Age 11.—Increase the required tasks about one hour per day with similar treatment as for age 10. This is the age for training the boy to be a sort of “page” in service of his mother and sister.
Plate XXI.
Fig. 27.—A tennis court in connection with the country boys’ camp. There should be more of these.
Fig. 28.—A country play festival. We cannot answer rightly the question, How much work for the country boy? and at the same time neglect to provide for his play.
Age 12.—Many 12-year-old boys are required to do a man’s work every day. But such a thing is done in the interest of the work and the profits and not for the sake of the boy. A good way to measure his worth at this age is to see that he does not earn more than half as much as the full-grown man. Give many half-holidays. His interest in fishing, rowing, swimming, and the like, needs much indulgence.
Age 13.—From this age to 15, watch the boy for the beginning of adolescence and be unusually careful not to over-work him. Most of his bodily strength must go into making new bone and muscle. Frequent intervals of rest and relaxation should be the rule, together with avoidance of too long and too heavy a day’s work. Even permit some crops to be lost rather than abuse the boy.