Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-05-18
The Boy Who Can't Be Spared.

Il
Spring work has begun. Your boy
should finish the term in the country
school, but you think you can't spare
him from the field. ! know am plead
ing for the boy, but isn't there way
out, other than taking the boy from
school just a. he reaches the same place
in the course where be stopped last
year? There is no use complaining
against the graded country school which
produces this condition. 1t has 30 many
other things in its favor that it must be
preserved.
You have been doing this for three
years, keeping him out both in the fall
and spring so that he has missed the
first and last part of his grade. In the
winter months he has each time gone
over practically the sarae ground. just
for once let him continue and finish his
grade. Most schools will close in June.
Some sort of sacrifice can bs made for
the remaining few weeks.
| Why not let the boy do all of the
morning and evening chores so that the
rest of the force can get into the field
that much earlier? This will make up
at least part of what the boy would
do.
Twill admit that the loss of one hand
in the field is a serious matter during
the spring rush. But it can't be more
serious than the education Of your son.
II you have full force Of horses and
modern riding machinery, it Is possible
to "speed up" by changing horses fire.
quently. Think abe it. Don't let the
mere need of another team in the field
settle the matter.
Many times the apparent need of the
boy in the field can be avoided by
proper planning of work. In the fall do
all the blowing possible. If feasible
put in winter wheat instead OF spring
sowing. Think Of this when you decide
the acreage of each crop. Some crops
require more attention in the spring
than others. There are many ways to
tighten spring work, so that the boy
can be spared for few weeks.
Frequently the rush in the spring is
due to other operations than field work.
Build the new buildings and fences,
market the crop and haul the manure at
some other time. Don't keep him out
of school because of a rush that ID due
to your own procrastination.
Under some circumstances 1t is wise
to keep him out during the winter, If it
is possible for him to earn money. He
will miss only that part of the course
which be has probably gone over. The
money which he earns during the win
ter will enable him to hire a hand to
take his place during the spring.
II you have two boys, even though the
Younger is not able to do the work of the
older, keep the younger one cut this
year, il no other course ia possible.
Make the work light for the younger
one. Any such e1pedient is better than
systematically depriving boy of GER
tain part of his course each year. In a
graded school, it is quite impossible for
a boy to make much advancement by
giving him only three months each year
during the winter.
| even know Of an unselfish sister who
volunteered to stay out during the
spring in order to give her brother a
chance to finish his course. With rid
ing implements and gentle horses she
did no little work on the farm. In vari-
ous other ways, making trips to town
and doing the chores, she made up
much of the work her brother would
have done.
The fact is, if you fully realize the i'm
portance Of this matter, you will find
some sort of solution.