31« ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



he differs and these differences are dne mainly to his environment 

 and to the nature of the training he receives. 



What may be said of the farmer boy will apply equally well, in 

 many cases, to the farmer girl, but as the girl usually receives the 

 gi enter share of care and attention, it is but just and fair to consider 

 for a little time the oft-neglected, commonplace boy. While he may 

 not be as interesting a subject to many of you, he nevertheless needs 

 and is worthy of, our most thoughtful consideration. 



My own experience and intimate association with boys of all ages 

 for a number of j'ears, has taught me some things about boys in gen- 

 eral and the farmer boy in particular. I know something of his sur- 

 roundings, his temptations and of the difficulties he must meet and 

 overcome if he would succeed. His childhood and early boyhood 

 days with their associations have a marked influence on the life and 

 character of the boy. How often have we all seen him, as a rol- 

 licking little fellow of six or eight summers, as he conies through 

 the doorway of the old farm house on a bright June morning. He 

 is a quaint and original specimen of young America as, with patched 

 trousers and old straw hat, minus its brim, and with a hole in the 

 crown through which his long hair protrudes, he rushes off bare- 

 footed to have a romp with the dog or calf, with the ruddy flush of 

 health upon his cheeks and a merry whistle on his lips. 



He never seems to get tired in doing the things w^hich suit his 

 fancy. It is not wise to let him always do just the things that he 

 likes but his perseverance in so doing is an indication even here that 

 when he finds his proper work in life there will be some stability in 

 him. Don't let him do as he pleases, but give him a reasonable 

 amount of work to do and see that he does it well. Give him, how- 

 ever, plenty of time for play. Let him romp and play in the orchard, 

 the meadow, and gather pebbles by the brook or wild flowers from 

 the woodland hillside, as free from care as the bird that sings in the 

 tree above him, and both you and the boy will be gainers in the end. 

 He may, perhaps, fall asleep beneath the shade of a friendly tree in 

 the orchard and spend an hour or two in boyhood dreams. You find 

 him with his hatless head pillowed in a tangled mass of clover 

 blossoms, blissfully unconscious of his surroundings. Do'n't rudely 

 awaken him with a gruff command to do some unpleasant task, you 

 may injure him more than you know. 



This free, happy life is one of the greatest blessings of the farmer 

 boy and one which no other boy can obtain in like measure. Its in- 

 fluence on his life and character makes one of the chief differences be- 

 tween him and other boys. 



The condition of many rural districts and the appearance of many 

 farms indicate the need of better farmers todav; but if we would 

 have better farmers we need to look well to the material of which 



