Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-08-03
False Ideals.
EXCEPTIONALLY SUCCESSFUL CAREERS
IN THE CITY GIVE FALSE VIEWS
OF CITY LIFE.

EXCEPTIONALLY SUCCESSFUL CAREER
IN THE CITY GIVE FALSE VIEWS
OF CITY LIFE.
1t seems to the writer that the time i
now at hand for revision of man,
popular ideals of farm and country, ant
to make start in the right direction; t
get at foundation principles as regart
life and living and full appreciation o
the dignity, the profits and the real priv
ileges of living in the open on the farm
of the country. 1t is now true that
with the easy means of communication
the splendid system of mail delivery, tn,
rural telephone and the local organiza
tions existing everywhere, whatever th,
privation there may have been on thes'
farms in times past is almost entirel.
overcome, and the afternoon of leisure
the winter evening or the oft recurring
holiday can be as pleasantly spent in an.
producing neighborhood all over thi
broad land as in crowded city or manu-
featuring village. The fact, however
remains that all over the country ther,
goes up cry for more farm help, a CT.
that meets no response. 1t therefore be
comes all who would try to help thos,
who represent this great mother in
dustry to see to it that every effort shal
be made to create healthy sentiment il
favor of the country. In the first place
there is an unreal glamour surrounding
the person who by travelling to distant
sections or to the city, and who by many
years of unremitting toll and privatiop
by some lucky turn of fortune, or it ma!
be by INSCRIPTIONS practices, accumu
lates wealth. One such case, heralded
through the section that knew him as 8
boy, will do much 10 turn the attention
of the youth of that section to the posi-
bilities of such a course for them. There
is no way for them TO note the many
that have been stranded on the way il
similar undertakings, or who are still
toiling in some crowded factory in dus
and gloom for their daily keep, mere
atom in some great enterprise controlled
by others, and entirely dependent upor
the will of others in their coming anC
going from day TO day.
1t is the few who succeed and the
many who fail. A young man who takes
his place in the ranks of the wage earn
ers in any town or city, who has a fam
lily, must spend at least one day in four
one year in four, in labor to pay the rem
on fairly comfortable place to live, ant
when the allowances for the common
necessities of life, the possible calls fol
a physician, the few luxuries he feel.
must be afforded his family, are taker
from the remaining tbree-fourths of hi:
earnings he is indeed fortunate il he ha'
even a small balance left. / am aware
that the papers try to give their reader:
what they want to read, and that it IL
pleasant to read of the successes of peo
pie anywhere; but | wish that along
with every one of these tales there nigh
go reverse picture covering the efforts
and the failure of the many others.
The same should be true in relation t
investment of capital. When the Bangor
Il Aroostook Railroad was built and {
start was made in the opening up of tha
great producing country, section a.
large as an ordinay state and averaging
far richer in resources than any fa
famed prairie section of the West or SUI
kissed regions of the Southland, th'
money for the building came largely
from outside of Maine, and during th'
time of its building there went from th'
state into Western securities, some o
which proved entirely worthless, NOR,
than enough to finance the whole road
More than s2,000,000 will be expended
this season in extensions on this road
and il is safe to say that much of tha
will come from outside the state, whil
we have much capital awaiting invest
ment, the savings banks alone carryin,
near sl00,000,000.
This, as we'll as the emigration of ou
best Drawn and brain to distant fields
comes from false ideals. For these falls
ideals the country people are largel.
themselves to blame. The home ant
the school, the two places above al
o; hers where sentiment is formed in tn
young mind, have too often served a
instruments in this work. In the hom
there has been a false conception o
what constitutes independence, useful
ness and happiness; in the schools ther
has been too much of leaning towar'
hero worship which has led the youni
and receptive mind TO use its presen
moment here for future usefulness else
where. / wish the Tribune Farmer wit
it's broad teachings and national charac
ter, could become weekly visitor IN ia
more of our country homes than at pres
ent. 1t would serve a purpose tina
would bring development in mind an
matter and place a true distinction be
tween the real advantages and privilege
of country life and the imaginary one
of distant city or village.
would have the country people tax
more interest in the common schools.
would have them willing to bear the fai
share of their support and seek more ali
from the state for better schools instea
of for the selfish purpose of shifting bul
dens from town To state. / would hav
them use their best efforts TO change tn
common school curriculum so that mai
ure studies may preponderate. l woui
have the child look within and to tn
things near by and around him. / woul
start him in the common school so tina
his tastes would be developed in such
way that he would seek higher educs
ton along lines that tend toward the dt
| velopment of country resources. Jus
as long as country people are indifferer
to the welfare of the common schoo
Just as long as they consider it a burde
to be shouldered off upon the state, an
thereby Indirectly on the cities an
larger towns, just so long will its curr
culum and a large part of its sentimer
turn toward the city and away from tn
country and the farm. wish our stat
oranges might be made to see this, an
in their efforts for helpful legislatio
turn their attention more toward the el
actment of laws helpful to rural studio
in schools and less toward readjus
ment of public burdens, much Of whic
effort savors strongly of extreme selfis
ness.
| In the early springtime | had Il
pleasure of long carriage ride with
young miss, twelve years old, from
school in a neighboring state, and,
the way, she never has attended scho
except to one teacher who is her prese
instructor, and who is a former stude
of mine. The early spring flowers we
just opening, and the air was full OF q
melody of the spring song bird. Tn
young miss named every flower We pas
cd, told of it's species aud its famii
She was familiar with the looks, not
and habits Of every bird, and in discus
| ing both flower and bird was full OF
! thusiasm. As noted all this / cou
only wonder on the prevalence OF the o
.aoir,a With its ou uk-of.daty aubioCtS 81