The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-11-29
WINTER IN THR COUNTRY.

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1t 10 not at all to be wondered at that
the young people Of the average coun-
try neighborhood look forward to tho
winter with positive dread. The wri-
ior O1 this has experienced all the dis.
agreeable phases of this form of exist
ence and he heartily sympathizes with
the boys and girls who live in the coun-
try ana have "nowhcrc to 90 and
nothing to do" l have in mind. in
speaking of this class, tho JOYS and
girls who have out-grown the district
schools. School children do not feel
the monotony Of country life so much
as their larger brothers and sisters.
would like to encourage the forma-
ton of a young peoples society in
every nclghborhood. Let it include
all the young people. Let it meet at
the school house, or at private houses,
as seems most convenient or advisable.
Meetings held at q public place like the
school house are generally more
systematic and busincss-like than those
held at private houses. The latter,
however, generally have more soclabill.
ty about them and soclablity is one of
the things to aim at. There is hardly
q country neighborhood where greater
sociablity is not needed.
| These meetings can run along good
many lines. In some places they will
naturally take OH the character of a
singiny-school or musical club. In
others, they will be reading clubs, or
debating societies. 1t is well to COM
bine some of the features of each, for
by 80 doing variety is secured, and the
interest is kept up as it seldom is
where monotony and samcness prevails.
Let each member follow out his or her
bent of mind, and thus put good deal
OF individuality into the meetings.
Avoid formality as much as possible.
Don't kill d society at it's birth by Il
long constitution and set of bylaws.
You don't need them. You wouldn't
be governed by them if you had them.
Therefore, don't bother your heads
about them.
like the reading club very much
l know Of one that has run very sue
ccssfully for the last four years. 1t is
called together, or re-organiZcd, early
each fall, and the money that its mem
bcrs can furnish to provide reading mat.
ter IS put into general fund. A list
of magazines and papers is then made
out and all classes Of readers are pro-
vided for in making this selection, and
as many are subscribed for as the fund
will admit Of. The club meets once a
week, all through the season and each
member takes part in its exercises, in
alphabetical order. One reads story :;
another a poem; some one else reads a
a scientific or historical article, or a
sketch OF travel. After The reading
there is a general and Informal dis
cussiOn of what has been read, and This
has been the means Of bringing out a
great many good ideas from the men,
hers and of great benefit in expressing
them. 1t gives confidence. 1t en-
courages thought. II obliges close at
tentlon. IT is excellent training for
all who take part in it. At these
meetings the papers and magazines
subscribed for are exchanged among
the memb bel s and in this way the young
people OF this neighborhood are able
tu avail themselves Of a much wider
range of goCd literature than would be
possible if they were confined TO in
dividual subscriptions. The young
people OF This community stand head
and shoulders above some of the neigh
boring communities, in an intellectual
way, and this fact is directly attribu-
table 10 its leading club. Wisconsin,
| 1gricultu1iSt.