The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-08-27

MAXI NcI al III SH
fractions in life and the drab OF II
the whole existence, the
JOYOUS blue OF the sky being thus
eliminated from the round or exis-
tence. 1t Is pleasure which drives dun
care away, and there Is more OF this
needed in country life.
That town life and city life is fas-
cinating to the young people OF the
country, and the older ones also. IS
shown in the shifting of population
from the country to the town and
on to the larger cities. There are, OF
course, other reasons combined with
this, but the lack Of attractions IN
country life is one OF the causes
Mankind is g~regarious, and the get
ting together Of mankind is the op-
~portunity for seeing the attractive
side Of life. Hence whatever IS done
in the country to get assemblaSes OK
the people is SO much done to add to
the pleasures OF country life. And
the country, for by 1t there can be
kept there a larger part Of the popu-
lation. and this will add to the prog
ress Of the country.
An experiment along this line has
been going on in Armenia, Dutchess
county, New York, where there has
been inaugurated a country field
day. This day has been established
for the purpose Of promoting recrea-
ton and sociability, and 1t began
! with q large attendance last year, the
attendance increasing this ear While
this was a field day for a country
town the idea Of it a be expanded
into township or community field
days, and thus reach a larger proper
ton of the people of the country. The
purpose Of the Armenia Field Day as
set out on the program, is contained
in hints and suggestions as follows:
1. You have got to make the
country as attractive socially as
the city if you want to keep the
young ok on the farms.
2. There is a good deal Of
work in the country, but most
Of our boys and girls have for
gotten how to play.
3. Baseball is a splendid game
but it isn't the only one. Every
healthy boy should be intereste6~
in at least half a dozen others.
Don't merely watch others play
games play them yourself,
4. You can't drink strong
drink and be an athlete. Get
your boys interested in honest
and healthy sports. and save
them from drink and dissipa-
ton.
5. Contests and competitions
are not the main thing. The
strong compete and grow strong
er; the e. oOk on and grow
weaker" The main Thing is
play. Learn h great lesson that
play is just as necessary for your
son as work.
6. The community should help
TO run its own recreations. Its
festivals should be not only for
the people. but Of and by the
people.
These are hints full Of suggestive
thoughts and they tell of good thing
to be obtained by the gathering O
country people for purposes Of rec
reation. The idea is one that /
worth taking hold Of, for it will ten
to make far more attractive life i
the country, and Will tend to i'm
prove both the working spirit an
the social life. The program of tn
actual things to do on such day
must necessarily be worked out b
each community or town. and it wi
be found in doing this there will b
found unsupported talent, and tina
, there will be a development Of a
the people, with a resultant Of a NOR
, attractive life which VIII tie tn
younger people to it. The Cincinna.
Enquirer, in publishing an articl
about the Armenia Field Day and tn
six statements discusses the matte,
and Emphasizes its value as 70:
lows!