Farm Boys and Girls

by William A. McKeever

Then, there may be instituted on a small scale stock shows and poultry shows in the hands of the boys of the neighborhood. To this the girls too may come with any such thing as display specimens of their home sewing and fancy work, house plants, and the like. In fact, these exhibitions may gradually develop into a sort of neighborhood or township fair for the special benefit of the young. To this display may be brought, not only the items named immediately above, but the larger variety of things mentioned in the chapter on the Rural Y.M.C.A.

The improvement of the school situation

Rural leaders will nearly always find many opportunities for improving the local school situation. But let the organizer keep unfailingly in view the high aims of all this rural work; namely, the awakening of a deeper interest in the affairs that normally belong to the neighborhood life, and the fuller measure of joy and contentment to result from every such achievement. So, there may be undertaken the redirection of the work of the country school. For example, bring forces to bear upon it that will result in the introduction of the study of elementary agriculture and the simple elements of home keeping and home sanitation therein. Work for a better class of teachers and a higher salary payment. Endeavor to have the length of the school term extended and the school attendance made more regular. Institute a series of red-letter days for the school during the year. It may be practicable to have a “parents’ day,” an occasion on which all will be invited to come out and join the pupils in a noonday lunch and learn more about the progress and the needs of the school. Provide a half-day for free and open discussion of school matters and if possible organize among the patrons a sort of “boosters’ club.”

Another form of endeavor in behalf of the schools is that of striving for improvement of the high school facilities of the neighborhood. Perhaps there is not a high school within riding distance of the homes. Cannot one be instituted, say, for the township? Or, what can be done to improve the present neighborhood relations to the high school that may be already within reach? Is there a prohibitive tuition fee? Does the high school now in existence actually serve through its courses the best interests of young people who come in from the neighborhood? Again, perhaps it would be feasible to organize the grown boys and girls who have dropped out of the country school into a neighborhood group and provide a daily conveyance for taking them to and from the town high school By this means, many may be induced to go to school who are idling away the valuable winter months.

During the last decade, what has been the trend of the young men and women who have gone from the home district to high school or college? Have any of the best of them returned to the farm? Or, have these institutions been a means of sending them away as permanent city dwellers? Does this thing need to continue? Cannot some movement be instituted for bringing about a radical change? So long as the country boys and girls attend the town high schools and there be required to take the old-fashioned classical courses—which have always served to introduce their minds to the city life and to the professional callings—the country districts will continue to be depleted of their best brains and energy.

Home and school play problems

Start a movement in the interest of better provided play opportunities for the children of the neighborhood. The possibilities of enriching and extending the young life through the avenue of better play are just beginning to be understood. We have always accepted the theory that young children must have some time to play, but we have given little or no heed to the matter of providing for their play such apparatus as might furnish scientific contributions to the development of their characters.

Make a brief inquiry throughout the neighborhood and you will perhaps find that not a single farm home has apparently given this matter any definite attention. Now, what playthings may easily be provided in such homes? After having determined that matter, begin a campaign of education of the rural parents. First, write to the Playground Association of America in New York City and ask for a list of their literature on play. From this source you will obtain pamphlets and larger volumes giving specific suggestions for installing rural play apparatus, and details as to dimensions, prices, and the like. Now, you are ready for work. Appeal to a centrally located family for their coöperation in establishing a model. Induce them to provide for their children a full set of the apparatus, seeing to it that the expense is kept down to the minimum. Nearly all of the materials of construction are lying about the ordinary farm home and need only to be assembled and put into place. Once you have established your model home playground, then invite your neighbors in to see it, perhaps making a sort of picnic or holiday occasion out of the affair. At any rate, you may be sure that the parents of the neighborhood will begin at once to copy the models and many will even improve upon them.

Along with your efforts there may be necessary a campaign of instruction and admonition in relation to the play of the children. Many parents may be working their small boys and girls too hard and allowing not enough time for play. In this respect your persistent effort will in time show excellent results.

Let us suppose that the farm home selected for the model playthings has at least one small boy and one small girl therein. Then, the following might be set up:—