Spring in early Plainsboro meant the start of long, busy days on the farm—and kids were an important part of the work. Children in farming families helped plant crops in the spring and harvest them in the fall, often working alongside adults from sunup to sundown. Across the U.S. this was common; by the early 20th century, nearly 40% of all child laborers worked in agriculture.

Schools in rural areas often adjusted to the farming calendar. With so many students needed in the fields during spring and fall, many attended school in the summer when farm work slowed down.

One of those young workers was Rudy B. Wellnitz, who would later become Plainsboro’s mayor. Growing up on Plainsboro Road, Rudy lived in a Walker-Gordon farmhouse and helped his family grow corn and alfalfa—essential feed for the company’s 1,500 milking cows and 1,200 dry cows, calves, and bulls. From the time he was very young, Rudy was out in the fields driving trucks, loading and unloading feed, and handling farm equipment.

Balancing school with this kind of responsibility wasn’t easy. Schoolwork often came after hours of physical labor, and days off were rare during planting and harvesting seasons. Still, education remained important—and the farm taught valuable lessons in hard work, responsibility, and perseverance that stuck with kids like Rudy for life.