What Every Farmer's Children Should Know

Judging from these tips from 1867, the expectations of children between then and now have certainly changed quite a bit!

​What Every Farmer's Boy Should Know

• To dress himself, black his own shoes, cut his brother's hair, wind a watch, sew on a button, make a bed, and keep all his clothes in perfect order and neatly in place
• To harness a horse, grease a wagon, and drive a team
• To milk cows, shear sheep, and dress veal or mutton
• To reckon money and keep accounts accurately and according to good bookkeeping rules
• To write a neat, appropriate, briefly expressed business letter, in a good hand, and fold and superscribe it properly, and to write contracts
• To plow, sow grain and grass seed, drive a mowing machine, swing a scythe, build a neat stack, and pitch hay
• To put up a package, build a fire, whitewash a wall, mend broken tools, and regulate a clock

​What Every Farmer's Girl Should Know

• To sew and knit
• To mend clothes neatly
• To dress her own hair
• To wash dishes and sweep carpets
• To trim lamps
• To make good bread and perform all plain cooking
• To keep her room, closets, and drawers neatly in order
• To make good butter and cheese
• To keep accounts and calculate interest
• To write, fold, and superscribe letters properly
• To nurse the sick efficiently and not faint at the sight of a drop of blood
• To be ready to render efficient aid and comfort to those in trouble, in an unostentatious way
• To receive and entertain visitors when her mother is sick or absent