The Cook County herald., 1904-11-19
KEEPS TIE BOYS AT HOME.
nois Has ThiS Object for Its
Principal Aim.

The continual exodus Of boys from the
farms of southern Illinois to the cities!
3 being combated in this section Of
Egypt by society bearing the name Of
Farmers Relief association. The assO-
citation is the outgrowth of an idea
hatched in southern Illinois, and in the
seven counties where the society is or
ganized its effects are plainly seen, says
the Chicago Inter Ocean. The rush Of
young men 10 st. Louis, Chicago and Gin
clnnati has been almost completely
stayed. The farmers boys are them
selves members OF the new organization,
which has in manner furnished at
fractions to rural life which largely off,
set the allurements OF the city.
The Farmers Relief association is
modeied somewhat upon the lines OF the
trades union, and smbodies some of the
best and most reasonable features of
former ill-born farmers societies. The
central idea Of the association is to make
country life attractive The founder,
James H. England, contended that if in
each school district the families could
be brought into closer social relations
and the life given some little variety
problem would Ie solved.
The school district was made the unit
In the plan. The school teacher was
raised from mere pedagogue to social
arbiter. He is called the chairman of
the community committee and he sees
that there IL always some sort of do
ms" as the people say. The Wagner
school district, few miles south OF Car
Dondale. is the best organized COM
munity. In the Wagner society every
person in the district, transient or resi-
oent' Is entitled to membership. To the
social events of the district the rural
pedagogue invites every man. woman
and child. That means that there are
no feuds. no Quarrels. no wrangling, in
the community, for all the people meet
In a social way.
The society has gone further than
this, and has installed a school district
telephone system. An old lady who has
nothing to do but darn heavy home
knit socks or sew carpet rags is the
hello girl." Each family in the district
pays flve dollars annually for the use OF
telephone, and they use it. The young
men do their courting over the tele-
phone when the weather il bad. and the
only complaint Of the telephone serv-
ice to be made 70 far was that one rainv
night Cupid had connected 80 manv
OF the subscribers th"t a very sick man
could not get messa{ through to the
doctor In Carbondale. The man did not
die. however.
AS soon as the telephone system was
IN working order the school teacher
organized string band This country
musical organization furnishes the
music at the dances and the church So
cables. The band has a repertoire that
includes everything from THE Arkansas
traveller to Comm Through the Rye"
and there is hardly night In a month
that 1t Is not engaged.
The Home league. the twin sister to
the Farmers association, is the woman's
club OF the country. 1t is conducted on
the sar-e lines as the clubs in the cities.
1t conducts a class In domestic science
and does its share Of entertaining The
two organizations combined have hit the
credit, or "on tick" system a knockout
blow. II a member has anything to sell
he must demand cash for it. II he buys
he must pay cash.
All these things combined have helped
to make country life attractive to the
country people. When all the plans are
FULLY carried out the organizers believe
that the young men, or the proportion
OF them which remain in the country.
Will be satisfied to stay out of the cities.