Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-17

problem We don't reach sufficiently
well the men and women who are not
progressive, who have no ideals and
who are not prosperous. In spite of
all the magnificent features, you will
find agricultural conditions that are
simply pathetic. Thousands of agri-
cultural communities are not being
built up as they should be. Our prob
lem is Ia try to reach every last @an
on the land with a gospel Of better
farming. But it is the greatest fallacy
that if you have financial prosperity
it will naturally bring better schools,
better roads and better civilization.
Let us get 1t out of our minds that if
we make money on the farm we don't
need to pay any attention to ideals and
churches It isn't true. You must put
the same enthusiasm and energy into
these larger things as you do into the
planning for more money. 1t is pa
thetic to see so many people engaged
in a sad business which seems to be
their only business, deNing day in and
day out long hours and suffering pri-
vations just to make a little more
money, and their lives becoming bar
rem and poor.
Campaign for BETTER Community
Our American people are individual
lists, and Of sall the individualists the
farmers take the cake. The farmer
has taken his independence a step too
far; he is not willing to cooperate.
The idea that the Individual is to get
ahead and do something for himself is
the thing that lies in the background
of our efforts very largely.
we have reached a time when we
must work together for the benefit
of the community. The school and
church and grange exist not merely
60 help the individual which. is le-
Ultimate, but to be of use to all the
people of the community. The church
has q duty of service to every per-
son in the community. The school
should be a social center. We have
got to have a permanent rural civil
lization. 1 wish the farmers were
better organized for they will have
to work out their problems for them
selves.
Community Ideal Governs
I1SIS 10 a GULL WA6I0 II 10
the tradition that the boys are going
to college, and a large proportion
Of them do go. But in another COM
it is the tradition that boys
don't go to college, and but few go.
You can feel this influence. 1t would
be very unfortunate to leave out the
things the church stands for. We
must minister to the very highest
part of our natures and keep alive
all the ideals of personal life and
life.
This rural problem is after all one
problem. We must build up an in
dustrial life, political life, social life
and moral life in our rural commun-
ity that represents our American
ideals. The people and the institu-
lions must get together. The school,
the church and the grange are funda-
mental in this campaign. All other
organizations should come in. The
keyword is federation of effort-the
next great step in rural life.
The work for rural progress has got
to be done where the people live, out
in the community, and by the people
under the leadership of
teachers and progressive farmers and
must deal with practical, concrett
things that need doing now.
/ hope the national conference on
rural progress will come One of the
next steps is for every state to organ
ize this thing. 1t is one of the pur-
poses of this Country Teachers asso-
citation to achieve federation and rural
progress in Illinois If we work only
IN the community we will be apt to see
things in small way and lack vision
Of what is possible. We need this large
plan.
Rural sociRI Engineers
Another need is expert direction. We
will develop a class Of rural social sen.
yineers, who will plan for the develop
nent of our rural progress Just as def |
nitely as landscape garden or bridge
Is planned.
I make the plea to you, especially |
20 the young men to consider teaching