Chapter I: Preface

In the preparation of this book I have had in mind two classes of readers; namely, the rural parents and the many persons who are interested in carrying forward the rural work discussed in the several chapters. It has been my aim to give as much specific aid and direction as possible. The first two chapters constitute a mere outline of some of the fundamental principles of child development. It would be fortunate if the reader who is unfamiliar with such principles could have a course of reading in the volumes that treat them extensively. Nearly every suggestion given in the main body of the book is based on what has already either been undertaken with a degree of success or planned for in some rural community.

I am very greatly indebted to the following persons and firms for their kindness and generosity in lending pictures and cuts for illustrating the book: E. T. Fairchild, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Topeka, Kansas; J. W. Crabtree, Principal State Normal School, River Falls, Wisconsin; George W. Brown, Superintendent of Edgar County, Paris, Illinois; O. J. Kern, Superintendent of Winnebago County, Rockford, Illinois; Miss Jessie Fields, Superintendent of Page County, Clarinda, Iowa; A. D. Holloway, General Secretary, County Y.M.C.A., Marysville, Kansas; Dr. Myron T. Scudder, of Rutgers College; Doubleday, Page & Company, Garden City, New York; _Rural Manhood_, New York City; _The Farmer's Voice_, Chicago, Illinois; _The American Agriculturist_, New York City; _The Oklahoma Farmer_, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; _The Inland Farmer_, Lexington, Kentucky; _The Farmer's Advocate_, Winnipeg, Canada.

My thanks are also due _Successful Farming_, of Des Moines, Iowa, for permission to use excerpts from President Kirk's article on the model school, and portions of a series of brief articles written for the same magazine by myself.

The references given at the close of the chapters have been selected with considerable care. It will be found in nearly every case that they give helpful and more extended discussions of the several topics treated in the preceding chapter.

WILLIAM A. McKEEVER.

MANHATTAN, KANSAS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. BUILDING A GOOD LIFE 1
What is a Good Life? 2
1. Good Health 3
2. Usefulness 3
3. Moral Strength 4
4. Social Efficiency 5
5. Religious Interest 5
6. Happiness 6
Is the Human Stock comparatively Sound? 7

II. THE TIME TO BUILD 12
What of the Human Instincts 12
The Dawning Instincts 12
Social Sensitiveness Helpful 19

III. THE RURAL HOME AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT 26
What Agencies build up Character? 26
1. Play 27
2. Work 30
3. Recreation 33
Moving to Town for the Children 36
A Back-to-the-country Club 38

IV. THE COUNTRY MOTHER AND THE CHILDREN 41
Poor Conditions of Women 42
For the Sake of the Children 44
1. Surplus Nerve Energy 44
2. A Rest Period 45
3. The Home Conveniences 46
4. The Mother's Outings 47
5. The Home Help 48
6. The Children shield the Mother 49
7. Planning for the Children 50
8. A Common Conspiracy 51

V. CONSTRUCTING THE COUNTRY DWELLING 54
Plans and Specifications not Available 55
What appeals to the Children 57
The House Plan 59
How One Farmer does It 60
Outbuildings and Equipment 61
Human Rights prior to Animal Rights 61
The Children's Room 64
The Evening Hour 67

VI. JUVENILE LITERATURE IN THE FARM HOME 69
How Good Thinking grows up and Flourishes 70
Types of Literature 72
A Selected List 75
Literature on Child-rearing 79
1. Periodicals on Child-rearing 80
2. Books on Child-rearing 80

VII. THE RURAL CHURCH AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE 82
Decadence of Rural Life 83
Work for the Ministry 84
The Country Minister 86
A Mistake in Training 89
Rural Child-rearing 90
The Churches too Narrow 92
Constructive Work of the Church 93
An Innovation in the Rural Church 95
Spiritualize Child Life 97
A Summary 98

VIII. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE RURAL SCHOOL 101
Radical Changes in the View-point and Method 102
All have a Right to Culture 103
Work for a Longer Term 105
Compulsory Attendance Laws Needed 106
Better Schoolhouses and Equipment 107
1. Location 108
2. The Water Supply 109
3. Size and Adaptation of Grounds 109
4. Improvement of School Grounds 110
A Model Rural School 112
The Cornell Schoolhouse 115
Help make a School Play Ground 117
General Instruction in Agriculture 120
Domestic Economy and Home Sanitation 122
Consolidation of Rural Schools 123
More High Schools Needed 124
Better Rural Teachers Needed 125

IX. THE COUNTY YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION 129
Boys leave the Farm too Young 130
Purposes of the County Young Men's Christian
Association 131
How to organize a County Organization 132
1. Select a Good Leader 133
2. Local Leaders Necessary 134
3. A Committee on Finance 134
4. Little Property Ownership 135
How to conduct the Work 136
1. Local and County Athletic Clubs 136
2. Debating and Literary Clubs 137
3. Receptions and Suppers 138
4. Educational Tours and Problems 138
5. Camping and Hiking 139
6. Exhibitions 139
Spirituality not lost Sight Of 141
Work in a sparsely Settled Country 143

X. THE FARMER AND HIS WIFE AS LEADERS OF THE YOUNG 146
Preparation for the Service 147
Work persistently for Social Unity 149
Corn-raising and Bread-baking Clubs 150
Other Forms of Contests 151
The Improvement of the School Situation 152
Home and School Play Problems 154
A Neighborhood Library 156
Holidays and Recreation for the Young 158
Many over-work their Children 160
Federation for Country-life Progress 161
The Vocations of Boys and Girls 162
Other Local Possibilities 164
The Boy Scout Movement 165
Rural Boy Scouts in Kansas 166

XI. HOW MUCH WORK FOR THE COUNTRY BOY 171
See that the Work is for the Boy's Sake 172
Not Enforced Labor, but Mastery 174
Provide Vacations for the Boy 176
A Tentative Schedule of Hours 178
Think out a Reasonable Plan 179

XII. HOW MUCH WORK FOR THE COUNTRY GIRL 183
A Balanced Life for the Girl 185
Work begins with Obedience 186
Working the Girls in the Field 188
Some Specific Suggestions 189
Do you Own your Daughter? 190
Difficult to make a Schedule 191
Teach the Girl Self-supremacy 192
Summary 194

XIII. SOCIAL TRAINING FOR FARM BOYS AND GIRLS 197
A Happy Mean is Needed 197
A Social Renaissance in the Country 199
Conditions to guard Against 200
1. The Social Companionship of Girls 201
2. Bad Companionships for Boys 202
3. Secret Sex Habits 204
4. The So-called Bad Habits 205
A Center of Community Life 207
Invite the Young to the House 208
How to conduct a Social Entertainment 209
What about the Country Dance? 211
Additional Forms of Entertainment 212
1. The Social Hour at the Religious Services 212
2. A Country Literary Society 213
3. The Social Side of the Economic Clubs 215
Some Concluding Suggestions 215

XIV. THE FARM BOY'S INTEREST IN THE BUSINESS 220
What is in your Boy? 220
Much Experimentation Necessary 221
1. Willingness to Work 222
2. Ability to Save 223
Start on a Small Scale 224
Give your Son a Square Deal 225
Keep the Boy's Perfect Good Will 226
Some will be retained on the Farm 227
The Awakening often comes from Without 229
An Awakening in the South 229
Partnership between Father and Son 231
Summary and Concluding Suggestions 232

XV. BUSINESS TRAINING FOR THE COUNTRY GIRL 235
Is the Country Girl Neglected? 236
Why the Girl leaves the Farm 237
Certain Rules to be Observed 239
1. Teach the Girl to Work 239
2. Teach her Business Sense 240
3. Train her to transact Personal Business 241
4. Make her the Family Accountant 242
5. Miserliness to be Avoided 243
6. Teach her to Give 244
7. Teach the Meaning of a Contract 245
8. Prepare her to deal with Grafters 246
Should there be an Actual Investment? 247

XVI. WHAT SCHOOLING SHOULD THE COUNTRY BOY HAVE 250
Changes in Rural School Conditions 250
The Boy a Bundle of Possibilities 252
Classes of Native Ability 253
The Great Talented Class 254
Round out the Boy's Nature 256
Other Important Matters 257
Develop an Interest in Humanity 259

XVII. WHAT SCHOOLING SHOULD THE COUNTRY GIRL HAVE 262
Special Problems relating to the Girl 262
Protecting the Girl at School 263
Lessons in Music and Art 265
The Reward will come in Time 267
The Mother's Office as Teacher 268
Home-life Education 270
Education for Supremacy 271
An Outlook for Social Life 272

XVIII. THE FARM BOY'S CHOICE OF A VOCATION 275
Should the Farmer's Son Farm? 275
Impatience of Parents 276
What of Predestination? 277
Three Methods of Vocational Training 279
1. The Apprentice Method 280
2. The Cultural Method 280
3. The Developmental Method 281
The Farmer Fortunate 282
What College for the Country Boy? 283
The Foundation in Work 284
Clean up the Place 285
Money Value of an Agricultural Education 286
A Successful Vocation Certain 287

XIX. THE FARM GIRL'S PREPARATION FOR A VOCATION 290
What is the Outlook? 290
Desirable Occupations for Women 292
1. May teach the Young 293
2. May take up Stenography 294
3. May do Social Work 295
4. May secure Clerkships 296
A College Course for the Girl 298
Associations with Refined Young Men 299
Make the Daughter Attractive 300
Summary and Conclusion 301

XX. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE OUTLOOK 306
Strive for Preconceived Results 306
Consult Expert Advice 308
Meet Each Awakening Interest 310
Work for Social Democracy 311
The Outlook very Promising 312
The Modern Service Training 314
The State doing its Part 316
The New Era of Religion 319
Final Conclusion 319

INDEX 323

ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE

I. Fig. 1. At least once each day the busy farm
father may think of a way to combine his
work with the children's play _Frontispiece_

FACING PAGE

II. Fig. 2. Canadian boys breaking young oxen 6

III. Fig. 3. An attractive Kansas home 28

IV. Fig. 4. A day nursery in the country 42

V. Fig. 5. A rural home in the South 56

VI. Fig. 6. A well-equipped farmhouse 64

VII. Fig. 7. Children playing under the shade trees 72

VIII. Figs. 8-9. Rural church, Plainfield, Illinois 86

IX. Fig. 10. Village church at Ogden, Kansas 92

X. Fig. 11. Corn Sunday in an Illinois church 96

XI. Fig. 12. A country schoolhouse in California 108
Fig. 13. Type of model rural school used in
Kansas 108

XII. Fig. 14. Model rural school at Kirksville, Missouri.
Normal 112

XIII. Fig. 15. Rear view of the Kirksville school 114

XIV. Fig. 16. Using Babcock tester 120

XV. Figs. 17-21. Consolidated school and those it
displaced 124

XVI. Fig. 22. The Cornell rural schoolhouse 126

XVII. Fig. 23. A.Y.M.C.A. play club 132

XVIII. Fig. 24. Y.M.C.A. Convention in Ohio 138

XIX. Fig. 25. Jerry Moore, champion corn raiser 150

XX. Fig. 26. A lonely schoolhouse 164

XXI. Fig 27. Tennis in the country 180
Fig. 28. Country play festival 180

XXII. Fig. 29. Industrial exhibit in rural school 192

XXIII. Fig. 30. Agricultural and domestic science club 208

XXIV. Fig. 31. School and church in Canada 212

XXV. Fig. 32. Kansas prize winners 230

XXVI. Fig. 33. Girls' doll display 238

XXVII. Fig. 34. Boys whittling 252

XXVIII. Fig. 35. Study of corn 256

XXIX. Fig. 36. School gardeners 270

XXX. Fig. 37. Country schoolgirls 290

XXXI. Fig. 38. A girls' class in sewing 300

XXXII. Fig. 39. Girl sowing seed 312
Fig. 40. Boy thinning vegetables 312

FARM BOYS AND GIRLS