THE FARM AS A HOME 105 



protected by child labor laws. The city child 

 grows up in idleness. Out of school hours there 

 is nothing for him to do except to spend the 

 hours in play. The child on the farm, as soon 

 as he can walk, is given some light, simple task 

 to perform. Perhaps it is the wood box that he 

 fills for his mother, or the potatoes that the girl 

 pares for dinner. As they grow older the boy 

 can feed the calf and the girl the chickens. Both 

 chores are necessary and insistent. Because the 

 boy wishes to play is no reason why the calf can 

 go hungry. He learns early in the game that 

 life is real and earnest. And when he goes to 

 the city the urban-raised youth has small chance 

 against him in the battle of life. 



Enthusiasm is the breath of life, and a com- 

 mon enthusiasm the strength of a nation. Bet- 

 ter war, with its united patriotism, than the 

 crumbling decay of individual, egotistical lux- 

 uriousness of living. 



On a farm the family work together. In the 

 city it makes little difference to the rest of the 

 family whether the father is a broker, a butcher, 

 or a candlestick maker. His place in the econ- 



