The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1915-10-01
HOME TOWN BUILDING.
MAKING GOOD CITIZENS.
How a Farmer Keeps His Young
Folks at Home.

AS explained IN my last ietter prlh-
ted in your issue Of last week. we have
solved the problem of keeping our
young folks at home. Ny father star
ted the plan of home amusements and
| have followed in bis footsteps. My
greatest extravaganza in this whole
business has been, | think in our tool
shop. They tell me that have in
herited a craze of my grandfather's.
who, it is said. attended all of the auc-
ton sales held within a radius of twen-
ty miles. for the sole purpose of buy
ing mechanics tools Of various kinds
for which he bad no earthly use. Be
that as 1t may, certainly have strong
liking for our workshop. 1t gives our
billiard table lively competition on
rainy days, except with the women
folks, who favor the more genteel
amusement. Every male member of
the family is a handy jack-of-all trades
in the workshop, and think that in
expense saving for repair bills, the
workshop has been paying investment
regardless of my habit of buying more
tools than we can possibly find use for.
In any event, it is a mighty big asset
in keeping the boys busy when nothing
else under the sun would do so. They
can mend anythin from a Waterbury
watch to a twenty-ton traction engine,
or think they can, which is essentially
the same thing.
Our swimming pool, tennis. croquet
and baseball grounds, as well as the
indoor games, including the billiard table,
are open to the boys and girls of the
whole neighborhood. We make them
feel that they are welcome at all times,
except during the hours scheduled for
work. This rule is rigidly enforced.
! could not afford to have our working /
hours interfered with and we never
have any annoyance in that connection.
Our workshop is sacred to the use of
the family. Elsewhere about the prem |
ises visitors are always welcome and I
they come in numbers. In addition to
keeping our young people perfectly
contented with their home surround
ings. ! find that they go at their work
with more vim and energy and seem to
take more of personal interest in the
management of the affairs Of the place
than they otherwise would do. And
last, but not least. never experience
any trouble whatever in getting all Of
the farm help that l require at any sea-
son of the year. while some Of my
neighbors frequently pay more for less
dependable men, especially since the
neighboring town commenced to 60
backward and the young people left for
the city or elsewhere.
Every school boy knows that the
value Of land of every kind, no matter
it be town or country, is af-
fected by an increase or decrease of
population in the district. My farm is
not for sale and is not likely to be, but
an enterprising, prosperous town nea
at hand is more desirable as neighbor
than deserted village. That's why
your campaign of home town building
appeals to me and why am interested
in your success.
My fathers plan, which l have fol-
lowed and enlarged upon to keep pace
with the times, has been absolut ely sue.
cessful. 1t is paying proposition IN
making farm home life desirable and
and it helps TO solve the farm labor pro-
blem. The same principles applied in q
modified form 10 the country town
would serve the same purpose, but the
first move should be in the interest of
The stores who are being put out of
business by their big city competitors.
read advertisements to compare
orices-it's what the women folks call
'hopping-for pastime. If no prices
IRE quotedthe advertisement has no In
terest for me. | like the idea Of max
ng the home town paper serve as
catalogue. 1T WOULD PAY ALL
pTCuT