Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-03-01
A STUDY IN RURAL LIFE.
Interesting Judgments of an Ex-
pert as to Conditions in Now
Hampshire and Vermont.

In the summer of 1911 Professor +.
A. Ross, the distinguished sociologist of
the University of Wisconsin,, visited
certain parts of New Hampshire and
Vermont, with view to forming
first-hand estimate of the social cond
lions there existing. His informal
statement as to what he found and his
suggestions as to ways of betterment
are presented in the following extracts
from letters sent by him to two Y. M.
c. A. county work secretaries in the
states visited. They are published in
the belief that a knowledge of the
facts, as keen-eyed, disinterested,
scientifically trained observers see
them, must precede all intelligent eff
fort, on the part of those who should be
leaders in rural New England, to better
certain conditions that are nothing less
than deplorable. True state pride is
not shown, as regards such matters, by
silence and a shutting of the eyes;
rather it will take the form of a fearless
struggle in the open with a situation
which if not met and overcome will
eventually make all state pride impos-
sible. To the real lovers, therefore, of
these rural commonwealth, the real be-
levers in their splendid possibilities,
the words here quoted should prove
veritable call to action; they should
stimulate and strengthen rather than
discourage and depress.
Some of the conditions referred to
were more noticeable in one state than
in the other, but the most of them, in
varying degrees, are common to both
states, and detailed comparisons would
be unjust. Among those of general
nature the following were noted:
An extreme shrinkage in the size of
families of native stock.
Parental neglect of children.
Precocious sex immortality.
An absence of adequate means of
gratifying the social and recreative
needs of young people.
A decline of standards and loss of
higher interests.
AS regards the relation between the
churches and their communities, the
following conditions were observed:
The absence of positive, militant
church spirit on questions like drinking
and sexual immortality. One pastor
says, 1.-THE reason for the unreceptive-
raSS Of tho 1rouno Daonla IN baro 10 not
in the young people themselves but in
the spirit of the churches. There is a
lack of emotional vitality in the Chris
tianity-a absence of revival phenomena
churches very conservative, bound by
precedent, lacking vitality. The church
runs too much to women, and this alien
ates both boys and girls.
There is a stubborn individualism on
the part of the old 'pillars' that is
breaking the hearts of the earnest pas
tors. Often the "pillars" frown on the
idea that the church has a social mis-
sion.
The people put business, pleasure,
and everything else ahead of spiritual
things. In one county only one out of
fourteen is a church member. The
young people are not reached by the
church. The preacher may get per-
sonal hold OH them, but he cannot
awaken religious life in them. The
ministers despair of the future, for no
one takes the place of the members
who die.
The causes of these dangerous condi-
tons, with remedies suggested by his
practical experience, are set forth by