The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-13

Congestion OF population In cities
has furnished a topic for fruitful study
IN the conference. The social and eco-
nomic welfare OF rural communities
was considered yesterday morning, at
one of the largest and best attended
sessions the division on needy families
| has yet held.
The discussion was opened by a we'll
prepared paper by Or. l.. Fl. Bailey.
director Of the New York state College
| of Agriculture, at Cornell University.
DR.. Frssell. OF Hampton. told OF con-,
| ditions as they exist in Virginia, Civ
agricultural development the SUCCESS
| OF the experiment farm. conducted by
| Mr.. r. o. Sandy. of Burkeville..
| From fields which formerly raised
nine or ten bushels Of corn to the acre
Mr.. Sandy has been able to produce
seventy-nve bushels a record which
has produced much enthusiasm Tor
country life and demand for Virginia
farm land such as has not been known
to the consolidation OF schools into
neielborhood centres, and the work OF
Superintendent Eggleston. of the De-
partment of Public Instruction. and
of Commissioner Koiner. of the De
partment of Agriculture. was highly
commended.
some Rural Needs.
Or. Bailey held the discovery and
teaching Of technical agriculture to be
an essential rural need. pointing out
the following defects in farm life: Lack
of personal Initiative and enthusiasm.
lack OF enterprise to get things done,
due to lack Of contact with his fellows.
with the arrested development OF indi-
riduallsm and the removal OF centres
OF influence to the towns. These con-
ditIons he said, may be corrected by
education and growth OF pract'cai
ideals.
While the leaders OF the thought OF
the community should have careful
technical education, for the average
farmer the need is less of technicni
AGRICULTURAL teaching than OF AFFINITY
to use his knowledge In more enec-
tive personal living.
The lack of any kind of thorough
organic supervision of public health
was held to be one of the greatest
drawbacks to rural development. back
ward country doctors being roundly
criticized, while the patent medicine
habit was ridiculed out of court, the
speaker saying that many country
woman showed more faith In the GIT
tering label on bottle of half poison
than she did in her religion. The lack
country home and the prevalence OF tho
drink habit were also held up as hind-
RANGES TO the development OF pros
porous rural living
Now, as to the remedies" continued
Dr. Bailey. Keep the people on the
land. Do not further concentrate the
centres of interest by emphasizing the
town or city ideals Develop local In
stitutions. making every kind OF or
,icy eft m
OF carrying. the gospel of cooperation
and ,conpanionship, and better farm life
to the persons who live on the land
"rn order to elevate the rural-pop-
ulatioa. through an adoption OF the set
Element idea. the work must be founded
on occupation, and not ostensbly on
charity, correction or philanthropy.
nor yet on missionary work. Be care
ful not to establish this centre in towns
and work outward, II the aim Is to
reach the real rural people. The work
er must be resident not migratory
or peripatetic 1t is not a question OF
stunning. nor yet so much OF settle
rnents as OF the Individual workers,
that is the farmers. showing each 9TH
or how to better their condition
Makes Recommcn dntiona.
In concluding. DR., Bailey. made the
following recommendations to the
conference not OF any specific thing
to be done. but OF a point OF view to
be established
extend your customary efforts to
all people. irrespective of where they
live, and let them apply equally every
where; recognize the fact that your
work Is broadly human.
"Aid to create public sentiment
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