The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1909-08-27
RURAL GIVES VALUE
What 1t Means to the Individual
and Whole Nation.
SALVATION OF ALL TOWNS

Every Movement Bringing Members OF
Rural Towns Together For Discussing
improvements Concerning the Com
munity as Whole Is Step Forward
Within the words rural civics there
is embraced a movement which, car
ried to it's fullest possibilities, may
we'll mean the transformation of a
nation. We are prone to think of
civics and civic matters as having to
do solely with town or city. People
living in such close proximity to one
another that they are forever jostling
elbows are forced to consider the well
fare of the body polite as a whole.
Therefore it is natural that the first
impulse for civic betterment should
emanate from the city.
But the time has come when this
movement for civic betterment the
improvement Of conditions for the
mass rather than the individual, is
recognized as one of the greatest fac
tors in the upbuilding of rural COM
munties. There never was a time.
either in country or city, when the in
dividual was under such direct obliga-
ton to the mass of his fellow citizens.
Within the last half century, by means
of increased transportation facilities,
the invention of the telephone and the
thousand and one inventions which
81 Natt
living, man has become even more
closely bound to his neighbor. so that
the latters welfare has become his
own welfare. This is just as true of
the farmer as of any other class.
In the growth of rural civics lies not
only the salvation of our rural COM
munities, but of the nation as whole.
Improve not only the individual farm,
but the community as a whole-the
town center. the highways radiating
in all directions, the social conditions,
the opportunities for mental relaXa-
ton and development-and you exert
an influence which extends straight
up to the legislative halls of the ma
ton.
pasture to run to thiStles is apparent
1y nobody's business but his own. This
may be true up to the point where the
first puff of wind floats the thistle
down over into the pastures of his
neighbors. Right there Henry Jones
has Internationally taken a hand in
his neighbors' affairs, and his neigh
bors have right to demand of Henry
Jones that he do his share to relieve
the community of pest. A puff Of
wind and bit of thistledown have
made Of the free. individual a respon-
sible unit in the mass
Every movement which tends to
bring the members of the rural COM
munity together for discussion Of
those things which concern the COM
munity as whole is distinct step
forward. Every schoolhouse should
be a civic center for the district in
which it is situated. Every town house
or county seat should be larger civic
center wherein the leaders in the
smaller centers may meet for the dis
cussion of the work which they are
doing and for the intelligent mapping
out of future plans along which these
smaller cepters may cooperate.
The town beautiful" Of necessity
means the home beautiful" and the
home beautiful means the retention of
the boys and girls on the farm. Rural
civics in its broadcast sense means
rural uplift. uplift along every line
which tends to make country life more
worth while. more attractive, more in
spring. Rural civics has no place in
party politics, save that it will produce
in each party the best men that can
be put forward. The welfare of the
nation is dependent on the welfare Of
the individual. and the individual alone
is helpless and hopeless. Patriotism of
the highest type is the immediate and
best product of the realization Of CON-
munal responsibility.
The lyceum in the schoolhouse and
the public forum at the town or coun-
ty seat will come to mean not only q
more beautiful country, but a purging
Of politics which shall ultimately make
our government what we are wont to
claim that it is and what it should be
If it is not-the ideal which Lincoln so
tersely set forth as "a government of
the people, by the people and for, the
people. New England Homestead.