The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-16

every community, Offering a plan of
communal social exchange, that will
bring much to our Kansas farmers.
There is something lacking in country
life in that it fails to satisfy the young
people, and there is continuous
stream from the farms to the cities,
with their hustle, and their headlong
rush for the dollar. 1t cannot be alto
gether the desire to make money, that
draws the young people, because their
chances are better on the farms. 1t is
the desire for amusement, for recrea-
ton, for participation in the worlds
thought and progress, things they have
not had on the farm. A live, wide
awake club will keep them in touch
with the world. I have always liked
the basic meaning of the word club
An association of persons for the pro-
motion of some common object, as lit
erature, science, politics, even good fell
loWship, although that ought to fol-
low the pursuit of the larger objects),
supported by an equal assessment or
contribution from EACH
1.-The modern club is an association of
people for the purpose of Self-culture,
of wider living for each, and Of finer
living for the community, and it usual
ly includes literature, science, philan-
thropy, educational interests, economics
and many things of Importance to US
commercially, as forestry and irriga-
ton. 1 believe there is need Of clubs
formed on this broad basis in every
school district in Kansas.
1--WE have needed them in the towns,
we need them in the country. 1 lived
six years on a cattle ranch in west
ern Kansas, and I know the people in
the country are as ready to respond to
all that club life means, as fully and
freely as the people in towns.
eff in every school house in Kansas a
club meeting could be held fortnightly,
it would be of untold value to each in
dividual and to the community as well.
I g. ,A(r.. tNn
NOTED in a way to bring fore word of
the millennium. To do this it must be a
club composed of men, women and chill
dren, real social center, with public
meeting place, and to which all are en-
titled to belong, preaching the true pr1n-
ciples of democracy by means of its
inclusiveneSS-
st have seldom seen country children
who were not well behaved. and they
may with propriety be taken with their
parents. They are accustomed to par
ticipating in the family pleasures.
THE best way perhaps to lead people
into this sort of organization, is to have
a school library founded in every dis
tl.ict. Kansas communities do not need
to appeal to Carnegie or any other COM
lnercial 'FrankenStein to found a library.
Among many other things to be thank
full for as a state is the fact that our
OF founding and perpetuating a library
in every school district.
Where there is a club in neighbor-
hood it will give of it's intellectual fra
GRANGE to the community life. Near
| lola a WomanS club was formed fol
the purpose of caring for the school
house and grounds. These wise women
said among themselves. Tt must seem
to the teacher that country people care
| little for their schools. The accumulat-
ed dirt of the vacation period is left to
greet her on the opening day. We vii
proclaim the fact that we are inter
ested in the surroundings of the chill
dren by our work. They scrubbed the
| house and hung curtains atkthe clear
| windows cleaned the yard. and ported
plants for the school during the winter
months. Since then they have planted
trees and shrubs in the yard and deco
rated the walls of the school room
The club is prospecting and in the sec
ond year Of its existence"