260 What Schooling Should the Country Boy Have 



stances. Take him occasionally to the orphanage, 

 the industrial (reform) school, the imbecile and in- 

 sane asylums, the prisons, and the sweat-shops in the 

 city. Thus through acquainting him with how the 

 other half lives you may cause the boy to reflect seri- 

 ously on the best meanings and possibilities of his 

 own life, and to plan in his mind a splendid ideal of 

 integrity for his own coming manhood. 



The boy's education is not going on rightly if he is 

 not being introduced to the current affairs of the 

 world. The literature suggested above should be 

 made to serve the purpose of bringing his attention 

 to these matters. He should become interested in 

 the political welfare of his community, his state, and 

 his nation, and learn to feel his responsibility in re- 

 gard to such things. But he will probably not volun- 

 tarily acquire these better relations to society at 

 large. It should therefore be regarded as the urgent 

 duty of the parent to give the necessary guidance 

 and instruction. 



Finally, we must again be reminded of the high 

 ideals of education and culture necessary to, and 

 consistent with, substantial country life. The great- 

 est of producing classes the agronomists must 

 and can in time rank at the head of all others in moral 

 and intellectual worth. So, let the rural parent look 

 ahead and formulate in his own mind the splendid 

 vision of his son grown up to full maturity of all his 

 best powers. Let him see this future citizen as a 



