180 How Much Work for the Country Boy 



with some easy tasks, preferably about the house. 

 Of course there is much work about the barn and 

 fields which is not too heavy for him. 



Age 8. Some boys are put to plowing at this age, 

 but such a thing is little short of criminal. More- 

 over, they should be held regularly to no sort of work 

 all day long at this age ; that is, unless the parent 

 desires to reduce his boy to a little old dried-up man 

 before the age of twenty is reached, and perhaps 

 drive him from home. 



Age 9. Intermittently half-day or all-day tasks 

 may now be imposed; provided the lad be taken 

 along as a mere helper and may, about two-thirds 

 of the time, either play at his work or regard it in the 

 light of a playful pastime. Do not work the joyous- 

 ness and spontaneity out of him at this young age. 



Age 10. An average of five hours solid work per 

 day is all that the 10-year-old farm boy should be 

 required to do. Much play and recreation of the 

 rougher sort should supplement it. The desire to 

 construct something with tools is now strong and 

 should be indulged. Or, see that he has a pony to 

 ride as he hurries about the place in the performance 

 of his many errands. 



Age 11. Increase the required tasks about one 

 hour per day with similar treatment as for age 10. 

 This is the age for training the boy to be a sort of 

 "page" in service of his mother and sister. 



Age 12. Many 12-year-old boys are required to 



