_THE RURAL HOME AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT_
That the farm home is an ideal place in which to build up the lives of
growing boys and girls has become almost a trite saying. But that rural
parents are yet failing to realize the child-nurturing possibilities of
such a place may be exemplified in thousands of instances. When we point
to the farm home as being the best possible place for rearing children,
we mean that it contains all the crude materials for such work, and that
there must be in charge of that work some one who is conscious of the
many aspects of the problem. So we hope to show the fathers and mothers
of the farm community, not what they might do if they were differently
situated, but as specifically as possible what there is in the present
rural home situation that can be made directly available in the
construction of the lives of their children.
WHAT AGENCIES BUILD UP CHARACTER?
First of all, we must ask, What are the ordinary forces which need to be
brought into service in the development of children? At the head of the
list, we should name play, as furnishing a great variety of instructive
activities; then, work and industry; after that, the recreation that
comes properly after the performance of work. So, we have with all their
implied meanings the three great child-developing agencies: play, work,
recreation. Now the question naturally presents itself, Can the ordinary
farm life be made to furnish in right amount and proportion these three
essential elements of character development?
1. _Play._--The necessity of indulging and training properly the play
instinct of the child is becoming so fully appreciated of late that many
of the state legislatures, and even the national Congress, have seen fit
to make it a matter of deep concern. In order that all children may have
full exercise of the divine, inherent right to play and to learn through
play, many so-called child labor laws have been passed. These enactments
have prescribed conditions under which children will be permitted to
work at gainful occupations, and in the majority of cases they have
strictly forbidden such child labor below the ages of fourteen to
sixteen.
But the foregoing efforts in behalf of the young have been of a somewhat
negative sort, merely guaranteeing the child the right to play. On the
positive side, much is also being done. The scientific students of child
life have been pointing to the great benefits of play and to the
present need for larger means and fuller opportunities for play on the
part of the masses of children. As an outcome of all this research and
public agitation, there is now in progress a general movement which
looks to the placing at the disposal of children everywhere the
equipment and apparatus necessary for building up the character by means
of play experience. The large cities are expending millions of dollars
on municipal playgrounds, and the towns and rural communities are
catching the spirit also.
It has been shown beyond a question that adult life can be prepared for
and enriched in many ways by means of scientifically provided play
during childhood. Two or three results are especially sought through the
playground training: (1) better physical health and increased power to
resist disease; (2) enlarged opportunities for the outlet of the
spontaneous activities through the use of the hands and other parts of
the body; (3) the provision of a powerful deterrent of evil thought and
deed and of juvenile crime; (4) the manifold opportunities for learning
how to get along with one's fellows and to treat them in fairness and
justice.
[Illustration: PLATE III.
FIG. 3.--This beautiful Kansas home, with its large orchard and many
shade trees adjoining, was constructed "away out on the barren plains
where no tree will grow." In this place an excellent family of nine
children grew up.]
It has already been urged that sound health constitutes one of the
foundation stones of good character. Play is especially conducive to
sound health. Some may think that work without much if any play will
bring about the same results in the child life, but such proves not
to be the case. The monotony and drudgery of enforced labor have been
crushing the lives of children everywhere, especially until the wise
legislation of very recent years prevented such thing. Strange to say,
the same amount of exertion in spontaneous play may build up and
strengthen the physical and mental life of the child. What is the secret
of the striking difference in the result? Spontaneity! is the answer.
The child goes at his play with a joy and an eagerness which are
entirely absent from work--a sufficient guarantee that his nature is
being fed upon the very stuff which his soul craves. It is true that
children will play in a bare room containing nothing more than a pile of
trash, but such a situation is woefully lacking on the side of
instruction. Very little will be learned from a year of such
ill-provided play.
So, there is every necessary reason for urging that the farm home
provide not only the time and the occasion for the play life of the
children, but that the means and proper materials also be looked after.
At a certain rural home in the state of Michigan, where two boys and one
girl were growing up, were found the following nearly ideal arrangements
for the play life: a small clump of trees, which afforded opportunities
for climbing and ample shade during the warm weather; a swing hung
between two of the trees; a pole serving as a horizontal bar between
two others; and a ladder leading to a rude playhouse constructed between
the forks of a branching maple tree. Thereabout were seen also a boy's
wagon, two home-made sleds and other materials of this same general
class, not to mention a fairly well-kept lawn, where the children could
romp.
Now the cost of all the foregoing materials would be trifling in a money
sense and not very expensive in point of preparation and work, while
they would pay for themselves a hundred-fold in their results for
character-development. If necessary, it could even be shown how just
such provision for the play of the boys and girls on the farm will in
time add to the actual cash value of the place and to the money-earning
power of the boys and girls whose lives are being served. It seems
altogether fitting to remind rural parents of their duty in respect to
their children even though the mortgage may not yet have been lifted,
and even though some of the live stock may have to suffer a little, and
some of the farm crops deteriorate slightly. Let there be provided,
first of all, some adequate materials for the indulgence of the play
instinct of the child.
2. _Work._--This term implies a wide meaning, and deserves a lengthy
discussion. In a chapter to follow under the title "How Much Work for
the Country Boy," we shall give due attention to it. The purpose here is
to advise the parent to make a study of the situation and to make
provision for the amount and kind of work and industry necessary for
the proper culture of the growing child.
First of all, there must be appreciated the sharp distinction between
work and play. The latter is spontaneous, allowing the child to follow
his caprice of mind. He may take up one play activity and drop it at any
moment that another appeals to him more strongly. But with work, the
situation is different. The purpose is outside of and not within the
performance, as in the case of play. The work looks toward some end
necessary of achievement and carries with it the elements of sacrifice,
of giving out of one's life something that is his very own in order that
some other thing may be acquired. In the case of work the normal child
probably at first finds almost any assigned task irksome. He feels that
he is being more or less unfairly or unnecessarily driven to it and that
when he grows to be a man, he will have a lot of money and hire somebody
else to do the work.
All natural, healthy-minded boys are at first somewhat stubborn and
rebellious in regard to work. No matter how good their parents may be,
if merely turned loose in the world without direction and the spur of
authority, they will almost invariably avoid manual labor. So it might
as well be put down at once as a rule that every boy who is to become a
real worker and an industrious character must be set definitely at his
tasks while a mere child and held strictly to their performance. After
much persistent urging, the young worker begins to forget the thought
of being driven to his duty and to acquire instead a habit of industry.
By slow degrees he develops within a sense of obligation in relation to
work, also a feeling of responsibility for tasks done or left undone.
Finally, after years of this sort of experience, the young industrialist
reaches a point in his life when he can throw himself enthusiastically
into some sort of well chosen occupation. And then and there emerges
from his inner consciousness the exceeding great joy known to so many of
the industrious men and women whose worthy life-long devotion to work is
constantly reconstructing this good world in which we live.
It will be understood, of course, that the term work as here used
includes the school training. The ordinary child regards the appointed
duties of lesson getting in the nature of work and feels the same
pressure of insistence and compulsion in relation to them.
Unquestionably, the ordinary school course goes part way toward
furnishing discipline in industry. The course of the newer schools about
to be instituted throughout the country will reach still farther in this
direction. It is very encouraging indeed to observe that the public
school curriculum is destined to include, not only the study of books
and the recitation of lessons learned from books, but also the many
forms of manual labor and industry applicable to the character of the
growing child. But until the public school authorities have provided
such an ideal course of training, parents must see to it that the
class-room duties be thoroughly supplemented with carefully assigned
home tasks of the industrial training sort. In a later chapter specific
attention will be given the question of the schooling of the country boy
and the country girl.
3. _Recreation._--What a vast amount of misunderstanding and misuse
there is of this term! Observe, if you will, the real meaning of the
term or of the kindred word, to re-create. It implies in this use that
the body has been depleted, worn out, or fatigued by work and that there
is to be a rebuilding of the same. But it is amusing--or would be if it
were not so pathetic--to see how city parents often bestir themselves in
an effort to provide recreation for their idle boys. Many of these boys
who are seen loafing about the home town during practically the entire
summer vacation period are given an outing in order that they may thus
be furnished "recreation"--from indolence.
But farm parents are inclined to err on the other side. That is, they
tend to over-work their boys and not to give them enough outings to
furnish proper recreation and renewed zeal for the work required of
them. Hence, the need of carefully considering the matter of the outings
for the farm boy and girl. It can most probably be shown, for example,
that the boy who works on the farm five and a half days of the week and
who is given the other half day for rest and recreation--that he does
more work in the five and one-half days and does it better than he would
do in six full days without the half-holiday. The question here is that
of a balanced schedule. How long should the boy be held to his task
before being allowed a holiday or recreation period?
Just how can these half-holidays, outings, and the like, be worked into
the farm boy's program so as to make them contributive to the
up-building of his character? What of this sort can be done to cause him
to return to his assigned tasks with greater zeal and enthusiasm? How
can it be provided that the boy may look forward to these outings with a
thrill of joy during the long days he has to spend behind the plow or in
the harvest field? Finally, how can these recreation periods, large and
small, be so associated with his work-a-day tasks that he may come to
regard farm life as a wholesome type of vocation--one that he may follow
with pleasure and profit for himself, and one in which he may succeed so
well as to make his achievements constitute a living commendation of
such a calling to others? In a later discussion there will be shown many
methods whereby the recreation experience of the farm boys and girls may
be properly looked after.
Few persons seem to appreciate the value of solitude as a means of
recreating and building up the inner life. Probably one of the greatest
agencies in the development of many a powerful personality is the fact
that its possessor was compelled by force of circumstances while young
to spend much time in the company of his or her own thoughts. It is
impossible to think intelligently while one is doing any body-straining
work; for example, wood sawing or hay pitching. But there are many forms
of occupation for boys and girls on the farm which permit of comparative
rest of the body. So the foundations of many a worthy career have been
laid in the silent reflections of the boy spending the day alone in the
woods or on the prairies with his cattle and dog and pony, or sitting on
the seat of the riding plow.
Likewise, the farmer's daughter, during the performance of many simple,
non-fatiguing tasks, reflects perforce upon the larger meanings of life
and makes out in mind many plans for the time when she hopes to
undertake the mastery of various trying and interesting problems. Lack
of this enforced solitude and its attendant reflections--lack of the
discovery of the joy of being at regular intervals alone with the great
soul of Nature and with one's inner consciousness--doubtless contributes
in some measure to the undoing of city boys and girls. The constant
turmoil of the street, the excitement of the ever changing scenes and
situations, give an over-indulgence to the senses, ripen the judgments
too early, and rob the character of those soberer habits which later
enable one to find good in the common situations and the common people
of the world.
It is, therefore, recommended that farm parents provide for a part of
the sterner duties of the boys and girls such tasks as will allow for
comparative rest of the body while the mind may tarry undisturbed with
the reflections of the inner life.
MOVING TO TOWN FOR THE CHILDREN
The practice of the well-to-do farmer who moves to town to "educate his
children" is an old story and is fraught with many a hidden tragedy, to
say nothing of the impoverishment of the land and of the social order
left behind. Why cannot the intelligent farmer remain on the home place
and join a movement having for its purpose that of making the
neighborhood a more desirable place of human habitation?
One of the dullest places in the world is the country town which has
been filled up with retired farmers. These are usually men who came into
the place for the purpose of getting all the possible advantages at the
lowest possible cost. In the typical case the new city dweller of this
class secures a very good residence, and that often, if possible, just
outside the city limits, in order to avoid local taxes. He takes little
or no interest in the town's municipal affairs and votes against nearly
all proposed improvements. He keeps his own cow, horse, chickens, and
garden, and brings extra supplies in from the farm. Gradually he takes
on a few of the city ways. That is, he uses less home produce and does
some buying at the stores. But for want of stimulating employment he
gradually grows stouter and mentally more stupid, sleeping away many of
the hours of the day in his chair--an indication that he is dying at the
top and that he is soon to be cut down. Really, the retired farmer is a
nuisance to the town and the town is a bore to him.
But what of the children whom he brought in to "educate"? They learn
rapidly, soon taking on the city manners. The natural restraints from
evil conduct, which the farm home furnished, are now wanting. The blare
and bluster of the town both excite and delight them, while the parents
have positively no rules or standards by which to govern and direct
their young in the new situation. All the boys and girls need to do in
order to gain parental consent for going out at night is to declare that
"everybody is going" or that they are "expected" to be there, and the
thing is settled. Thus the young ruralists newly come to town go dancing
and prancing off into a veritable world of sweet dreams and
delights--spoiled forever for any service that they might have rendered
in building up the country community--and finally destined to become
mere cogs in the ever grinding wheel of some city.
A BACK-TO-THE-COUNTRY CLUB
Nearly every town and city of the United States has had a so-called
Commercial Club. This has been in reality a boosters' club bent first of
all on bringing big business to the place and thus opening the way for a
bigger population. Anything for the sake of more people has been the
watchword. Now, I would reverse this order of things. Nearly every one
of these towns and cities needs a club or committee that might have for
its purposes: (1) to show the would-be retired farmer how to shift the
burdens from his wife as housekeeper, how to provide better social and
intellectual advantages for his children and yet _stay on the farm_; (2)
to find means and methods whereby to plant in the rural community those
persons of the city population who are not making a fair living in their
present positions, seeking first of course to choose those who are
capable of transplanting and then preparing them with care for the
change.
I am satisfied that this thing can be successfully thought out,--that
is, how the worthy poor city family may be removed to the country and
there through hard work gradually acquire enough land whereon to earn a
fair living at least. This end will never be accomplished by merely
driving out the poor families, but rather by means of scientific and
sympathetic practice of re-establishing them. Well-conducted research
shows that these poor people are nearly all constituted of good, sound,
human stock. So, if transported under the conditions named, there may be
expected to come forth in the second generation a splendid crop of rural
boys and girls.
REFERENCES
Report of the Commission on Country Life. Introduction by
Theodore Roosevelt. Sturgis-Walton Company, New York. A brief
but epoch-making book. The student of rural problems will
find it a splendid outline guide.
Cutting Loose from the City. E. G. Hutchins. _Country Life_,
Jan. 1, 1911.
Back to the Farm. J. Smith. _Collier's_, Feb. 25, 1911.
Value of a Country Education to Every Boy. _Craftsman_,
January, 1911.
Why Back to the Farm? Editorial. _Craftsman_, February, 1911.
The Country-Life Movement. L. H. Bailey. The Macmillan Co.
Contains a contrast of the back-to-the-land movement and the
country-life movement.
Drift to the City in Relation to the Rural Problem. J. M.
Gillette. _American Journal of Sociology_, March, 1911.
The New Country Boy. _Independent_, June 22, 1911.
Overworked Children on the Farm and in the School. Dr. Woods
Hutchinson. _Annals American Academy_, March, 1909.
Why One Hundred Boys ran away from Home. L. E. Jones.
_Ladies' Home Journal_, April, 1910.
The Country Girl who is coming to the City. Batchelor.
_Delineator_, May, 1909.
Play and Playground Literature. For most helpful and
inexpensive literature on this subject address: The
Playground Association of America, 1 Madison Ave., New York
City.
Conservation in the Rural Districts. James W. Robertson,
D.Sc. The Association Press, New York.
Education for Country life. Willet M. Hays. Free Bulletin,
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Treats ably consolidation
and rural agricultural high schools.
Child Problems. George B. Mangold. Ph.D. Book II, Chapters
I-II, "Play and the Playground"; Book III, Chapters I-V,
"Child Labor Problems." The last reference contains accurate
information as to child-labor legislation up to date of
publication.
Influence of Heredity and Environment upon Race Improvements.
Kelsey. _Annals American Academy_, July, 1909.
Burning up the Boys. Editorial. _North American_, September,
1910.