40 years ago: Farm girl steps up while father recovers from accident

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Dec. 26, 1971:

A young lady in Emporia had been living the true spirit of giving since October. Linda Pearson, 11, had taken over many of her father’s morning and evening farm chores ever since Mr. Pearson, 36, had fallen into a corn thresher in early October. While her father recovered his health, Linda worked with the animals, including a cow that outweighed her more than a dozen times over. Linda was happy as she went about her chores before and after school, “giving the cow hay and making her happy, giving the horses food and making them happy,” she said cheerfully. She fed the 4-H calves, milked the cows, watered and fed the chickens, gathered the eggs, and cared for the horses. For Linda, it was not only a labor of love but also pure enjoyment. “I just love it,” she said. “I never did like to play with dolls and I don’t like to go to other peoples’ houses. I just like to stay at home and work.” The young farmer also said that she didn’t really enjoy school, but liked talking to her friends about her 4-H projects.