188 How Much Work for the Country Girl 



should think about most seriously in relation to the 

 training of her daughter ? 



WORKING THE GIRLS IN THE FIELD 



Is there any justification for requiring a girl to 

 work in the field with the men and boys ? Many 

 girls are doing so, whether required or not. Careful 

 consideration of the matter seems to bring out a few 

 suggestions. The farm girl while a child under ten 

 years may accompany the father or the brothers into 

 the field and there be permitted to do some light 

 work occasionally, provided she regard it in a 

 semi-playful way. On very rare occasions, when 

 older, she may be rightfully called on to drive a rake 

 for a day or take some similar part of the work in 

 order to help prevent the loss of a valuable crop. 



But the practice followed by some farmers, of often 

 requiring their daughters to do a man's work in the 

 field, and excusing the fault with the thought that 

 it is for the sake of laying up wealth for her future 

 enjoyment that is abominable and should be 

 prohibited by law. Among other objections, it is 

 probably most hurtful to the young woman's pride 

 and self-respect to be forced to perform farm labor. 

 And then, during such time as she works in the 

 field her much needed opportunities for the practice 

 of the womanly arts and refinements are slipping 

 away. 



Of course we should not take away from the 



