born for farms and born for towns.
made for you can find out by doing the
made for, you lean find by doing the
tasks your heart tells you you love. If
you like the least thing about the farm
would say stay! But better be a sue
cessful, contented bootblack than lazy,
uninterested, disappointed tiller of the
soil.
BOYS AMBITIONS.
Many farm boys who are ambitious for
money and fame labor under a delu-
sion that these things cannot be OBJ
tanned on the farm.
They need to hear of David Rankin,
of Tarlxio, Mo-, who died only short
time ago. Mr.. Rankin was the greatest
farmer in the world.
He cmmenced by buying an OK team
for SIS and going in debt for a plow.
During recent years his SO,0O0-acre corn
field raised more corn than that pro-
duced in nine states. He was a great
farmer.
And Burbank The California natur-
fit for man and beast to eat, and who
produced the we'll known Burbank pota-
to, is a farmer who loved his plants
and improved them for humanity's
sake.
The capable men who own and edit
our farm magazines have been success
full farmers. There is more room for
success on the uncrowded farm than
anywhere else.
There are fewer men becoming farm
ers who could not be anything and more
Amen starting to farm who would not
be anything else.
Another thing needed to keep the boy
contented is partnership. Boys who are
made to slave for their board, clothes
and a little spending money until they
are 81 are the ones who run away in
the night.
IF they do not get a share of the pro-
home they are going to get 1t some
where else.
Roy Robinson, our neighbours oldest
boy, is going to the city. Too bad, for
he is a promising lad, loves farming and
has not a lazy bone in his body. It's
the fault of the family, his going away.
His father, a silent reserved man, though
not Intentionally unkind, has never been
a companion to his boys He has never
20 a m
have some change in the monotony of
farm work and hunger for bit of fun
and a glimpse OF people and things In
town. Work, work, work, all the time,
except for a few brief months during
school time in winter. No money to be
learned by themselves for themselves,
but every cent given grudgingly by the
father. Then the mother. having no
girls, seems to shut herself up and out
from the love of her boys and I know
that family is anything but a happy
one Just because they do not seem to
know how to be happy. No wonder the
boys get sick and tired Of farm drudg-
cry and pull out for the city. / know
that the main reason why the Robinson
boys and many of our boys are lost to
the farm lies in the heads of the fam
lily It's an ugly truth but it is the
truth.
Boys also need liberty. amusement
announcement and the right to pursue
their hobby; If it is nothing more than
trapping slxunks or collecting snakes
Farm papers and readable books will
do no good If the farm boy never reads.
Teach him to get the habit. The So
called book farmers are the farmers
who are doing the things worth while.
He is a great farmer who grows two
ears of corn this year where only one
grew the year before for Corn is King
and the farmer rules the world.-R H
Kline.