Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-02-02

VI,
little less acute than 1t was few years ago when
the cities bade fair to drain the rural districts of
all the best OF its young blood. However 1t is
only fair to say that the crisis has been passed
In this drift from the country to the city The
tide has turned not only as shown by the migra-
uon of many city folk countryward, but yet more
significantly by the growing content with which
an increasing proportion of the young people
Woo nave been born and reared in the country
eject to remain in their native environment when
the trne comes for them to strike out for them.
selves.
IL should be pointed out just here though that
the considerations that are prompting an in
creased percentage Of rural youth to stay by the
umehonored vocation of their forefathers are NOT
all the purely sentimental ones that influence so
many city folks to seek the country as place of
residence 1t is undoubtedly true that the average
INDIVIDUAL is prone to underestimate the adyan.
lases and exaggerate the disadvantages of his own
situation and environment. And it is equally true
mat Tar away fields look green,t literally as
wen as fguratively speaking Consequently the
CITY resident sick of stufy apartments and noisy
oirV streets, working for wage or salary is
piohe TO md dream of paradise in the prospect
u Delng his own boss in the COOL quiet country
Inc country girl or boy on the other hand must
inevitably look at the situation through the oppo-
sue end of the telescope He or she is familiar
rom experience with the hard work of the farm
scarce thought to In advance and many of the
distractions of city life which have palled on the
urban resident who turns his eyes farmward pos
Sess the charm of novelty for the untraveled
young people of the farm.
\ Boys and Girls Sticking to the Farm.
That despite this state Of affairs a constantly
II INCREASING proportion of the country girls and
iooys are choosing to stick by the farms is highly
sisnincant and betokers change of material con-
uitons as well an altered mental state. And,
speaking of material things or had we better say
financial conditions, it might as well be put down
arst and foremost that one Of the main factors
III inducing country bred youth to remain in the
country is the increased prosperity that has come
"a recent years to tillers Of the soil In the old
uays when almost every farm heavily mort
gagged and the SON or daughter of the household
saw little ahead but lifetime struggle with debt
u II was no wonder that they turned to paths where
NE II not easier, was certainly more pleasant
anu allowed a more equal division of the time be-
teWen work and play
But now, with the farms on a sound, profitable
oasis and the average rural couple able to start
their married life on farm of their own-wholly
Ut partially paid for-there is not so much at,
traction in the jobs which the city affords the
ohskilled worker,-the $12 or SIS week at which
me street conductor must start or the IS or
20 week that is offered to the new recruit among
we shop girls Of the big city stores Even If
0o1ntry youth is allured by the lights and life
ana glamor and gaiety of the large city he is now
compelled, by that sound. practical common sense
which is the heritage of the average farmer boy.
70 stop and consider whether it is worth the sac
ilnce demanded in dollars and cents. to say moth
ing Of the sacrifice of health to which perhaps he
gives nary a thought
Prosperity Has Brought Improved Conditions.
The farmers who have given serious thought to
he problems of keeping their girls and boys with
m or near them on the farms have been quick