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"THE FIRST DAY ON A FARM" 



Massachusetts farmers are facing the biggest job of training new 

 workers they have ever had. Hundreds of people, inexperienced in farm work 

 are going on farms to assist in the planting, cultivating and harvesting of 

 crops and the care of livestock. In general, these people vj-ill be willing 

 but are completely inexpf3rienced. The results obtained from this inexperienced 

 help will depend a great deal upon the "breaking-in program"which farmers employ. 



Greeting the New Farm Worker - There's a Vfrong Yfay and a Right Yfay 



A schoolboy has decided to help with farm work, and has been assigned 

 or directed to go to a certain farm. He has just arrived by bus and finds 

 Fanner "A" in the barn wherethe following conversation takes place; 



Farmer "A" - "Hello, Bub. V/hat do you want?" 



Boy - "I was sent here by Mr. Green, the County Agent, to help you 

 •with your farm work." 



Farmer "A" - "You look pretty puny to ne to be much good on this farm. 

 How old are you, anyvv-ay?" 



Boy - "I an sixteen, sir. Vfiiile I'm not as tall as some of the 



boys I think you will find I can take it. I have delivered 

 papers for the past two years and played on the scrub foot- 

 ball team." 



Farmer "A" - "Vfell, you'll find farming isn't football. It's hard v;ork 

 from before daylight until after dark. ITe farraers have a 

 hard life and you'll soon find that out. Did you ever vrork 

 on a farm?" 



Boy - "I have never worked on a farm before, sir, but I am certain 

 I can learn if you v/ill show me," 



Farmer "A" - "Vlell, take that fork and go down there and clean up that 

 cow stable. Let's get going." 



Such an approach makes a boy or any other eager and enthusiastic but 

 inexperienced worker feel that the farm job is the hardest, most difficult to 

 learn, and will dampen enthusiasm, shatter morale and cause him to v^ork below 

 top effectiveness. 



Let's see how the young farm worker might better be handled. (Boy 

 gets off from a bus and finds Farmer Bill Smith in the barn.) 



Mr. Smith - "Good morning. Aren't you John Brown, the young man Mr. Green 

 told us would come out to help v/ith the farm v/ork this summer?" 



John - "Yes, sir, I am John." 



