Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-02-16
SOCIAL PLEASURES.

Them IN Rursi C0mmunlsiss.
An old settler. in the course of some
remarks at a county ms titute. stated
that families living on farms were not
as sociable as they were years ago.
They made few friendly calls on their
neighbors. while visiting parties had
gone out of fashion. 1t was his opin-
ion that the cheapness of books and
the increased circulation of magazines
and newspapers were among tie
causes of the decline of social pleasures
among farmers. When there vas
little to read family living in a farm
house enjoyed receiving calls from
their neigh6ors and were prompt in re-
turning them. The society of farmers
living in the same neighborhood fur
nished almost the only means of enjoy
ment. and they made the most of it.
As there were no places of public
amusement, as there are In large towns.
they depended on rural pastimes.
They had corn-shuckings. apple-bees
and quilting parties. In the fall they
organized nuttlng parties. and during
the winter they had neighborhood
s!eigh-rides. They contrived various
ways for making country life pleasant
and enjoyable.
Various causes besides the one re-
ferred to have combined to diminish
social pleasures in many sections of
the country occupied by farmers. The
general introduction of machinery for
doing most kind of farm work has
served to keep individual families more
isolated. There is less changing work
and doubling-up teams. Only at
thrashing time do the farmers in the
same neighborhood work together.
The large number of farmers in some
portions of the West who speak for
eign language and keep up foreign
customs is unfavorable to social en-
joymant. and so is the employment of
foreigners to assist in work in the field
and farmhouse. The introduction of
city fashions into the country has
served todestroy many rural pleasures.
At one time the wives and daughters
of farmers took pleasure in riding to
the market town on horseback or in Il
wagon, but now many of them prefer
to remain at home if they can not ride
in buggy or carriage. Many people
living on farms have continued to dis
pose Of most Of their former pleasures.
all to render themselves uncomfortable,
by trying to adopt city ways.
been settled for considerable time it
has become fashionable for wealthy
farmers to leave the places they have
improved and rendered comfortable as
soon as they become moderately
wealthy and to move to some large
town. Sometimes they allow their
boys to carry on the place. but
in the majority of cases they leave
them to tenants. Quite recently it has
become common for wealthy farmers
to go to some town to pass the winter.
Taking from the rural districts the
men and women of wealth, intelli-
gence and experience operates very
unfavorably on the social life in these
localities. 1t creates the impression
that life on farm is not worth living.
1t makes those who remain behind dis
contented. A few years ago farmers
were complaining because their boys
wanted to go to cities, and honest
Horace Greeley and others wrote arti-
Giles to show that it was to their all
vantage TO stick to the pillow. Now
country boys are complaining because
their fathers wish to leave the farm
and go to a town to live. A boy is
wanted who will show them that it is
better for them to remain in the old
farmhouse.
Something appears to be wrong in
our system of farm management as in
our social system. In many countries
life on farm is considered more en-
joyable than life in large town. For
centuries it was the ambition of nearly
every city-bred Englishman to obtain
a country estate where he could live
and enjoy lie. free from the vexations.
cares, noise and smoke of large town.
All the poets from Virgil to Whittier
have sung the delights of life in the
country. Most of the great novelists
have found their good characters in
the country and their vile ones in the
city. All the painters go to the coun-
try to find something beautiful to re-
produce on canvas and sell to people
whose occupation forbids their living
among waving trees, native flowers,
green fields and lowing herds. Law.
yers employed in probate practice tell
us that estates in the country average
larger than those in cities Doctors
declare that country life is more favor
able to health than life in large town,
while ministers are fond of discOurs-
ing on country virtues and city vices.
Since persons Of all the most intel
ligent occupations unite in giving the
country SO good name it seems very
strange that 80 MANY DeODle desire to