The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-21

It has been a move backward. not
forward.
The writer asked . neighbor how he
accounted for the lack of hospitality
In this neighborhood. and he replied:
There isn't the young folks around
here any more like there used to be
no one to Hven things up. We used
to have good times at the school house
over there under the hill before they
built the new school house down there
just at the edge of town. Since then
we have got in the habit Of staying at
home. When We used to meet each
other at the spelling bees and socials
We took more Of a personal interest
in each other-we were sort Of work
ing together then-but / don't feel as
we'll acquainted with some of the old
neighbors now al l did i've or six
years ago. My wife and have gotten
out of the notion of. going any place
and the neighbors don't come to see
us. Only two neighbors have been at
our house to visit in the past three
years."
This condition, of course, does not
prevail in all farm neighborhoods, yet
in many places 1t does. and there is
great room for improvement.
Where farm organizations exist the
social side of life has not declined; in
these communities 1t has kept pace
with the advance made in the various
phases Of the farm work.
The communities that stand out
most conspicuously for the lack of
neighborliness are those adjacent to
the cities. In these communities there
seems to be more of a desire to seek
the diversions of the cities rather than
mingle with the farm neighbors.
It is quite frequently the case in
these localities that neighbors living
on adjoining farms do not know each
other.
Although the life of the farmer in
many places is very unsociable; and
although 1t may be said that the worst
side of country life is the social side,
yet we believe that the tide is turn
ing-there Is an awakening, as it were,
to the fact that life as its best means
getting together for the welfare of all.
There has been so much talk about
the lack of sociability in the country,
that many have been aroused to &C
ton.
Cooperation is the watchword Of to-
day.
And cooperation in one line even
tually means cooperation in all.
Our magazines and local papers are
full of accounts of what is being &C,
complished by working together.
Organized effort means waste elimi-
nation; it means the accomplishing Of
bigger and better things; 1t means
the doing away with petty. selfish in
terest. and it means a closer relation
ship between individuals.
The farmers see the benefits which
those in other lines Of endeavor are
deriving from working together. and
they are now becoming eager to also
get the most from their efforts. and
wherever we find the cooperative spir-
it manifesting itself. there we find the
farmers again manifesting the old time
neighborliness.
This coming in contact with each
other on the new basis Of working to-
gether Is tanning into flame that
spark of sociability that has so long
been lying dormant.
Wherever there is an out cropping
Of this new spirit we hear Of incidents
that show humanitarianism, and we
open our eyes in pleased surprise, for
this is as it used to be.
We can feel the social change in
the air: It IL inevitable.
Let's get together as soon as posi-
BILE and speed the coming.
The tide has turned.