The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-19
JOUR- COUNTRY BOYS
| OUR BEST FARMERS
BEST RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED BY
CoUNTRYMAS by BIRTH. Ma
TuRE AND EDUCATION.
s.
MAKE HOME HAPPY
LIFE MUST NOT DE ALL DRuDGERY
AND PRIvATI0N--sCHo0L NOW
INTERESTED.
<E HOME HAPPY

| Mr. T. O. Sandy. OF Burkeville
| State agent In charge Of the govern
! ments farm demonstration work In
Virginia recently made very praa-
| teal and interesting address before
the Rural Life Conference nj the
| Universitys summer school on how
the country boy should he trained
for farm life. No man In the South
is better prepared to discuss this
subject. MIR. Sandy said
A boy in any walk in life can be
| trained to be a successful farmer but
for quickest and best results he should
be a countrynan by birth. nature and
education. Such examples naturally
will inspire and draw boys from the
towns and cities. Some boys must be
encouraged along agricultural lines
from the time the little trouser pockets
are filled with bent nails and broken
screws. odd bits OF iron and twine.
and old horse shoes are lugged around
because they are too precious to be
thrown away and too bulky to be car
ried around in the already oyerbur-
dened pockets, until he has safely
passed the stage where he will shine
his shoes without being told by his
mother We often speak Of the criti-
cal period in young peoples lives, but
when thinking over the matter deeply,
| have been unable to define that
peri ID; every day, every hour ts i'm
portant, Their welfare cannot be too
seriously regarded at any time, often
an ideal word spoke in jest Is the
turning point which eventually ruins
many lives and mature persons should
feel the responsibility and carefully
avoid light frivolous conversation on
important subjects. BY precept and
example we should bring country and
youth closer together.
Must Have Happy Home.
My subject deals directly with the
hoy. but to be successful farmer
lie must have suitable companion.
God did not intend that man should
live alone, but ! firmly believe ne in
tended man should be capable Of
making a home for that companion,
When | say home. / mean in every
sense of the word, and no man Is
more capable than the farmer. Then.
too a man to make a success Of any
thing must have peace. "tfe IL happiest
be he king or peasant who finds peace
at home" How can there he content
ment and peace II there Is no CON
Eenia1ty, unless hearts arc bound with
that every man Is the architect of his
own home, his own temple Of fame.
but IL success crowns him, / will VEN
ture to say to some good true woman
belongs half the glory; the mother II
not the wife. We should educate our
girls as we'll as our boys to love the
country and love farm life If we ex-
| peet to make successful farmers for
| one is dependent on the other for
| happiness.
Cooperation is the greatest power
to bind, 10 give strength, and this our
young people must have from both
parents and teachers. to make real
farmers.
The parents are often responsible
for the discomfort Of their boys and
their desire to seek employment in
cities. They have no faith and do not
care to see any advantage in modern
agricultural methods They haven't
the energy to demonstrate for them
selves and If the boy has the spirit 10
make the test and defeat from any
natural cause overtakes him he Is not
encouraged to go ahead and try again,
but all he hears Is, Il told YOU so.
on might ms well give up those new
| tangled ideas. knew ii was not going
| TO amount 10 Any tHlHA Is lHdL inc
way to make a boy progressive sue
cessful farmer. as We'll as an useful
/ citizen? Our country cannot afford
! to lose good material in this unpar-
| donabis thoughtless way and the pa
/ rents are making weaklings of their
| boys. whereas II openly accused OF
/ being unjust, they would resent 1t.
| schools Are Interested.
| Until very recently Our schools and
| colleges were not Interested In agricul-
! ture. consequently many Of our teach
| ers are unprepared "a we'll as negli-
| gent Of their duty to train a child
! for farm life, when ] say train. dc
| not mean every one should be capable
! of actually teaching farm methods
| but to teach them To love nature. and
( farm life and work | am afraid
! many Of our teachers do not realize
| what great responsibility rests upon
/ them IN shaping tbs future at otfr
| country. They neglect to impress
/ upon their pupils the Importance OF
| studying the advantages the country
! has over the congested conditions oil
| town and cities, not only from n finan-
| ciai standpoint, but It offers the best
/ chance 10 live in psece with God and
| man In responsibility the teacher
!
should feel the responsibility of those
| young lives entrusted to them and
/ study to avoid mistakes.
have thought, read and studied un-
/ Ill every possibility Of Virginia soil
I has SO thoroughly aroused and inter
ested me, ! catch myself wishing 100
years could be added to my life in order
10 watch the vast agricultural progress
/ our State viii make Since that is i'm
| possible. want to help others, es-
/ pecially the young. to get the best
out of life and reap the benefit OF
| these blessings as they come. No man
was more interested in our farmer
boys, or had greater faith in their
ability, than our late leader, Or. Sea
man A. Knapp. the greatest practical
benefactor OF more people than any
other man Of this age. Though dead
his works follow him.
Make II Life Work.
The boy should, as have already
stated indirectly, be impressed with
the idea that farming is to be his life
work, and whatever he undertakes
must be done well and his entire in
terest must he centered in II. Give
him a few chickens. pig, or a calf.
and as his ability and strength in
creases, increase his duties See after
the sale of his little holdings and
allow him to have little bank ac-
count OF his own and encourage him
TO buy small articles of clothing nee
essary when money accumulated is
sufficient, thereby learning him les
con in practical economy II teaches
him self reliance and business meth