The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-07-18
66656d Roads R66tss
Children and Good Roads.

Children and Good Roads.
Having spent my summers for over
thirty years at Oconomowoc, l. the
Waukesha County lake district Of
Wisconsin. 1 have become interested
in advancing-or, attempting to- ad-
vance. and it IS often very uphill
work-various improvements i1e the
village and surrounding country.
Last summer I organized 4 GOOD
Roads Committee" of three (naminS
myself chairman), and raised. in ten
dollar subscriptions. two hundred dol
lars to 20. this coming season. to the
roadmasters in the townships of Ocon-
oniowoc and Summit for the best
roads. 1 have also offered the
Leagues good roads literature free TO
the road-masters. advertising same IN
the local papers; To show the inter-
est taken by the farmer element, Will
state that two out Of forty odd road
masters applied for the good: road
books.
Our roads are fair, as country roads
90: most of them gravelled, but only
few of the road-masters pay any atten-
ton as to how the gravel is put on.
and the best roads are often left to
dish, through heavy, wear, in the GEN.
ter. while others are crowned to the
most extreme point. However. we
fortunately approached the children
of the district schools. Offering them
no large cash prizes, but merely little
scrap of ribbon with Good Roads
Helper" printed upon 1t. and. at
Christmas time. very inexpensive
Christmas cards to each child enrolled.
The attached clipping will tell the
story of the childrens interest in the
matter anu what they have done IN
three or four winter months: :.
at is becoming very apparent to the
frequenters Of our highways In the
towns of Summit and Oconomo.woc
that the Good Roads Committee acted
most wisely when they appealed to
the children attending the district
schools in these towns to cooperate.
with them in the further improvement
and beautifying of our country roads.
by signifying their willingness in be.
coming Good Road Helpers. 1t was
surprising how eagerly and cheerfully
these little folks put their shoulders
to the wheel, every school in the two
towns, with the exception Of one
school in the town of Oconomowoc.
signing the agreement as Good Roads
Helpers. That these children have not
labored in vain in the good cause .s
evidenced by the reports we are re-
ceiving, from various sources. of the
noticeable absence Of loose and rolling
stones In our principal highways, Mr..
Jacob Hill, of Summit, reports that
gshe has never seen the roads SO free
of stones, and that the children in
fhis school district have done noble
work. /He pleasantly tells US that the
interest Of the children has assumed
such proportion that while driving they
will tease to have you stop to let them
get out to remove an obnoxious stone.
Wise road-builders they who lay so
sure a foundation for our future coun.
try roads; and people will rise up and
call them benefactors."
81 The clipping was taken from the
local country weekly and the Mr.. Hill
mentioned Is not one of the old-fash
Toned farmers Who thinks I'VE do not
need better roads. or, as one of them
said to me last year. IF you city fell
lers wants fine roads, why don't you
build them? The roads are good
enough for the farmers" Yet narrow
tires cut these gravel roads, when the
frost is coming out Of the ground. so
that often good sales (of grain held
over winter) are missed. as loads can
not be hauled to market-W. B. E.
Shufeldt, in Good Roads Bulletin.