The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-03-22

structed. Tn the western counties of North Caro-
lima there is an ample supply of stone for this
purpose, but in the eastern counties where the
surface of the country IS nearly level, stone tor
macadamizing purposes IS scarce, or entirely
lacking. These counties, however, do have means
at hand, with which they can improve their
roads with a small expenditure of money. Many
of the sandy roads can be greatly improved by the
admixture of clay, which is often to be found
directly alongside of the road. Where the road
bed is of a clayey nature, it can often be i'm
proved by the admixture of sand and gravel; and
wherever such roads are crossed by streams, sand
and gravel can nearly always be obtained"
X
And then no doubt something can be done for
the Improvement of your schools. Wherever prac-
ticable, the public school term should be length
ened by private subscriptions. Consolidation of
districts leads to many advantages and should be
effected wherever it can be accomplished without
really serious inconvenience to patrons. Every
school should have a library and if your county
has not already reached the legal limit for
State aid, you should at once take steps to estab-
lish one in connection with your school. Money
expended In putting some of the worlds choicest
literary treasures within reach of the boys and
girls of the neighborhood will do more to quicken
their interest in the school and to stimulate them
to worthy endeavor and useful lives than would
be possible through any other expenditure of the
mercy. Take an interest III the work of the
teacher and the school committee; do all that
you can to help them and to make them feel that
their good acts are appreciated and their short
comings not unnoticed. And every farmer ought
to be interested in having the new textbook,
"Agriculture for Beginners" properly used in
A. H. H1:- nL
making our schools educate for practical things
and through practical things and toward bringing
the children to see that education can be applied
to work in the field and orchard as we'll as to
work in the store and the counting-room. Much
depends on it's success.
4
The neighborhood with good schools and good
roads, however, will yet be lacking in efficiency
and public intelligence of there is not a good
newspaper in every home. And by a good news
paper we mean a paper that is interested in max
ing men better and the world better-a paper
clean in character and progressive in spirit. A
paper that is interested only in reporting SEN
~sational news will be of no value. A paper filled
with cheap stories will not help the home to
which it goes. A paper whose sole aim is to help
its clique of politicians into office is not needed.
But a paper which will stimulate a man to use
mere progressive methods and to think soberly
viii in the course of years do more to educate
that man than would a year in college without
the paper. There is no better way of helping
forward your neighborhood than by putting good
papers into homes now without them.
Rural mail delivery is another inestimable ad-
vantage of these latter years. And the Govern
mcnt is spending millions every year to carry it
to communities hitherto without II. IF Won have