The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-09-28

erty-StrlCken 1Olk known as
the poor whites have been
found living in squaor and discomfort, to
say nothing of unsanitary conditions, that par
alleled anything in the negro cabins No wonder
many of this class of the inhabitants fell vic
tins to hook worm" and other diseases.
AS has been said, the coming of material pros
perity has proven the chief spur to the OF
better homes in rural Dixie but it is only fair to
say that the improvement set in before the
record-breakng cotton crops of the past few
years were even in prospect, and have found in
spiration from sources quite apart from business
activity. For number of years past number Of
individuals and humanitarian organizations have
been doing missionary work" Of the best kind
in the south. Under the guse of medical at
tendance they have carried health and hygiene
to many isolated families, who had remained
in ignorance of modern ideas such matters;
they have sought to educate the children OF
these poor folk-particularly in the remote noun
tain districts where regular schools are rarity;
and finally they have exerted influence in every
possible way to secure the provision Of better
homes. Efforts have been made to arouse the
ambitions Of the to provide better, more
commodious and thoroughly weather-tight dwell
ings, whereas the women have had their interest
kindled along the line of home ornamentation,
ETC.
This arousal of interest has come the more
readily where the improvement of business
agricultural COnQlLlOnS mas mdue IL possible IOF
the heads of the household to obtain remunera-
tive employment. 1t has been pretty difficult to
nurture ambitions for better home among peo-
pie weakened by long poverty and disease and
with barely enough money to keep body and soul
together. highly beneficial influence in this
same general direction has been exerted during
the past few years by the field agents of the
United States department of agriculture and by
the workers of the state agricultural institutions
that have been established In most of the south
ern states. These men and women have worked
for better conditions through the medium of the
children of rural Dixie. Having won the conf
competitions and of the girls through the more
recently introduced Canning clubs 1t has been a
simple matter to inspire them with desire to
not only improve the farm but also to improve
the farm home and provide it with greater COM
forts and conveniences. Indeed, many Of the
prizes offered by southern merchants and or
ganizations Of public-spirited citizens in these
contests designed to improve agricultural yields
in the south have been objects destined to af-
ford hint of home comforts or luxuries hereto
fore undreamed Of
The direct sequel of the good crops of recent
years in its effect upon home in Dixie Is even
more conspicuous than the indirect influences
above mentioned. All over the south farmers and
planters have expended some of the money
they have made In these fat years in building
dwellings or In restoring old ones. Many
colonial antebellum mansions which were rap
idly falling into decay have thus been rescued
and restored in the nick of time. and when pro-