The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-03-14
GIVING The BOYS AND
GIRLS A CHANCE
Mrs. Ruth NJ. Johnson, County

= ono demonstration PSeHl.
Are your boys and girls getting their
chances? Are you merely giving them
food, clothesr, and shelter IS the law
requires, or are you training them to
help themselves? DO they have work
that they like because they can earn
rraise and pocket money or do they
work because you command they?
If the boys and girls who live on the
farm were asked how many Of them
intend to stay on the farm after they
have reached the age when they arc
no longer under parental control, how
many Of them do you suppose would
answer in the affirmative? | venture
to say not a very large per cent would
answer thus. But why? There must
be some cause. Of course it is not in
tended that all boys and girls reared
on the farm should remain there, for
some have talents that cause them to !
enter other professions, but surely q
larger per cent should be satisved
and wish to remain in this, one Of the
greatest professions.
people who have studied the social
conditions of rural life have pointed
cut that one of the surest ways to
keep the boy on the farm and make
The girl satisfied with the farm home
is TO give them a direct tangible in
terest-a real partneTship-in the bus
mess and affairs Of the farm home.
The boy or girl who feels duty-bound
&c work IN the farm Or in the home
every day when not in school, and
receives no recompense whatever for
their work other than the care and sup
port which are their birthright, may
not be expected to develop a lasting
enthusiasm for the work. But give
hem a little piece Of land to culti-
yate in corn or vegetables, pen OF
chickens, or a pig, something they can
call their very own with which they
may work and from which they may
keep the returns, and you awaken in
flthem new interests and ambitions, de-
lIvelop in them thrift and industry,
Hand they look upon the old farm in
I new light and are glad to live and
work there. No one likes to work for
nothing.
zlf half as much attention were given
/ to the education of the boys and girls
who remain on the farm as is given to
! the training of doctors, lawyers, nurs-
IS, preachers, and teachers to fit them
to make a living; if these boys and
girls were taught the business meth
DDS of successful farming and home
making as people are who dc success
rul merchandising, and if they were
| taught as much about plant roots, prin-
ciples Of soil fertility, and scientific
household management, as they are
about Latin, war, sfuare root and cube
root, and the mere textbook view of
other subjects, they would then be
able to earn enough from the soil to
provide the essentials of satisfying
farm lame and enough more to give
the Injuries and leisures which make
for culture and give opportunities for
the higher pleasures and ambitions
Uncle Sam sees fit to spend thou
sands of dollars every year employing
people to Carry on different lines OF
club work with the boys and girls. If
there was not something very much
worth while to be had by those who
enter into this work, surely this money
could not be spent in this way. The
opportunity to take part in this work
is offered to every boy and girl be
| tween The ages of 10 and IS who reside
| in the counties where the club work is
| carried on. Other parents are encour-
| aging their children along this line
and helping them to take advantage
OF the opportunity Are Cou doing this
for your boy and girl? Your govern
ment is trying to help you educate
! your children, TO hop you keep them
on the farm and make them satisfied.
Are you going 70 let ii help you? II
not you and your children are the
greatest losers. There are plenty of
parents who are interested and are
glad for their children to take part in
The work; there are enough OF these to
occupy the time of those employed,
but it is desired to offer the opportun
ity to all allie, and to impress upon
those who have not taken part in the
wo,k before, theimportance and val
| ne OF it.