Evening star., 1918-08-18

wrought by the war. our whole edu-
cational activity Is going to be re-
formed, and this reformation Is bound
to be along the lines Of adjustment to
environment In order to survive. our
youths must be taught well how to
live"
What has been accomplished by
Pennsylvania In the sending Of boy
power" TO the farms of that state
gives an excellent illustration of the
whole, The Pennsylvania farm train
Ing camp Is established in co-opera-
tion with the Pennsylvania State Col
lege, While uniforms ard tents have
been furnished by the adjutant gen.
eral of the state, Dur.rg each two
week course from fifty to three hun
dred boys are given instruction In tho
basic knowledge of farm practice as
1t applies to that state by the in
structors of the college itself, while
necessary teaching equipment used
has been loaned by the college.
@,a
During the present summer 1900
boys have been trained and sent to
Pennsylvania farms. and Of that num-
ber the records disclose that 98 per
cent have made good in their work.
VI " A'ShSAcyAN0hhd hoS ol6hi-G
iod her Willingness to train 10000
boys during the coming summer II
that number respond to the call for
volunteers. =
The boy who volunteers for service
IN the reserve agrees to hold himself
In readiness for service on the farm
from the beginning of May till the
18TH of October. OF the 100000
boys in the United States between the
ages of sixteen and twenty-one 1t Is
or engaged in non-productive occupa--
tions. during the greater portion of
the year. All boys attending high
school are urged to continue their
studies. the work of the reserve being
conducted In such manner as not
only to offcr no hindranee to boys
schooling. but encouraging a oon-
tinunnce of educational activities.
Upon enrolment each boy Is given
a button, the seal of the United States,
with the word Recruit" across its
face. Upon the completion of at least
six weeks satisfactory service upon
farm. the boy earns the official bronze
badge of the organization, the great
seal of the United States, and in
scribed, United States Boys Work.
ing Reserve" In addition to this,
some states issue an honorable dis
cIldIBG at lnc ClOsss .sCl Tie 5uLllIl6I
season, which is awarded with appro-
pirate exercises at the various high
schools.
In the launching of project as.
great in its scope as this. there were
many obstacles encountered by the,
organizers. Many were the objections
to sending out young boys to work
upon farms of which nothing was
known, and whore the boys might fall
into unsatisfactory surroundings. The
answer to this was furnished by the
roseree in tise strict supervision
which is kopt~over all farms where
boys are employed.
But the farm :rs themselves were
among tho iiTihest collectors to the
plan. with hard, sAr.ous work ahead
of him, the average f,r,ner regarded
the ad1e.t Uf IL i,c.lie.of young boys
on his piece In lna light Of a en-
tastrophG. That such boys could fore
go The playing cf ''p:anlss" ard keep
strictly to business Mls something
which practically every farmer asked
to cooperate greatly dHlbted. And it
was only by actual proof that they
OF the nation could offer the service
which now stanLs to it's, credit TO
day the most skeptic of farmers are
amorg the most enthusiastic men.
who send repeated requests to train
ing camps for Nor. boys.
While complete records sfor the
work accomplished by the Boys
Working Reserve are not available as
yet for the present summer, records
for the first summers activities give
an insight into some OF the things
accomplished. In Illinois, during tho
first year of the reserve, more than
1000 city hoys work. on farms. or
562 who turned III reports from farms
only three. failed to prove satisfac-
tory or those reporting a total. of
1892 days work was done, while the
total wages earned amountel' to more
than S3S,G0G,
In Maine, where the boys were uni
formed. trained and paid by the state,
700 were sent to farms In 1917, of
which number only six went horne be-
fore their term Of service had expired.
The farmers themselves were SO
pleased with t,e class OF WORK done
by the boys that in many instances
they paid additional wages to Chose
being. paid by the stGte. which was 81
day "and found"
In the work which officials of the
Boys Working Reserve hope will be
accomplished next summer. much de-
pends uron the co-o2emtion of the
schools throughout the country. AL
ready body of competent men is en-
larging the volume of printed pam
phlets which are ai present used in
training boys for farm work. This
volume Is a series of monographs