Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-11-25
Why Boys Leave the Farm.

The boy and girl side of farming ID
mighty important. In reality 1t is the
future side of farming. We need to-day,
more than all else, an earnest, enthuslas
tic class of young people who are stead
fast In their attachment to farm life,
who can look into 1t and sec some OF ita
fine possibilities. That more than any.
thing else will give boost to the cause
of improved and as consequence more
profitable farming. We were greatly In
terested in reading the other day the
story of Mr.. Fl. l.. Carr of New Jersey az
told in the Tribune Farmer. 1t should
be read and pondered upon by every ia.
ther and mother on the farm. Here IL
is:
In the states of Connecticut and Mas
sachusetts only one acre in three Is now
being used for agriculture. Great
stretches of land that have once been
cultivated are now growing up to briars
and brambles; in many places almost TO
the very edges of thriving towns and
cities.
Ask almost any one you may chance
to see, and he will tell you that the land
has been worn out and it is no longer
profitable to farm it. Yet here and
there are progressive farmers that are
growing good crops and making money
on the same kind of land.
No, the reason that these old farms
are not cultivated to-day is not that the
soil is poor. 1t Is because there are no
farmers SONS to till them.
Then, why did the young men leave
rho old foro,co
In answering this question l wish to
say that speak from experiences; for l
am one of the army of deserters, and'
like thousands of others, am now too
poor financially to 60 back to the farm,
and too proud to 60 back broke.
know a great number here in New
York City who are in the same position
as I am. While know many country
boys, 1 know but very few who do not
wish they had stayed on the old farm,
and every one tries to make his friends
up the state think he is happy and very
prosperous on a salary Of S25 week,
when at the same time be is trying to
make both ends meet and still live re-
specially. ,
Then why did We leave the farm, and
why do the country boys still flock to
the cities? Many OF US have agricultural
school training, and would have been
successful farmers and better men ply
sically, financially, ano morally had we
been contented to be plain farmers.
In nv own case, wish to shoulder all
the blame, but can't help thinking had
been told the truth by my friends, In
stead of being encouraged to look for
something better, l would have stuck to
the farm.
1t has been proved that an agricultural
college training will not always make a
farmer out of a boy, and one reason why
it does not is because when he returns
from school he finds that he cannot
"teach old dogs new tricks" The old
ideas and methods of his parents cannot
be changed.
A boy with ambition should be en-
couraged to 90 ahead and find ways and
means to improve the farm. BE wants
better things, better cattle, better barns,
and better home. That Is a true sign
of ambition, and there have been too
many ambitious boys driven away from
the farm because they have been told
that what has been good enough for
YOUR mother aud me is good enough for
you" Those words have driven more
boys to the cities than all the hard work
| and drudgery of the farm. Then in af-
ter years they are regretted by the par
ents.
OF what value are the few hard earned
dollars to the old folks when left in their
old age all alone, with no little grand.
children near them?
know an old couple that I called on
not long ago while up on the farm. As
good old aunty grabbed my hand, and
with tears in her eyes asked all about
when had seen her boys last and how
they were "getting on down in the city" "
and a thousand and one other questions,
| could not help thinking what pity
that good old farm probably will soon
be left with no one to run 1t and two old
hearts almost breaking just because, ff.
teen years ago, two ambitious sons were
told: "What has been good enough for
your mother and me is good enough fol
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