The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-01
SOCIAL ASPECT OF GOOD ROADS.
ADVANTAGES Improved Highways
Would Bring to the Farmers
Family,

aTnlly.
The social effect of good roads
upon country life cannot be oyeres-
timated. The improvement of our
highways would do away with much
of the difficulty of visiting in our
rural districts. Bad roads often
render social intercourse almost i'm
possible. The evening is dark,
there are no side paths nor lamp
posts al ing the way, the roads are
almost impossible with mud or
| drifting snow. and as the family
look ont toward the light in the
window of their neighbours house
the gush of social life that Il mo-
ment before was moving in full tide
is now checked by these many diff
cultles. Life in the country, other
wise full of happiness, now sinks
into tame existence, all for the
the want of pleasant highway
connecting the homes of adjoining
neighbors.
There can 6e no doubt that poor
roads have much to do with the
small attendance at our public
schools. The country boy and girl
obtain the greater part of their
education in early life. After the
age of fifteen the children are busily
engaged III the care of the farm or
dairy. During the late fall and
winter when work upon the farm is
at standstill, there is al opportu-
nifty given for school attendance.
But this is at Il time when our pub
Tic highways are at their worst. and
the two or three miles between the
farm and the scEOolhoUse are tray
eled with the greatest difficulty.
Were our highways in a proper
condition the number OF DAYS Of
school attendance by these children
would be more tNan doubled. and
the preliminary education OF the
farmers sons and daughters would
be made to equal that Of their city
cousins, ana good common school
education might I've obtained where
now even an ordinary Intelligence
is lacking.
Church attendance would also be
| greatly increased if our roads were
uniformly good. During half the
year the pleasure OF church altered
ance is denied because OF almost
impossible h; ghways. The Sabbath
in the country becomes, therefore a
day Of janguor devoid of religious
thought, with no care for religious
teaching, Instead of q day devoted
to moral development and Christian
attalnments.
Oar vital statistics show that Il
larger percentage Of farmers. and
especially Of farmers wives, become
insane than any other class, and the
ratio OF this insanity is increased in
| proportion Us the parties are lsola-
ted from society. This ought not
to be. The occupation Of u farmer
is not a disagreeablo one; it is full
Of interest. Nature has Thousand
charms for him that no other occU-
patton would provide. But this
condition results from his self
imposed isolation, caused in many
instances 10y neglect and impossible
highways. In the old dungeons of
d more barbarous age prisoners
after few years nearly all became
demented. a complete separation
from human sympathy and social
intercourse was the cause of this
insanity. Tins condition Of things
WAS only IL little worse, however,
than that oft produced upon the
farmer by impossible highways.
Once upon the avenues of inter
course with schools, churches and
society by improved roads and in
creased facilities for contact with
our fellow men. and country life,
otherwise beautiful and attractive,
would become indeed what it should
be-an approach to our original
Eden.-N. c. Spalding IN Good
Roads.
Deer Park.
Miss Annie Townshend is visiting
at Mrs. 5. G. Hoye's.
Hon and Mrs. A. f. George were
on our streets the other day. Mr.
George has many friends here who
are always glad to see him.
Hiss Sue Marty, Miss Noide
! hrasher and Miss Fannie Chidcs-
ter are ali on the sick list.
Mr.. Ed Mawille and his brother
Bob, are also on the sick list.
Mr.. d. +. Graham was here Il
day or two last week.
Mr. Ed. Miller, our hustling
blacksmith, is building an addition
to his shop.
Mrs. $. c. Hoye and Mrs. W. G.
Jones are i'll.
Mr.. Abe Freeland has gone to
German to visit his daughter.
Mr.. Charles Savage has bought a
lot on Peace and Plenty avenue