^2 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



Convention met at 7:30 p. m. 

 The president in the chair. 

 Piano solo, Miss TiUie Boebeker. 

 Song, F. G. Erfurt. 



HOW TO KEEP THE BOYS AND GIRLS ON THE 



FARM. 



Mrs. Mary A. Mayo, Battle Creek, Mich. 



All over this broad land of ours, upon the beautiful highways, 

 where well-tilled lands speak of industry, thrift, and what may 

 be its associate, comfort, down the by-ways where small crude 

 homes tell of toil, industry, and, perhaps, a larger share of com- 

 fort, there are bright-eyed boys and girls who think, ponder and 

 dream the long, long dreams that always come to the intelligent 

 youth. 



There are boys and girls in these homes who grow restless, 

 their feet are impatient to walk in other ways, — life upon the 

 farm is not the life for them. They are only staying until they 

 arrive at their majority, when they may and can turn their backs 

 to the farm and set their faces toward town or city and their 

 hands to other toil than their fathers have known. 



Our farm homes are often depleted of our brightest and fair- 

 est, which the city or town gains. The son or daughter born to 

 us in mature life, upon whom we had hoped and expected to rely 

 when the infirmities of age steal so unconsciously upon us, slip 

 away from the old farm home for life and work in shop, store, 

 factory or office, and we are left to ourselves, without children, 

 and, from force of circumstances, which we think beyond our 

 control, the farm is rented, or, worse, sold, and the father and 

 mother suffer removal, which is like tearing up an old tree by 

 the roots. 



Fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, these things ought 

 not to be. There are exceptions we know, and thank God 

 that there are. Now, where lies the cause.^^ We think we need 



