Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 279, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1916 — The Country Boy’s Advantage. [ARTICLE]

The Country Boy’s Advantage.

The country boy is much more apt to make good in life’s battles than the city boy. Go where you will and take a census of the men occupying prominent positions and you will find that most of them -grew up in the country. Why does the country boy excel his city brother? He has fewer advantages. His schools are not as good. His knowledge of the customs of polite society is less. Generally he is not as ready a talker. He is more awkward. Yet with all these handicaps he comes to the city and wins the race for success.

I will tell you why he succeeds. First, he knows how to work. Second, he is willing to work. Third,’he is looking for work. There are other reasons, of course. His system is not poisoned with cigarettes. He has a strong constitution. He is ambitious and his very ignorance makes him thorough. The city boy is apt to be superficial. He depends upon his knowledge of city ways, forgetting that . knowledge without application is useless. I am glad that 84 per cent of the People’s Popular Monthly subscribers live in the country and in towns under 5,000. With the children in these homes rests the future of the nation. A score of years from now you boys and girls can dominate the country if you will. Ernest, persistent, intelligent work will win.