THE FARM FOR BOYS. 407 



satisfied me that the practical labors of the farm which boys 

 are called upon and expected to perform, even the humble 

 chores, with their ceaseless and often monotonous round, con- 

 stitute the very best and most valuable part of the practical 

 education of life. They do more to lay the foundation of 

 health and strength, of physical and mental vigor, than all the 

 artificial aids of the gymnasium, and all the contrivances for 

 physical culture in the city school, — vastly more. 



The advantage which the boy of the city has is only appar- 

 ent. He is brought up like a hot-house plant, and lacks the 

 strength and vigor of mind which a slower mental develop- 

 ment and the health-o^iving and invio^orating air and out-of- 

 door exercise of the country give. Take an equal number of 

 boys from the city, from circumstances as nearly equal as they 

 can be found, and in the struggle for life and position, whether 

 it be social, political or pecuniary, the boys from the farm will 

 come out ahead. They may not, at first, appear so quick, so 

 ready to adapt themselves to circumstances, or so accom- 

 plished for their age, but in the long run they Avill generally 

 get the better of the bo^'s from the city. 



The greatest apparent disadvantage is in early education. 

 The city boy seems, at first sight, to be highly and especially 

 favored. He has what are called the best schools and the best 

 teachers that money can procure. He is driven to learn, 

 whether he will or no, and at the age of twelve or fifteen he 

 will show greater readiness and proficiency in study, and be 

 able to write better, and, perhaps, to read and speak better 

 and with more self-possession before the school on exhibition 

 and other days. But even here the advantage is rather 

 apparent than real. 



With a complete knowledge of the methods pursued, both in 

 country and in city schools, and the most ample opportunities 

 of comparison from a close observation of the results obtained 

 in both, I should unhesitatingly give the preference to the 

 country and to farm-life for a boy, no matter what his future 

 is to be. 



The city school is run on too high a pressure of competi- 

 tion, as much too high as the country school is too low. Of 

 the two systems, of graded and ungraded schools, I am in- 

 clined to think the latter will show the better results when the 



