The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1921-07-22
WhY Do BOYS !.
LEAVE THE FARM
{By. W. e. Taylor.)

It farmers sons would remain on
the farm and keep pace with the new
developments in agnculture with t the
terixes manufacturing and other in
dustries. the problem of maintaining
fertility and suppl ying food for the ma
ti0n would be solved.
Rows leave the farm because tney
teense to se"S The lie Of the average young
how on the farm IL not very peasans
for many reasons. The hours Q, pa daVse ~
conveniences con such as he has seen IN
the city homes are lacking. No ineen-
tive Is offered to overcome those oisa-
greeable features; .odn,a Mest boys ar. ~nss 1ife
their fathers. They listen to the learn
ed professor from the agricultural coll
leges and the we'll meaning city farm.
er enthusiasts picture the beauties OF
farm life, but when they face the cold
reality the following morning they are
dissatisfied and want to leave the
farm.
1 .baaieve know how the majority
than half century. I believe that
there is a remedy that will counteract
ten prevails among them; and that
remedy is encouragement. Some In
centiye must be offered. not after the
OOyS nave TeACnoO Cne1r majority, Out
while they are just kids"
The following incident, which came
to my notice many years ago fairly
| illustrates what / mean by incentive,
or encouragement, and the discourage
ing factor:
The doctor was visiting a patient in
| the country. Just as he was leaving
the house. little Johnny. the farmers
| eight t-year-old son said: doctor. this
is my birthday and papa has given me
ardDa5y DS led Taat tSe doctep eG see te the
where he showed a nice little black
pig about q week old. He explained
quite infinitely the superior points of
to take care Of It and when it got to
be a big hog. would sell 1t and have
"lots of money"
From time to time~ during the sum-
mer, Johnny took great pride in show
Ing HI" Il dss Rs Tsree ss ss Sag xeeP
would strut like little man out to to
the pen, carrying skim milk and an
armful Of corn. and try to act and
summer progressed he enlarged the
pen. giving his pet some extra pasture
and quite often would gather green
vegetables for it. On .cne occasion he
stated that next year he was going to
buy two or three pigs with his money
| and ask paper to rent him a piece of
ground so that he could raise his own
COTu. C$uCAuueu ny Say lIik tuiC ue
| was going to be a farmer and raise
| hogs and get rich"
When the pig was ten months old.
Johnny's father sold his hogs. includ-
ing Johnny's. Johnny was very proud
of his pig and declared it would
weigh more than any hog on the
place. The following Saturday they
| were delivered at the station. and tn,
doctor. anxious to know how much
Jchnny's pig weighed because of the
careful attention it had received. went
to see the Weighing. When the hogs
We're being driven on the scales.
Johnny said: "Papa. aren't you going
to weigh my pig separately?" The fa-
! ther In cold way said: "My pig!
Whose corn fed that pig? Get out Of
the way, Dent bother ma('' And
Johnny's pig was weighed with the
others: Johnny was dumb. His lips
arted and discouraged.
the next year Johnny did not raise
pig. for all incentive was taken
away: all his hopes and dreams were
6Iasted. Today the old farm where
Jchnny lived Is dilapidated and mn
productive. John is not a farmer hn,
q worthless. shiftless Individual livinr
IN town. His ambition was blfehtai
Ine gay his pig was sold. What mfph.
NOT Johnny have become had his fafhe
er taken him into partnership the IAN. da.
the pig was sold? '