Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-12-30

"B4t1 PLACES ars thos. localities
somewhat removed from tie great l2ca
canters cf population, or from the
routes If travel ana commerce. 1t is
. term c: location and rot Of condition.
Bsck places ana backward places are
by no means Synonymous terms, and il
tie .erm is sometimes used as Il sheer
or term of reprcach, it IS done by those
whose estimate Ehcull secure for them
our pity instead of pIickins our sensi-
bilities. Beck places have their dis
advantages, bat they have their AZ
yauia..es rs we'll While cities and
llr.-e village. Lave their greater aG-
vautigra tor critUra AID rciinemeEt, i
L4s thsm only for those who desire
culture and ief1encnt, ard for such
thcre ace advantages ia hack places SIS
we'll; ana back places have FIR less CT
opportunities ana temptations fer
spending time ana money for that
which oorduces to neither culture ror
refinement Tie wise anI good men
are as vell kaown III the country as il
the city. Though We On the farm have
lass opportunity Of iheir personal
presence, their thoughts an' words,
those things which make I'm coed
and great, and famous, ere ours, ard
read ii connection wish the great book
Of nature oyer spread out before us
have an aided power TO impress on the
mind, whose surroundings ever reacl
the Same grea! truihs. Large places
have many temptations TO spend time
and money in trivial things; more PEG
pie take your time; acquaintance is
wider; more calls to make and receive.
The atere, concerts, minstrel troupes,
ana p.llor amusemenis-all take up
time aud distract attention from more
sold mental empicyments.
People from back places, from the
back fam, who SO - tho village gre
called green" and it is term often
resented, but it ID true; and it is jus
as true that the man or woman from the
large village Who goes to tho city is just
as green. The term, AS used, means
that persona to WHOM it is applied are
not familiar with tao local customs,
manners ami ts.sts of The place. The
objects they meet are row aud their
uses often novel. Bat did you never
think tho matter reversed was just as
true. Who could he gteener, more
pitifllly ignorant of the castoms OF the
country than TIE person born and
always resident in the city? not ignor
ant Of human customs and habits Of
life ard thought only. but of the oper-
atoms Of nature IL well, the habits Of
beas. and bird. For such orr common
toll presents urtathomab.e mysteries.
The implements Of our labor are as
novel objects as snS of the couutrymen
would 500 il the city. Thsn the
greater ms Stery, the old, get ever new
miracle which changes the summer
mantle OF beautiful green and bloom
into The moro gorgeous colorinS which
Turns every hill side and mountain
into mass Of flaming gorgeous color;
the next great change we sec when the
leaves fall brown Grd sere. when nature
seems fro zen and dead and is covered
with O snowy mantle rs with garment,
and later when nature comes forth
resurrected 10 a new life like Lazarus
from his grave, and again being
clothed with its dress OF green. All
this is something unfamiliar TO the city
bred person, and we never remember
it without plying them for what they
have missed.
Afta all It is no. locality or situation
which governs mans requirements.
The will, the desire to know, the thirst
for greater and better things is to q
great degree above and beyond
these accidents OF place, while
no place compsls culture and
refinement, so no place forbids it. To
us it has been matter of very grave
doubt whether the schools of the larger
villages and cities are SO much superior
to those Of tbs back places, when
judged by their results. 1t has some
times been a query whether there was
not q tendency toward too much
"rystem" to the neglect of the individ
ual. pupil and his personal require
ments; but competent educators have
this interest at heart, and the best way
will be reached and adopted, though
many theories may be tried and found
wanting before that time comes
Green Mountain Freeman.