The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-10-12
WHAT IS GOOD SOCIETY +?
BY HELEN LEACH REED.

BY HELEN LEACH REED.
Man is naturally gregariOus. Only
in exceptional cases does he care to
walk through life holding himself
aloof from his fellows Yet his com.
panionship with Others is often so far
from helpful, either to him or them,
that the question sometimes arises.
To what extent should the social in
stinct be encouraged: For although
the society of intelligent and refined
people is worth attaining, we do not
always see our way clear to the sOcie-
ty that is "beSt" in the highest sense.
Now, as general thing in small
village the church always seems to be
the natural meeting ground for rich
and poor, for the cultivated and the
uncultivated. say 'the church" but l
mean the churches. Herein lies much
of the difficulty. 1t is almost impos-
sble IN some small communities TO
make the wOrshipers at the COngrega-
tional shrine believe that there is
equal virtue in their fellow citizens OF
the Unitarian faith; nor are the Epis-
copalians ready TO be weighed in the
same scales with Methodists or Bap,
fists. In improving society the church
must be reckoned with first Of all, and
an attempt must be made to show
that not all the intelligent people of
the village are members the Unitarian
Church, nor all the truly pious in the
Congregational Church, or vice versa,
IL you will have it.
The person who would bring about
social reform is apt to be stranger in
the village which he would improve,
so unless he puts himself in the back
ground and uses great tact in indi-
rectly bringing about the desired
changes he will more than likely in.
volve himself in trouble. Since there
are few villages indeed that stand in
nv need Of external improvement, l
doubt in the beginning that anything
better than a village improvement
society could be devised to bring to-
gether the men and women of differ.
ent views, political and religious; for
it is along these two lines that the
society OF most villages ranges itself.
So after the call has been issued for
the proposed society good proportion
OF the one thousand inhabitants, more
or less, will begin to wonder what
there is to do in the nature u fimprov-
ing the village, and by the time the
meeting is held twenty men and
women will have very definite ideas on
the subject. Before the meeting the
rcformer must have held informal con.
sultations with some ofT'the more
prominent men aud women In the vii
lage. or course, lie has been careful
never for moment TO let them think
that he intends tU act as refOrmer.
This as ] have said. will be fatal
mistake.
Secure, however, OF the sympathy OF
the best people In the community, our
reformer may go ahead. AS com.
mittee to manage the meeting he
makes sure Of the presence OF the
clergymen, OF one or more OF the
prominent women in each church, and
OF the richest man Ia the neighb0r-
hood, be he church member or not.
The reformer and Ills special friends
need not be discouraged II onlya small
portion to whom invitations have
been sent are present at the meeting
Those who attend will include ma
jority OF the intelligent, and when 1t
is once understood that the village i'm
provement society is not plIilanthro.
pic scheme Of patronizing intent its
numbers will increase. The success
OF the experiment depends on the In.
terest and enthusiasm Of the few we'll
equipped persons who belong TO- it. l
mean well equipped in the way Of
knowledge and willingness TO help
others.
Now, 1t must be remembered that
from our point Of view q village i'm
provement society is intended not only
to add to the beauty Of the village,
but t0tpcrease the social graces OF the
people. In forming the committees,
OF which there will naturally be q
number in our improvement society,
care should be taken to have them
| large enough In each case 70 bring to-
gether persons Of vsrying capacities
and Of diverse social position. Even
lif the improvement ID the direction
| Of good roads, Of more artistic gar
dens, OF az Increased number Of shade
trees, may not be Immediate, the time
spent Ia The discussion Of the ways u