The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-11-25
Make Home Attractive.

Make Home Attractive.
If any one thing above all Others should
engage the thoughts and call forth the
efforts of the generation which now occu-
pies this worlds stage, it is that of making
home attractive. And no class of persons
is SO deeply interested in this vital element
of the social world, as the farmer. His
occupation is dubbed bore and drudge so
almost universally by his sons and daugh
tiers, that it forces the belief that there is
something wrong in the economy, or pres
emit structure and arrangement of society
pertaining to the rural industries. This
state of things arises, in great measure,
from the isolated manner in which the
agricultural community labors. Little or
no effort has been made by combination to
create a rivalry to excel in any department
of agriculture. The country has been con-
tent to adopt with submission the fashions
aud manners set by the city, without ques-
ton or examination; no matter how
unsuited to its calling. In place of aiming
to make home attractive by tasteful sur
roundings, native to the country, fences are
constructed of the crudest materials, yards
are patches ofland despoiled of their natural
beauty, and left uncared for by artificial
adornment. A raw, uncultivated home,
begets uncouth, coarse manners and SLOW
emily habits; and the sharp contrast between
the rural homestead and the town or city
impression upon the susceptible mind OF
youth
Again, man is a gregarious animal. He
loves the company of his fellows, and social
companionship. Enrich this companion
ship BY cultivated tastes and manners, by
the attractions of neatness and tidiness in
all home surroundings, and you will soon
supply allurements that will lay strong hold
upon the ever restless and active mind OF
the young. Such pleasant associations,
however, to be of permanent utility, must
be connected with everyday life and bust
ness. But while the rural or agricultural
population maintain their present isolated
and repulsive status toward each other, this
wished-for state of affairs cannot be inaug
urated.
By forming neighborhood associations in
the long Winter evenings, which shall have
proper organization, with officers, who
shall have we'll defined duties and work
ing membership composed of both sexes.
the first, and a very important step, will be
taken in a much demanded reform, which
will tend to curb the tendency of the times
to run to extravaganza and shoddy tastes,
with their train of deceit, and corrupt
morals.
If the agricultural classes would confer
together, and take up the different branches
of their daily business, and become famil-
lar with the latest improvements and dis
coveries bearing upon them, soon an absorb
ing interest would be felt in them, which
is not now. And when it began to appear
how those new ideas could be turned to
profit, the interest would greatly increase.
Premiums, costing but little, and other
awards of merit, might be given, to excite
the ambition of members to excel in pro-
ducing the best stock, crops, flowers, fruit,
or plans for conducting any branch of bust
ness. Such neighborhood associations
would not only serve the purpose for which
the agricultural fair is established, but they
would improve the society and morals OF
the community, by making it more social.
more friendly, and hence more attractive.
The tone, morals and intelligence of the
rural population, by the simple and practi-
means of association, would be raised
hundred per cent, in short time, while
the wealth and enjoyment of the neighbor-
hood would receive a corresponding impe-
tus. These unappropriated materials of
genuine wealth lie dormant in every COM
munity, in exhaustless stores, waiting to
be utalized. For the welfare of their chill
dren, if not for their own profit and pleas
ure, the present generation of fathers and
mothers, who hold the world and all its
treasures in their hands, should take steps
to open those undeveloped sources of hap
piness. With good membership, few
pennies weekly would be sufficient to defray
the expense of such neighborhoad asso-
Citations, and the weekly meetings, if prop
erly conducted, and held in commodious
clean and comfortable hall, would soon fur.
nish sufficient attraction to fill those places.