The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-02-02
Has INTERESTING siEssioN At
UNIVERSITY HALL-ooop
PAPERS.
PHASES OF RURAL LIFE
Zeal purFeso es Commission Set Forth
by Chairman J. n. Durston, Sscrs.
tary M. /. Dean, =. s. Cooley and
othcrs-organixatior and Plan Of
Work--SPokane View.

At the university hall last evening
there was one OF the most Interesting
sessions of the week of meetings In
Missoula. II was that OF the State
Country Life commission. a board OF
five members appointed by Governor
Norris, its members residing In va
rious parts of the state. J. III.
Durstan. editor OF the Anaconda
standard. IL the chairman of the COM
mission and he delivered one of tho
principal addresses of the evening,
state Horticulturist NJ. l.. Dean of
this city Is secretary of the commits
sion and L. S. Cooley OF Bozeman,
Mrs. G. II. Conrad OF kalispeil and
Mrs. II. b. Mitchell of Great Falls are
the other members. Mr.. Dean and
Mr.. Cooley both took part In the pro-
gram last evening. the ladies' OF the
commission not being present.
On account OF counter attractions
the audience mt the university last
evening was not large. But 1t was
appreciative and the numbers on tho
program were all much enjoyed.
President Duniway of the university
presided and opened the session by
calling upon Professor Gustav Fischer
for violin solo. Herr Fischer was
encored and then Mr.. Durston was in
troduced as first speaker.
Country Life Commission.
After few remarks of a lighter
vein than the serious portion of tho
subject. Mr.. Durston announced that
he would speak but briefly. first CIV
Ing an idea OF the commission and It's
purpose and then n few words on tho
good roads question In Montana as 1t
applied to the rural districts. He
said I'm part
"Montana's Country Life commis-
sion has fiyo members who are serv-
Ing 1T the request OF the governor.
The legislature and. except the gov
ernor. the state authorities have no
official knowledge of It's existence. It's
aim Is to be suggestive and helpful
with rccpect to betterments In the en-
virons Of rural life. The purpose In
to DO f,r the country. through this
agency. that which agencies of the
same sort are doing for the cities. Il
IL onpha'ically true of the cities that
on the initiative OF the few, through
civic organizations. many things re-
lating 70 llfe's comforts and amenities
and blessings are done. which but for
this suggestion the many would not
do for themselves. Millions Of us
really know enough TO go in out OF
the rain. yet. figuratively. In our
everyday experience we fail to do Ii.
City life has been wonderfully helped
and lifted by leadership that has re-
suited IN the making of common
cause. Country life needs the same
leading Of hand. It has never had
II.
"A great amount of material Is get
ting iato print IN the presentation of
supposed parallels or comparisons be-
tween city and country life. Tho
truth Is that there are very few real
comparisons; in great degree urban
life and country life present series
of contrasts, and some of these are
antagonisms. There are contrasts In
employment and opportunity and
methods, and, perhaps, tastes. There
are painful contrasts with respect to
SS1ools ana SoGiai coHti.ioHS ana en-
tertainment and facilities for INTEL
lectual training"
After dealing at further length with
these contrasts of country and city life.
the speaker said that the rural COM
mnnit!es In Montana have as yet failed
to adopt into their living some fea-
lures Of the eastern country COM
mnnities that had been dropped out In