Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-05-05
CITY BOYS ON THE FARM.


 The George Junior Republic and the activities of Judge Ben Lindsey in the reformation of delinquent boys have directed general attention to- ward practical means of interesting bad" boys in industrial pursuits and in giving them chance to become useful members of society. Rufus Stanley of Elmira, New York, has conceived the idea of helping the boy who does not stand in particular need Of reformation. He has noted that the city boy usually has longing for farm life, and it has occurred to him that if more city boys were given chance to taste farm life the result might bebeneficisl to the farm as well as to the boys, for it might re- suit in making more farmers who are really attracted by farm life. Ills project was to give the city boys chance to wu,'K Oli farm during school vacation and On Saturdays, His plan is thus outlined:
 A typical New York farm of sixty acres was secured, with as many dis tinctive features about it as possible. The farm has buildings, a wood lot, a river, dry stream, and presents number of different soil conditions. Sixty boys every year are given the privilege of managing and operating this farm. While wishing to make the idea practical, MT. Stanley did not desire to take the boys out of school CT away from their homes, so it has been arranged that they should live with their people and attend their schools, merely devoting vacations, Saturday afternoons and other idle time to the work. The farm is about five miles from town, and some of the young city farmers ride bicycles ol street cars for part of the distance le work, while others walk.
 There are four classes of boys IT. the school, each with about fourteen
 members, and they earn to s cents an hour from the work, wages vary ing with the class. Each boy pays an annual tax to the institution which ranges from $2.50 to $750 ac
 cording to the class. Each class O | sOphomOres choose the fortunat. young men who are to follow then
 the next year. From the seniors are ] chosen the boys who remain as post. 1 graduate instructors, and the second
 years following graduation One 0
 these is chosen to be the superin
 tendent of the farm. A superintendent
 l5 years of age is at present actual,
 holding down his job while tn.
 graduating class with Director Stan
 ley are i'll Washington receiving ad | ditional instruction in soil survey
 sol fests and soil boring.
 Even ln winter, when actual opera
 tons on the farm are not practicabl,
 the boys As kept busy. A practica shop for the manufacture or farn articles is run in town. Every yea the boys manufacture about 6OOt
 potato crates alone, and, throughou the country districts in the vicinity O Elmira the crates of these boys ma, be seen. Commercial articles are alst
 made. This work is done evenings after school and on Saturdays.
 The farm is long past the experi mental stage, and many of it's gradu- ates have entered colleges of agricul- ture, whence they have gone to talk positions Of responsibility. Some arl at present employed in the federal department.
 A woman whose name is unknown took an interest in Mir. Stanley's pro, Ject soon after it was started. and voluntarily agreed to finance it. The young men have her to thank for the Washington trip, as well as for The upkeep of the farm, although part oJ
 their expenses here they are lpavino themselves out of their earnings.