Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-07-30

was the program.
Most OF the day
during the summer was spent III tasks
that made for strong body. The de-
veiopment OF the mind was left large
ly for the winter Then boy took his
books and sometimes trudged miles
through the snow to the little rural
school house. He had to quilt q warm
bed, dress by candlelight In chilly
room and do his share OF the chores
before he set out on his tramp to
school In quest OF all education.
That was the sort OF life Owen D.
Young. chairman Of the board OF the
General Electric company, financial
genius and diplomat, led as boy. de
was born In Van bonneville, N. T., In
1874. His ancestors had settled there
before the Revolution. His father
owned farm Ave miles from the
town. The boy had to perform all the
tasks that fell to the lot OF Other
Youngsters In the same environment.
The Young farm was Is miles from
the railroad Itinerant peddlers were
Its chief contact with the outside
world. Their coming was eagerly
awaited. Trips to town were taken
only when necessary. Such excursions
meant much lost time In the days OF
the horse-drawn wagon and poor
roads. Electric power. which has
lightened the work In rural sections.
the radio, which has put the farmer
In touch With the world and It's af-
fairs, were not thought of as farm
equipment when Owen d. Young was
hoy. They were made largely pos
sihle for the farmer through his
genius for organization.
Education. beyond the rural school,
was seldom considered worth while
for farm boys Of the time unless they
planned on professional life in town
or city. n they could read md write
and do simple problems in arithmetic,
they soon qualified for the Job Of rum
ming farm. Such rudmentary train
| Ing with books was hoIstered by hard
| and practical schooling In matters OF
| agriculture.
| Owen D. Young was not the average
| farm boy. He walked five miles day
TO the rural school AID hack during
| the term. helping his father the while
| with the chores. He was an only son.
II was red letter day In the boys
| life when he was taken to Coopers-
/ town, the county seat Of Herklmer.
| Dressed in blue jeans he went to the
courthouse and heard the lawyers ar
que case. They wore boiled shirts.
| stiff collars, black ties and hroadcloth,
impressive garb to the little boy from
the farm. Their arguments fascinated
him. He decided that when he grew
up he would be lawyer.
But there were many obstacles In
his path. HI had TO obtain better
education than the rural school Of
fered, II he was to qualify for his
chosen profession. Any effort to gain
advanced schooling meant that ne
would have to leave home. His father
needed him on the farm.
When an uncle came to help his
father the way to an education
opened for the lad. He went to the
East Springfield academy, encouraged
BY his parents In his ambitions.
His father drove Owen to schoo
each week and brought him back home
on Friday. His mother prepared tht
food on which he lived while away
from home. Each week the boy car
ried away with him, packed in bill
box, the good things his mother cooked
for him to eat.
He was ready for college when h
was fifteen years old. He wanted t
20 to Cornell thinking he could vii
Lone OF the state scholarships there
Y But he was too young to be eligible t
try the competitive examinations. 5
he returned home to help his fathe
: again. He became interested in churc
work and conducted the Sunday schot
: In the little church In Van Hornesvill'
, Alpheus Baker Harvey, then pres
dent OF st. Lawrence university, cam
/ to the town to preach. He heard Owe
Young speak In church. The lad inte
ested him so much that the educate
persuaded the elder Young that til
!, boy was deserving Of college educ
tion even at great sacrifice to h
J parents.
!. 4 So the father borrowed $1,000 ar
! on that money. and his own earning
! owen D. Young went through colleg
! He got his bachelor OF arts degr'
. from st. Lawrence In 1894.
He still held to his ambition to be
:, lawyer. He entered Boston universit
knowing that he would have to NO
!, his way through the law school.
i o. yed as librarian and tutor
! Gu ! all Yne money needed to meet /
:, modest expenses. He completed I
: three-year course IN two years.
- After being admitted to the Mas
chusetts bar he went to work for
a General Electric company. His pl
!. motion was rapid. The farm boy
50 years ago Is now the organizi
genius Of the electrical industry q
ono OF the financial wizards OF
time