ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. ^r 



was educated in the country schools, and probably more in touch with the 

 country children. 



My idea of an address may not be what yours is. When I see the word 

 "address," it makes me think of the long speeches, probably one, two, 

 three hours in length that we listened to when attending school. That 

 is not my idea. I want to have just a plain common talk. I may talk 

 shop some, but that is the talk we need to get, and if certain things may 

 appeal to you, some of which you have thought of before, some that which 

 may be new, I hope they will be discussed or thought of, and when you .go 

 back home that your influence in the country wilj be such as will tend to 

 keep the boys and girls where nature intended them to be kept — at home 

 on the farm, near to nature. 



There are several causes thai lead to the boys and girls leaving the 

 farm. You, who are farmers, wh o were born and raised on thej farm, 

 doubtless remember how, when going to the city, probably to some so- 

 ciety, some entertainment, or, if not, in walking along the streets, how 

 the dudish boys and girls passed you by, looking down,Upon you, and you 

 had a feeling of envy and jealousy that your lot was not like theirs. Is 

 that not one of the strong reasons of bringing the country boys first to- 

 ward looking to city life as the ideal life? 



So many of the country communities had no society. I am glad to say 

 that now in manyiof the communities the country society, the country en- 

 tertainments and the country literary work is as good as in the city. It is 

 part of the training to make the boys and girls true citizens of this coun- 

 try. 



You also doubtless remember how hard it was at four o'clock in the 

 morning in the summer time or harvest time or extra seeding time to 

 get up. The cows had to be milke d and the horses ha*d to be cared, for. 

 After that the long hours in the field and coming in at night tired, probab- 

 ly would be eight or nine o'clock, without any recreation. Their work is 

 not easy. In farm work it is necessary at certain seasons of the year for 

 these long hours; do not let us overlook the social feature of the boys 

 and girls. It is drudgery from morning until night until the boys leaves. 



