1924 - Annual Convention Report

              52 A L B E R T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
Some such movement as t h i s i n the c o u n t r y w o u l d go a l o n g ways towards
a w a k e n i n g interest, and answering the q u e s t i o n under c o n s i d e r a t i o n.
K e e p i n g t h e b o y o n the farm, comprehends t h e whole r u r a l p r o b l e m , a n d the
r u r a l p r o b l em i s one of t h e most i n s i s t e n t a n d i m m i n e n t p r o b l e m s i n o u r N a t i o n al
l i f e . K e e p i n g t h e b o y o n t h e f a r m , i n v o l v e s t h e r u r a l home, t h e r u r a l s c h o o l , the
r u r a l c h u r c h , t h e r u r a l c o m m u n i t y , a n d b o t h the N a t i o n a l a n d P r o v i n c i a l G o v e r n ­ment—
the fullest f u n c t i o n i n g of each, a n d t h e complete c o - o p e r a t i o n of a l l .
( 1). CONSIDER T H E N T H E R U R A L H O M E . — A n y k i n d of a home w i l l not do for
a boy, a n d a n y k i n d of a m a n w i l l n o t do for a father. The greatest m o m e n t i n a ny
m a n ' s life is t h e moment he becomes a father. The b o y has a r i g h t t o the care,
i n s t r u c t i o n a n d affection of t w o p a r e n t s . He has o p i n i o n s a n d ideas t h a t are e n t i t l ed
t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n ; t h e father must s t r i v e t o see h i s v i e w p o i n t . He s h o u l d s t u d y to
u n d e r s t a n d his boy, a n d anchor his interests i n the home. He s h o u l d p r o v i d e a
place that is r e a l l y his own. He s h o u l d encourage c o l l e c t i o n s a n d hobbies, and
make t h e p u r s u i t of his interests possible at home, r a t h e r t h a n i n some n e i g h b o r ' s
b a r n . He s h o u l d p r o v i d e t o o k for s i m p l e a n d c o n s t r u c t i v e w o r k , a n d p l a n for h im
some home activhvy, for himself a n d his pals. C u l t i v a t e his f r i e n d s i n t h e home,
get on a r e a l busines basis w i t h h i m i n r e g a r d t o his m o n e y . Treat h i m as a real
a c t i v e member of the F I R M we c a l l t h e F A R M.
S o m e t i m e ago a g e n t l e m a n v i s i t e d t h e p e n i t e n t a r i e s of seventeen states a nd
f o i m d t h a t s i x t y per cent, of t h e c o n v i c t s were mere boys, t h a t more t h a n n i n e ty
per cent, out of the one h u n d r e d boys i n t e r v i e w e d r a n away f r om home between
t h e ages of eleven a n d eighteen. T w e n t y - s i x per cent, r a n a w a y because t h e y © aid
' ' t h e i r r i g h t s were not r e s p e c t e d . " It was the o l d o l d s t o r y of o n l y a f ew parents
r e a l i z i n g t h a t a c h i l d has a n y r i g h t s of i t s own. T h i r t y - o n e per cent, r a n away
t o a v o i d corporal p u n i s h m e n t . Y o u c o u l d s c a r c e l y b l a m e them, as some of the
s p a n k i n g machines consisted of t r u n k straps, clubs, p i t c h forks, h i c k o r y s t i c k s,
fire shovels, l i g h t n i n g rods, stove pokers, c h a i r r u n g s , — a n y one of w h i c h , might
m a i m a t e n d e r c h i l d for l i f e . Witness t h e case i n o u r o w n P r o v i n c e r e c e n t l y , where
a b o y d i e d as a result of h i s f a t h e r b e a t i n g h i m .
T h i r t y - e i g h t per cent, r a n a w a y f r om home, because of " l a c k of c o m p a n i o n ­s
h i p . " They were made t o feel as i f t h e y were n o t w a n t e d , i n some i n s t a n c e s c a u s i ng
t h e i r y o u n g minds to c o n t e m p l a t e suicide. A n y t h i n g to free themselves f r om a
home where t h e f a t h e r was too b u s y t o c h u m w i t h h i s lonesome h e a r t e d b o y.
One of the b o y c o n v i c t s v e r y v i v i d l y t o l d h i s s t o r y , ' T h a d f u l l y d e c i d e d t o r un
a w a y f r om home s i x m o n t h s before I r e a l l y d i d so. E v e r y t i m e I w o u l d p l a n to
go, mother's face a p p e a l e d before me, t e l l i n g me h o w m u c h she w o u l d miss mo,
h ow lonesome she wr o u l d get, a n d t h e n I w o u l d sneak b a c k t o m y r o o m a n d u n p a ck
m y bundle. I k n ew t h a t m o t h e r l o v e d me; I was i n d o u b t as t o father. He wras
a l w a y s so d i s t a n t . I never felt I k n e w h i m . The c l i m a x came one d a y when
f a t h e r a s k e d t w o l a z y w o r t h l e s s f e l l o w s t o go h u n t i n g w i t h h i m because, t h e y r a r e ly
missed a shot. I a s k e d father to let me go, j u s t for t h e p r i v i l e g e of c a r r y i n g t ie
game. His answer was p a r t l y a s c o w l . Then he s a i d ; ' N o ; s t a y at home! Y o u ' d
o n l y be i n t h e w a y .'
' ' T h a t n e a r l y b r o k e m y heart, S i r , a n d I went b a c k of t h e b a r n , a n d c r i e d for
t w o hours. Then a firm o v e r m a s t e r i n g resolve t o o k possession of m e ; I w o u l d r un
a w a y f r om home! I p a c k e d m y t i n y Dundle, went d i r e c t l y to m y m o t h e r ' s room,
where she l a y s l e e p i n g , k i s s e d h e r w i t h o u t h e r k n o w l e d g e , a n d s t a r t e d dowm t h e r o a d.
A n d , Sir, e v e r y other step, t h a t t o o k me a w a y f r om mother, seemed t o t e a r a c o rd
i n m y heart; but the other foot t h a t s h o u l d h a v e belonged t o father, k e p t going, i n
s p i t e of m y desire to t u r n back. I b o a r d e d a freight train, w i t h a dozen o t i i er
desperate l o o k i n g t r a m p s , got t o the West after m a n y adventures— got i n t o a fight
i n a saloon, a n d k i l l e d a b r a k e m a n . A n d here I a m ."
I s n ' t i t t i m e t h a t some fathers woke u p ? A b o y ' s heart is o f t e n h u n g r y , f cr
h i s father's love a n d c o m p a n i o n s h i p . He w a n t s a square deal. He w a n t s his
f a t h e r to c h u m w i t h h i m , t o t a k e h i m fishing or h u n t i n g , t o be j u s t a father to h i m .
T h a t is w h a t so m a n y b o y s want.
E d g a r A . G u e s t , i n h i s " T h o u g h t s of F a t h e r " says:
" H o w can I best express m y life?
W h e r e i n d o t h greatness He?
H o w can I l o n g r e m e m b r a n c e w i n ,
S i n c e I a m b o r n t o die?
B u t fame a n d g o l d are selfish t h i n g s;
T h e i r charms m a y q u i c k l y flee,
B u t I ' m the father of a b o y who
Came t o speak for me.