KEEPING BOYS ON FARMS.

Otaki Mail, 19 February 1923, Page 4

KEEPING BOYS ON FARMS.

A great many farmers ilo not study this problem in the right way. They try to persuade, and often compel, the boy to stay on the farm, and yet do nothing to make farm life attractive and interesting to him. "Whenever farmers do more to make farm life attractive and interesting, then there will not be so many boys leave the farm and go to the city. There is more truth than poetry in the old saying that “all work and no play makes Jack it dull boy” (says an American farm paper). Do not work the boy from daylight to dark, but give him time for recreation. The boy who has some fun along with his work will do

more work than the boy who lias nothing to think about but work. Where is the boy who will not work hard to get the crops planted if promised a fishing trip' And when you make the boy it promise see that you carry it out. because if you disappoint him a few times you will lose his confidence. Provide some outdoor games, such as foot-

ball, tennis, or cricket. Provide plenty of good books and magazines for the boys to read, and no home is complete without some musical instruments, which do so much to make the home cheerful. After you have made sure that the boy lias enough time for recreation, then give him something that will give him interest in the farm. Give him a pig or a calf and make him feel he is your partner. But never let the boy say that “his calf became dad’s cow, ’ ’