The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-02-01
Small Towns and Cities.


"there is no opportunity for a young
man In a small town" and the advice
continually given to young men to go
to large city. The claim is always
made that life In a small town offers
but little chance for accomplish
ment; that one does not have the
opportunity to grow, develop and
learn; that ambition is killed, that
one falls into a rut and many like
arguments.
We do not believe these arguments
are good, although we will admit that
the opportunity for making great
fortunes are not as plentiful in small
town as in cities, but we think that
I'm every other way the country and
the small town offers as much to the
young man as the big cities.
In every small town there are people
OF culture, refinement, learning and
ability. A person can always get ac-
cess to the best books wherever he may
be. One always has opportunities for
study, for increasing his knowledge
both of history and current events.
In the big cities one does not have
as intimate an acquaintance with as
many people as he has in a small town.
In the big cities one does not have as
much time for study and reading as In
the small towns. In the big cities one
Is taken away from close contact with
nature and certainly all will admit
that there something strengthening
about nature to both body and mind.
The danger of person falling into
a rut, of becoming narrow, Of not
growing and broadening, we believe is
as great, II not greater, In city than
In the country. These dangers beset
a person wherever he may live. 1t all
depends on the person, what will
happen. Is it not as easy for one to
read the best In literature, be we'll
posted on history and current events
In Hillsboro as in Chicago? Is 1t not
as easy for one to do the work he is
doing In Hillsboro as I'm Chicagop ? Can
not lawyer or a doctor be as widely
read, have as thorough knowledge Of
his profession and do as much real
good In Hillsboro as In Chicagof Can
not the merchant or manufacturer
give the same care and attention to
the conduct OF his business In the
small town as in the big city?
We believe proportionately there are
more real successes and fewer pitiful
failures In the small town than In the
big city. Where do you most often
find abject poverty, privation, suffer
ing and miseryY In tie big cities.
Where do you most often find COM
Portable homes, happy families, plenty
and contentment? ? In the small towns
and the country.
or course everyone that goes to the
city thinks that he is going to be the
one exception to the general rule |;
that he will not simply by a hard
struggle make good living, but that
he will attain to fame and fortune.
But how many are the except ons
Rare indeed.
Every once in while we hear 1t
said, "what pity that man did not
go to city, he would have made a
great success" In the small town
this man has usually attained promi-
nence. Hehas lived comfortably, has
reared and educated a family, has done
we ! and thoroughly the work he has
had to do. What more could he have
done In the city.
All the opportunities for doing things,
for the attainment OF ambition, for
achieving success, for happy, con
tented and useful life, are not confined
TO the cities. There is just as much
need of men of ability, of character,
of learning and just as necessary and
important work to do In the small
towns as in the cities and the ruts are
not more numerous In the country or
the narrow people more In evidence.