Wait for Natural Growth 257 



dollars and cents and to be impatient at the thought 

 of the boy's taking a broad, fundamental course of 

 schooling. Such school subjects as language and 

 composition are especially thought of as a useless 

 waste of time. But fortunately, as indicated above, 

 the choice is no longer left either to the boy or his 

 father. The former must pursue the subjects as- 

 signed him and allow time to prove the wisdom of such 

 a procedure, as it most certainly will. Wherefore, 

 let the rural father attempt to think of his boy, not 

 merely as a coming money-maker, but as a coming 

 man; a man of power and worth and influence in the 

 community in which he is to live, a man of whom his 

 aged father in future time will be most proud, and 

 by whom he will be highly honored. 



OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS 



As suggested above, the evidence is very over- 

 whelming in effect that it is the duty of rural parents 

 to give their children a broad, general course of 

 training as a foundation for efficient life in any place 

 or position. Moreover, it must not be thought for a 

 moment that the legacy of money or property will 

 in any wise furnish a satisfactory substitute for such 

 a course of training. Mean-spiritedness and narrow- 

 mindedness are almost invariably prominent traits of 

 the man who has been prepared to know nothing 

 outside of his business even though that may be a 

 big business. On the other hand, extensive culture, 



