Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-17
Rooseyelt's Farm Commission
Attracts Little Attention
Among Iowa Farmers
SOME IMPROVEMENT POSSIBLE
Interviews With Farmers Show Where
Practical Work Can Be Accomplished
by the Government = Rural School
Consolidation Not in High Favor
Country Churches Can Not Succeed.

Special to Times-Republican.
Clarion. Dec. ia few farmers In
this community have received the list
of twelve questions. sent out by the
commission which President Roose-
welt appointed last summer to investi-
gate conditions in rural life, the
avowed object being to elevate the
standard of the country dweller's eN-
istence. A considerable amount of
newspaper space Was devoted to the
subject at the time the idea was given
to the public, but so far as the farmer
is concerned at least, no very large
measure of attention has been given
the matter since that time. Every rural
resident, however. is ready to admit
that there are some features of coun-
try life needing improving and what
follows is an attempt to put in print
the ideas of few who cared to ex-
press their opinions on the subject.
Those questions relating to improve
ment of postal, banking and transpor-
tation facilities are generally regarded
as worthy of consideration because the
settlement of those questions is con-
ceded by all to be the work of some
department of government. Those re-
lating to sanitation and to social con-
ditions find no favor, neither with
those whose surroundings indicate
great need of Improvement in these re-
spects nor with that class which is
most favorably situated. Both regard
such inquiries as unWarranted and I'M
productive of any possible benefit to
anybody.
Tho Rural School.
1t is generally admitted that some
thing ought to be done for the rural
schools. Every morning, five days in
the week, this season of the year, boys
and girls are to be seen on every road
leading into the towns, on their way to
the town school. Two, three. five miles
they come, some on foot, some riding
ponies, others in buggies, all hurrying
to the graded school. universally rec
ognized as far better than the little
unequipped, neglected school so much
nearer home. When country school
consolidation is suggested as the rem
edy for this undesirable state Of affairs
there is always the objection Of trans
portation. When SO large a percentage
Of the farmers living within, say four
or even three miles of every town, large
or small, prefer to send their children
to the town rather than to a console
dated rural school, the remaining rur-
al jewellers would find 1t difficult to
establish them even if a large majori-
ty of these people were in favor of the
project The solution of the rural school
problem is evidently too difficult for
the average farmer and his suggestions
in that line will be few and far be-
tween.
Farmers Not Church Attendants.
One man who was approached on
the subject brought up the matter of
church attendance. Not more than one
family in twenty, he thought, except
possibly those of the Catholic faith,
and in some communities members of
churches in which services are con-
Quoted in some foreign language, are
regular attendants at church. The rur-
al church, like the rural school, will
never be attended by those who live
near enough to attend one located in