The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-07-18
POWER OF FARM-BRED BOY
ne u Not Coddied or Helped Over
Rough Places as City Youth Is,
but Learns Independence.
By f. VAN BENTHuYsEN1

The farm is the place to give the
boy good start in life. 1t is there
that he learns independence of
thought and action. He is NOT cod
died or helped over the rough places
as the city boy is. He is forced to
depend upon himself and at the age
when the city boy is tied to his nurse s
apron strings, the country lad not only
takes care of himself but often as
sists materially in the farm work. He
rides horseback, goes afield with the
team, investigates the habits of birds
and animals, and acquires a thirst for
knowledge.
The city boy moves in grooves that
have been cut out for him by custom
He is herded in the city cars, crowded
and driven like cattle. He must fol-
low the crowd in the streets. His
vision is bounded by the lines of high
buildings; he never sees the sun rise,
or set; he is bound down by preju-
dices, dwarfed by mannerisms, and
consumed by customs. The farm boy
dreams of the outside world which he
has never seen; he strains at the
tether of his humdrum duties and
signs for bigger worlds to conquer.
He is fighting battles while pitching
hay and running railroads while driv-
ing the reaper.
When he finally breaks away and
goes to the city he is fortified with
nd IN
ence. The world looks easy TO him.
He is often disappointed but oftener
he makes his dreams come true.
He is used to hardships. He does
not whine when he is knocked down
in the strife of the big city. He has
learned to depend on his own re-
sources. He has physical power and
intellectual equipment to win over
obstacles that would down the city
boy. The country is inspiring; the
city is enervating and surfeiting. The
country teaches the boy faith and per-
severance and determination. He
knows the seasons will bring their
harvests and he learns philosophy and
truth. So. when he comes to the city
he is strong and capable
Many of the really big men who
dominate the affairs in the big cities
came from the farm. 1t is stated as
q fact that seven-tenths of the men
who control the banks and railroads
and other great industries of Chicago
and New York are farm-bred.
Not all the boys, however, who !
leave the farm succeed. Many fail /
because they have been forced to !
leave the farm on account of unfavor |
able conditions and are untitled to |
cope with the larger affairs of life in !
the big cities. But those who do sue |
coed rise to greater heights than city |
bred boys with larger opportunities.
We doubt the wisdom of trying to |
keep boys on the farm who possess /
the cou-exs and creative ability and
which go to make great |
men In other lines of business. Let
them GO These boys are not going
to destruction in the city. Not by
any means. The boy who has the
right spirit and good home training
seldom goes wrong. The cities call
them and they are needed there to
supply fresh blood and brains and en-
srgy to the ceaseless demands of civ
lization and world wide endeavor.
But the demand for good men on the
,arm is also insistent Boys who
remain in the country and make the
most of their opportunities cannot
help but succeed in their calling-a
falling as honorable and useful and
satisfying as any other in the world.