Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers
1940 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Standard, 08.03.1940
Summer Time and “Slave” Children
Sir. A letter appeared in a contemporary – the “Irish Independent” – one day last week under the nom-de-plume “An Average Farmer.” Is he shamed to put his name and address to it, or is it written by a farmer at all?
He advocates the advantages of Summer Time for the city folks and for the farmer. His chief reason for advocating it for the latter is that his children (whom he states have two miles of a mountain road to go to school) “are home in good time in the evening to give him much needed help with turf, hay, oats and other jobs.” “They have really a half-day in the evening.”
I cry shame on such a man, who expects to run his farm on the slave labour of his children.
Is any other industry run on the unpaid labour of the proprietor’s wife and children? No; trade unions don’t allow that sort of tyranny.
No wonder the flight from the land continues, when at an early age the children are relied on for their labour, while they see the children of the agricultural labourer, council worker and shopkeeper, etc., go home from school to have a long play-hour before doing their little bit of study for the following day. The farmer’s child goes home and, after a scant meal, goes out to work till dark, and is too tired then for his or her brain to give the necessary attention to the lessons. In this way the child is deprived on the double, for its education is neglected.
By all means give the children an interest in the working of the farm. Teach them at an early age to milk cows, care horses, feed calves and weed turnips, etc. – but don’t dishearten them with overwork.
In conclusion, I say if the city people want to get up an hour earlier there is nothing to prevent them. It does not interfere with their industry, as it is not depending on nature. Even our Government can’t compel the dew to leave the hay or corn just to suit their will.