Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-03-15
Work or The Montgomery County
Life Commissions, As Outlined
Before The Farmers Club
OF Goshen.

| A club, four-course dinner, addresses
on applied Sociology and Economics--does
II sound like a meeting of farmers More
like agriculturistsY No, Just plain farmers
who guide their plows with their own
hands, but wide-awake and progressive
farmers intent upon making their farms
better and maintaining upon them popu-
lation whose status In the national life is
typical of American ideals, economic, edu-
cational and social.
II was the regular monthly meeting of
the Farmers Club Of Goshen held at the
home of Mr.. William Mobley. in Laytons-
vile. last Thursday The club had invited
several guests. including Messrs. f. F.
Eastman and H. N. Morse, who have been
In the county for sometime making socio-
logical survey under the auspices of the
Montgomery Country Life Committee, with
the cooperation of the Department of Az
riculture and the Bureau of Education. The
usual order of business with the exception
of the elaborate dinner) was dispensed
with and the meeting turned over to dis
cussion of the survey. Mr. Eastman and
Mr.. Morse outlined the scope of the survey
and raised some interesting questions.
The survey Is being made, they said, be-
cause the Country Life Committee, under
the leadership of Prof. W. M, Hays, Assist
ant Secretary of the Department Of Agri-
culture, wants to make Montgomery County
the model county Of the United States.
As scientific basis for working toward
that ideal the committee wished to find out
the present condition of the county--to
take sort of general inventory of stock
For that purpose survey was needed. 1t
covers nine main heads-Topograph Eco
nomic Conditions. including both general and
specialized farming, Population, Means of
Communication and Transportation, Or9ani-
cations, Recreations and Morals, Schools,
Churches and Social Welfare. The cleo
ton districts are the units of the survey.
Much appreciation was expressed OF the
progress the county has already made
especially along the lines Of roads and
schools. Comparisons were made with
communities in other States that have been
thus surveyed-many of the comparisons
being in Montgomery's favor. Ways in
which some communities have already
worked out certain problems, namely, CO.
operative farming in Western Kentucky
| and good roads in Shelby county, Tenn.
| (where every mile of road in the county Is
macadamized), were described. The prob
lem of the boys leaving the farm was
| touched upon and several reasons enumer-
| ated for the cityward drift because they
have little or no opportunity to get land of
their own, because their schools have pre-
pared them for town life rather than fdf
farm life, because of the drudgery of farm
life and the lack Of recreation facilities,
and because city life has been more at
| tractive than farm life.
An appeal was made to the country
1 hn oh bn
| school to teach the boy about the life and
growth of the things he works with and
handles every day-corn and wheat and
hay; to teach him how to make his fathers
| farm more productive and to take pride in
that farm; and to make him see the deeper
Significance of farming and its economic
place at the heads Of all the professions.
| To the church the appeal was made to
put its shoulder to the wheel and help lift
| the community burdens. Can II take up
| the task of securing better roads take as
| its slogan: We believe in better roads and
| we propose to have them-and stick to it
until it has won OutY Can il introduce or
encourage in this county the Grange and
Farmers Clubs as Gods twentieth century
agents to the farmer Can it offer to farm
ers wives and sons and daughters Oppor-
tunities for getting together and broaden
ing their lives in literary and social actlvi-
ties? Can 1t furnish recreation facilities.
clean and wholesome for old and young
Can it take its place in the battle line be-
side those who are fighting for better schools
better buildings, better courses Of instruc-
ton and playgloundsY Can it take upon
itself the task of saving the young men,
not only for Paradise but for America and
American farms3"
For discussion this proposition was put
forward This county Is at present paying
about $4,000 yearly toward the support OF
the State Agricultural College. Is this the
best use of this money for agricultural
purposes Would this gathering favor the
reverting of this money into the county
school channels for the purpose of teach
ing agriculture through the medium of the
public scho0ls2 The discussion that follow
ed was intense, enlivened now and then BY
the wit Of the local David Harum. As a re-
suit the following resolutions were adopted
Resolved. That we believe in the teach
ing of agriculture through the medium Of
the public schools. and
Resolved. That we believe larg Ger pro
portion will be benefited by the teaching
Of agriculture through the medium OF the
public schools than through the medium Of
the State College of Agriculture.