Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1898-12-01
GOOD ROADS NOTES.


Road instruction Necessity.
It is not to be denied that wheelmen
sometimes feel discouraged at the re-
suits obtained from ten years of per-
sistent agitation, much thankless labor
and considerable expenditure of money
in the cause of highway Improvement.
At times, the efforts that have been
put forth seem to have been out of all
proportion to what has been accom-
plished. The temptation, then, is
strong to relinquish the work entirely
TO those who will be the most imme-
date and chief benefciaries of it; but,
knowing that the withdrawal of their
assistance would be the removal of one
of the strongest supports of the cause.
they turn again to renew their efforts
in it's behalf.
There are some things connected
with the road problem that are better
understood to-day than they were a
few years ago, and they have brought
TO wheelmen q realization that there
are many sections of the country in
which 1t Is well-nigh impossible to in
terest or instruct the people on the
subject, and where it may take gen.
Grafton or two to convince them that
bad roads cost money while good roads
save it. Therefore, while in no degree
| abating their own interest in highway
improvement, cyclists find it for their
own interest in such districts to secure
the construction of cycle side-paths.
| Such paths are directly beneficial to
all concerned, for the wheelman gets
a good roadway and the opposition are
afforded food for thought in the con-
slant spectacle of the easy, rapid loco
motion of vehicles over smooth sur
| faces.
This is an educative influence, but
| 1t cannot always be counted on as suf-
fcient. To secure permanent results
it should be supplemented by practical
instruction, not alone to the adult
generation but to the youth who will,
before many years, be called upon to
decide whether the mudways of the
| past are to be retained, or whether
greater prosperity is to be courted by
the aid of hard and permanent high
ways.
Demonstrations of road construction
held annually in every county; build
ing of sample stretches on scientific
principles; efforts to arouse interestby
| promoting discussion in farmers
oranges and associations; circulation
Of readable, convincing matter, and
the like, are among the means that can
be used to appeal to the adult mind.
But younger minds can be appealed
to more effectively through the in
struction of the schools and colleges,
in every one of which information on
the social and economic value of good
roads ought to be given. This is q
phase of the subject that has not yet
received the attention its importance
merits. Too much cannot be expected
of the present generation, but the on
coming one can be trained to see the
great advantages of improving the
highways, so that they will naturally
take up the work when their time and
opportunity comes.
Doubtless there are obstacles to be
encountered in securing the introduce
ton of such instruction into the CON-
mon schools, but they can all be over
come. Not the least among them,
perhaps, is the fact that few teachers
are themselves at all we'll informed on
the subject, and might not welcome it
at first. Few works suitable for pur-
poses of instruction now exist, and a
demand for them would be created;
but, in short time, all this could be
remedied, and intelligent instruction
given to the young would eventually
bring forth fruit thousand fold.-L.
A. W. Bulletin.