The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1912-10-10
OUR GLORIOUS WEST.

OUR GLORIOUS WEST.
(Contributed.)
a word o6 tribute to beautiful val
ley City, N. p. from Now York
woman who tasted some Of it. 1oys
during the summer Of 1912.
Women are the index Of the com.
ing hour" These words Of Emerson
came to me many times during my
visit to Valley City. When I ahShted
at the railroad station saw most un-
attractive sight. An old fashioned sta
tion, many railroad tracks and cars
with the usual accumulation that one
finds at railroad station. Facing this
was business street Of duh unlovely
stores, showing the fact that business
had been necessity in the early days.
Business, just the primitive method
of barter. the very needs Of life, set
up In the least attractive way. MY
friend. who lives and loves her city,
watched my face jealousy to detect
any unfavorable impressions or her
childhood's home, then hurried me
across the street and down a block
to short bridge and. 10! ! was in
beautiful park. Here one could see
the men had builded hurriedly for bus
mess; the women;s part was to come
later. The park was the outgrowth
Of their scheme. A breathing place in
the center Of the city, beauty spot
for the children born and yet to be.
I began to meet the women Of the
place, to know the backbone Of our
national life. The women were idealis-
tic and intensely practical kind Of
new woman" Many had known al
the dangers and privatons Of the. old
frontier life on the boundless and IN
friendly prairie. For Is not all I'M
tanned nature unfriendly to the mind
that does not yet know her moods,
who has not worked with her and al
lowed for all her caprdces? The ca
prices of the prairie were tragedies to
the undnitiated, fire, hail; cold, too in
tense to live through. To all these
the pioneer man and woman gave q
listening ear and an understanding
heart. Today the prairies yield
wealth. The former is value to our
land that cannot be overestimated. His
home Is fuel Of beauty and due to
womans understanding every conven-
fence has been added with touch Of
beauty. The former comes to town
in his auto, not one farmer, but thous-
ands Of them. His wife belongs to
some circle or club for advancement.
] found very few merely social clubs.
His children I'LL our colleges. The
family forms a quiet unit for the up.
building Of our nation.
But to return to Valley City. A few
years ago when the new buildings
for the state were to be voted on,
Valley City, due to the influence Of her
women, voted tor the State Normal
school, leaving the winning Of the in
sane asylum to her sister.town, who
seems very proud Of her choice. To
the prophetic mind, the insane asylum
seems to belong to. the dark ages, tor
If the ideals are lived up to that !
caught on the wing, in the air,
breathed from the lips in every SEN
tence. spoken by the fifty, seventy
five or more that met in Valley City,
the insane asylum will soon be use
less unless turned into colleges. for
their will be no one to fill them, else.
Remove the causes and the disease
ceases to exist. These women are
striving through their schools, church
es. clubs and general community life
to rid at least their city Of 6ew Of
the cancers that had eaten at the
heart Of our first Christian civilixa-
ton. The liquor habit, the male idea
Of double standard Of morals. the idea
Of endless work with no true play or
uplift for the individual. Loneliness
and overwork have driven thousands
into the house Of the insane. Valley
City with her State Normal enthroned
ON her beautiful hills, draws the best
from all our land to come to her.
some to stay, many to visit and bring
her the best from all the world in
thought and discovery. Truly .the
best ds good enough for her, The
old motto Of the west used to mean
material best, but in Valley City It
came to. my mind many times, and
taking q new and finer meaning. Ev.
cry season the Chautauqua meets in
beautiful ur0uo m 4ln .hanl.- AZ AZ.