The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-01-10
THE CHILD, THE SCHOOL, THE
FARM.
stature.

In recent times, far more than in
the more remote past, one hears an
ir crested public discussing the atti
tuIe of the cotton grower who says he
realizes clear money from his cotton
crop because his children's work
costs him nothing. This reminds one
OF the merchant who says his
dcayage costs him nothing because he
dc IS it himself, forgetting that the ex-
ptnse of keeping up his team has to
be figured in. The world knows too
Ii lie yet regarding the amount of the
annual output of cotton as represent
e. in the hard toll of the children on
IT,, farm.
.5ince agricultural science has be
gun to invade the farming sections,
il as been asserted that cotton is cost
irE more to produce it than it brings
on the market. The reason farmers
h. not known this before is because
IL have not figured the cost of their
la hor-especially the labor of the chill
dI A. And they have also been as lit
4 tn tIo
Ia 4 cost to the children of depriving
thcm of school privileges while they
arc at work on the farms.
The small Independent farmer the
ren.er and the share-tenant, all belong
to 4 class that too readily concludes
that farming is just plain cotton rails
ing Any kind of educational training
woald be better for this type of farm
er both young and Oldham the
year spent in the cotton field. The
very fact that his daily life is circum-
SCgibed by the suggestions that come
fro n the cotton rows is of itself
enov 9Th to stunt his mentality and
male him even poorer cotton farmer
thal he would be if he were given
ovC? to a diversity Of crop studies and
eX' criments. Imagine such a grower
ma Letting q good-size food crop at the
pre- 'cnt high prices, or raising corn
anG acttle as a side line His children
MIGHT have their day in school, to i'm
prcye upon his work when he lays it
down, and he might become independ-
ent of the merchant who runs him
fro, season to season.
Ike farming youth Of the present
will, be required to send their children
to cchool when the day comes. The
cot on fields that have cost many a
bro n-handed, speckled-faced boy his
cha ce in life are going to yield their
pre- from figure based on crop val
ne and not on the fatal parental as
sum0tio that the labor of the children
cos 5 nothing.
TIE farmer worthy of the name
care; too much for his children to
takc them out of school and send them
to ant, cultivate and gather the cot
ton crop. The modern farmer will be
will ng to- turn things himself and, in
stead of the old ration of cotton, he
will have his hogs and cattle and 9TH
er food articles ready for the best
time to market. AS the fields change
own orship from father to son, instead
of stopping TO shudder at the price
he has paid for his freedom. instead of
turning his back forever on the farm.
the boy will in time be satisfied to
devote his time to doubling the profits
on the yield of his acres.
OF course. there are times when la
Dor is scarce. The farmer sees times
when all hands should be busy. but
this should not serve as an excuse
TO throw the burden upon the children.
In reckoning with the standards of
and with the requirements
for men of brains on the farm in fu