THE TRAINING OF FARMERS 



ful native qualities, the young man or 

 young woman could acquire the proper 

 physical carriage and development, much 

 would be gained toward resisting the de- 

 mands of later life. The farmer is likely 

 to be careless of his body. 



I do not know whether any careful sta- 

 tistics have been made comparing the 

 physical development of farm folk with 

 other folk. It is not unusual for persons 

 of good observation and in full sympathy 

 with rural conditions to say to me that the 

 physical health and development of farm 

 people is lower than of other people of 

 comparable position in life, although this 

 is contrary to the prevailing opinion. It is 

 said that flattened chests, spinal curvature, 

 weak arches of the feet, and similar defi- 

 ciences, are marked in certain classes of 

 students coming largely from rural dis- 

 tricts. It is a current saying that the isola- 

 tion drives many farm women insane ; this, 

 I think, is an error. If it is true, it affords 

 the best possible argument for such an 

 educational program as will give the 

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