Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1913-02-21
A Place for the Farmers Boy.
By H0YT n. HARDIMAN, Tennessee
Department of Agriculture.


Every year we hear Of some farmers
asking his wife about their son, who is
fast becoming young man and who
will at almost any time take a notion"
to leave the farm and go to the city in
search of his fortune.
What is it that drives him away from
his country home? What is it that
makes him at moments notice pack
his few belongings, cast a farewell look
at the old place, turn the hin and become
lost in the great world outsider What
! is it that lures him to IAN easy life
over there in the city where all men
"liye in luxury and none have to toll
as he has toiled for years, yea, ever
since he can rememberY 1t is not the
boys fault, nor is it really the boy him-
self, that makes him leave the farm
just when he needs it most and when it
needs him equally as bad. 1t is the cold,
bare fact that to him the farm means
only hard work again, that drives him
off. He is hungry, not physically, but
mentally, craving for future-as to
what he cares little, but it must be
future-and so far he has not found any
outlook for future there between the
pillow handles.
He just goes along from day to day
blowing the corn, hoeing the cotton and
thinking, thinking, thinking growing as
he he works, growing in ideals, growing
into manhood and allowing natures new
ideals to steal upon him. He says moth
ing for he has no one to say it to. Fa-
Their is too deeply engaged in figuring
out this thing and doing that thing to
think Of stopping, even after supper, to
give his son thought or word Oh, yes,
he thinks of his son, too, in his quiet
moments, but somehow, he doesn't seem
to fully understand just why his SON
does not seem to take the interest in the
place that he used to, and puts it OIL
by reminding himself that he, too, had
his troubles as young man and con-
quered them, and so must his boy.
Now, that is just where the trouble
lies, and until we enroll papa and mann
ma in one firmly united movement for
the good of their son, until they decide
to examine his case, pronounce it durable
and then set about the curing of it, and
until they do begin to apply these rem
edies, they should not be surprised if
their SON should get up some morning
and tell them that he believes he will
90 to the city and try to make place
for himself inc the world.
No! Mo- A thousand times no! His
place is at home and he must be kept
there if our country is to live and grow
strong. We have far too many wrecks
filling our cutters and jails and peniten-
tiaries now without inviting the last OF
the good blood into the same condition.
Keep that boy at homes keep him there
if it takes an OK team. We'll, howY'
some one asks To that we will answer,
'Why, Just keep him there" Look down
into the inner soul of that boy, read
what is written there, answer his nat
ural and perfectly normal peadings for
a larger life and you have solved the
problem. just as sure as fate the time
win come when he no longer will care
solely for the creek on Sunday, when he
will no longer think with his father that
his whole goal in life must be to raise
more corn, to feed more hogs, to buy
more land, to raise more corn" Antle-
ipate that time by the many little fore
runners of its approach. Give the clos
est attention to every act and whim and
idea and you will be ready to meet the
crisis and tide your boy safely over 1t
when it does come and that means you
have kept your boy on the farm.
1t means that you will give him some
place to sleep besides few discarded
quilts on a bundle Of straw in the win
dowIess attic. 1t means that some one
besides Son will climb those rough steps
and smooth his bed for him, just as sis
ter's bed is smoothed each day by low
ing hands. 1t means that Dad will buy
his boy nice dresser and give him
rocking chair and a rug and a pillow
and comfortable room and good light
and a new book shelf with some books
on it and magazine or paper OF that
boys own choosing. 1t means that he
will have as good clothes to wear on
Sunday as his city cousin. 1t means
that he will uneonsciously be brought
to search out for himself the why OF
his corn crop, to compare his own hogs
with those offered for exhibition at the
last county fair. 1t means thatshe will
be encouraged to grow and to grow nat.
urally as God intended that he should
grow.
The narrow, self-centered, city-bred
young man will laugh at the farmer boy
when he passes him on the street, only
because he has no better sense. You
may give that sturdy young farm lad the
of books and proper train
ing and communion with the grand wis
dom Of nature in her own realm and YOU
will see him, and not the sissy city boy,
bloom into the grandest of our men.
Yes, the boy will want to "go with
the girls" some, too, and he should do so,
for the company Of good girl is more
.yo,,v,er v,.or1 than any.