Year: 1874

THE KIND OF BOY TO TAKE AND HOW TO
TRAIN HIM.


Robert Mansfield, of Wellesley, Massa-
chusetts, contributes the following article


on the above subject, to the Germantown


Telegraph, which we reproduce for the


benefit of our readers:


As the preacher says, we will first treat


it negatively. Don't take boy that has


stood at the shoe bench from fourteen


wears of age to eighteen. because he has


had experience in such days as he had no


work, and those parts OF days toward night


when the time was worse than unoccupi-
cd, learning things that are averse to cul


tivating land. Don't take a merchants
son that has we'll learned his fathers trade,


and shows partial fondness for it, for.


like some chemicals. more than two ingre-


dients must be used to make perfect COM


pound. Do not take ministers or a doc


tors son, unless you get him soon after he


is weaned, for there has not been much


inducement to lead him to seek such en-


ployment, much more to engage in it, if


. living can be obtained otherwise


Though in all these there may be excep-


tions, they are rare and unsafe to depend
upon.


The actors son will find the solitude of


the country opposed to the excited feeling


he has acquired. The sailor boy will care


more for climbing to birds nests and prac-
ticing gymnastic feats, than he will watch


the terminating of tiny seeds, and ten to
one he will be off with the first circus com
pany that comes to town. The boy that
l. g., lf,,y
scoiiegr, being is;.s.. sy.th ::-ss
will be more likely to come out a second
or third-rate lawyer than a farmer. Boys


that have swept offices in the cities or gone
on errands will not willingly exchange for


the drudgcry, as they would call it, OF the
stable, and the every day travels oyer the
farm The boy who sells newspapers and
blacks shoes would not be the boy to put
on the farm and contine to the home circle.
These NAV be sufficient to illustrate the
negative side of the question. and open the
affirmative, namely, what boys and where


shall we find theml


Going into the country; if scores ofmiles
from the great cities, none the worse, you
will find farmers doing a profitable bust
ness. as we'll as pleasant one. The boys
and girls, too-rising with the sun, find


an abundance Of chores, as the small mat
ters are called, to be attended to before
the hour arrives TO commence the days


work under the fancy farming rule. Then
the routine OF regular work on the farm
gives a healthy variety to crown the labors
of the day. The proprietor of the farm is
supposed to labor himself on it. The boys
no doubt at times feel that they are kept
rather close, but with privileges given
them, such as cultivating portion of land
for themselves, or growing an animal now
and then. they will become more in love
with farming, though for the time being
they are scarcely sensible of it. | will
add the thought just here: Let the far


mer's table be we'll supplied with books


and papers; paper that discuss matters
which are the most profitable.


In these days boys leave the parental
home too soon. From seventeen to twen
ty-one are the years most suited for the
development of true agricultural char


acter. The father wishes to give his boys
I their time to be earning money for them
selves. This is right, but let him retain
, his legal hold upon them, at the same


time giving them the privilege of earning
! for themselves the same amount they rea-


sonably supposed to save, iftor themselves.


1t is a fact that boys begin to feel home
sick on a farm when the buds of business


faculties begin to open. This is in the
! first year of their teens Now, if home


sick person stays at the exact spot where
it commences until he gets over it, he will


never be troubled again in like manner.


If you look for "a good and contented far
mer it will be he who has attained his ma
ioritv on the farm under the eye of pa
rent or guardian. Sons and daughters, if


YOU wish to be useful in your calling, to


be contented, honor your parents by pre-


terring their company and supervision be-


fore any other.