Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-07-01
w, G.. T. u. COLUMN.
HOW TO GET OUT OF RUTS.

Several years ago when a county
contention was held at Charleston L
was assigned the topic Temperance
in the Philippines" 1 could get no |
reliable information. The subject |
was so large and far away that !
could rot do much with it. When
received our presidents letter asking
me to prepare q paper upon the sub
iect chow TO Get Out of Ruts" was
tempted to refuse. Notwithstanding
it means so much to union whether
it is in a rut or not, there is very
little one can get out of the SUBJECT,
it is so small.
All societies and organizations have
! that trouble to contend with. NO
matter how worthy the work that
calls into existence a society or
union, there are two things it must
! have, q definite object to 1UOrk for, and
Udriety; something to hold members
and to draw new ones into the work.
If union is in rut, the best way to
get out is to stop doing the same
things in the same way, month after
month. l think it is far easier to get
out than to keep out. We are all
creatures of habit, so it is very hard
to keep from doing the same things.
We all know what makes a rut in
the road. A wheel in rut leaves no
track-no one knows of it's passing.
On level road, different carriages
leave different tracks. People know
an auto has been in the town by the
impress of its tires.
Some one said to me while ago,
: "What good does the union do?
= never hear of anything it does, ano
: would not know there was such
society if the notice of meeting was
not in the paper" 1 can readily see
how hard it must be, and is, for small
unions to accomplish much, that is
, to be a strong force in community
The work is left with few. Thi
= Illustration of dead church is yer!
: apt. The church was represented a.
;; large wagon which the member
were trying to get up long hill
4 They put the pastor in the thills AM
the members were all to help b,
pushing. The pastor pulled hard bu
soon it grew so heavy and the WACO
2 scarcely moved He looked aroun
and saw that nearly all the member
!. had climbed in, expecting him to pu
/ the wagon and them too. 1t re
% ouires a great deal of thought an
II consecrated effort; deeper realizin
; sense of the Importance of the work
trying new methods and studyin
how to make the meetings entertain
n. ing.
The Mothers club at Newport fe
te the need of something to keep tt
children off the street at night. "
a talked and talked, but finally came
the conclusion that something defl
81 lite must be done. A committee w
- chosen, the matter was set before Il
proper officers, and the result is '
have the curfew law. We are
ar- hopes it will result in much good,
sc rightly enforced. Why can't t
o. different unions work for the esta
lishment of the savings bank syste
in the schools? Where it is useC
=, have understood it is doing a gre
-; deal of good. A rivalry am ong t
children to save the most forl
,ch habits OF thrift.
ps. We mothers are too busy! WI
with our home, church, circles, soc
a and literary societies, and unions,
OK; wonder it is easier to run along il
loe rut, for, to do our best work,
d must centralize our efforts.
I have not been Identified
;oG closely with the work as most OF y
, "a probably I am afraid / have been
hes much like the church members "
i3 climbed the hill in the wagon. Some
ash our unions may feel that their opp
luli- tunities for doing much good
small, but we all know the W. Q. I
l"h work as whole is not in rut.
Ire certainly making broad track.
ie" a God given work to women, so
dor US not forget "They also serve
rom only stand and wait.''
and MRS. EMMA d. 'ENNl
the
of Making the RumselIer Pay.