Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-04-11
The Value Of the Workshop on the
Farm.

FRANKLIN Grange. Bryants POND. ana reeo q
the February meeting OF Oxforo fomons.)
| wonder how much the average farm
Ier pays out every year for repair work.
la large amount, indeed. And still near
Ily oil Of this may be saved by the outls!
OF little expense at first. When We g
Ito town to have some repair work done
or to get horse shod, We not only pay
the blacksmith's price, but We lose oul
own time while he is doing the work
and We lose the time while We are going
and coming from the shop, - we'll. Il
our time worth anythings II It ID, ther
why should We use it 90 wastefully?
With good workshop and . set ol
tools We might save much OF this time
and expense, and after . little practice
We should be able to do the work nearly
as good as the mechanic. It would an.
swer our purpose, at least.
Many time we sit around the fire on
stormy day, when II We had . shop,
We might replace some broken whifie-
tree, or mend some chains, or make
many other repairs too numerous to
mention. While doing this, our minds
would be taken from our other work
and it would be much better for our
health than to be doing nothing.
Perhaps we should not try to shoe our
horses or do other particular work at
6rst, but II We are diligent, as every sue
cessful farmer Is, We can soon learn to
do such work fairly satisfactory.
When we have few leisure hours, Il
would be time we'll invested II We made
duplicates of several parts OF our ma.
chinery which are most likely to be
broken. Then, when repairs are needed,
We will save the time and trouble OF
making them at once.
If We had several loads of bay ready
to 20 into the barn, and had the misfor-
tune to break whiffletree or neck yoke,
what an annoyance 1t would cause 10 to
leave the hay out in q shower while We
we're replacing the broken rigging. By
the economical use of our spare. time We
can be prepared to meet nearly every
emergency and save many such annoy
ances.
II We should become skillful with the
use OF tools, even our household furni-
ture can be improved and many beauti-
full and useful pieces OF our own haudi.
work added to their number.
Do not keep the tools away from the
boys, but, II necessary, caution them
against their rough usage. Nearly every
boy enjoys making his own toys, and
even though It may seem that he 10
idliug away his time and wasting mate
rial, In reality he is but learning to be .
skillful mechanic, aud when repairs are
needsd, or new buildings are to be erect
cd, he will be equal to the occasion. Not
only should he be allowed freedom In
the shop, but manual training should be
taught In every high school.
People say this Is an age OF speclaliza-
ton. From this would be inferred that
the farmer should work only on bis
farm and leave the repair work for those
who specialize In that line. But where
10 there factory that would think OF
getting along without Its machine shopp
RI every time any repairs were needed
they had to be taken to q local machine
shop, that factory would have to ask
such exorbitant prices for its goods that
the public could not afford to buy them.
The workshop is just as essential to the
farm as the machine shop Is to the fac
tory. II we specialize In anything, let
Independence be our specialization. The
workshop is one great aid to independ-
ence. BY It's use We can keep the farm
buildings in better repair and bring the
farm into higher degree OF efficiency;
for only an efficient farm 10 the farm
worth while to-day, and the greater the
efficiency, the greater the prosperity and
happiness of the farmer.
Then here's to the man who works in the mill,
Or earns his bread any other way,
But the man on the farm 10 the freest from harm
And is the healthiest man to-day.
"Then glory to the wood that's carved on the
farmers bench,
And thanks to God for the iron rod TO mend our
Implements"