Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-08-29

to be sought for In the rural mind.
Better farming simply means the ap-
plication Of the teaching Of modern
science to the practice of agriculture.
Better business Is the application of
economic principles and modern COM
mercial methods to the business side
Of the farming industry. Better liv-
ing Is the building up In rural COM
munities Of a domestic and social life
which will Withstand the growing at
fractions of the modern city.
/ II common work and social inter-
course with a circle of friends is to
prevail In the long run over the lure
which the city offers. to eye, ear and
pocket, there must be a change in the
rural home, rural school and rural
church. Let us notice II any changes
have taken place In these institutions
in our country.
The home has been decided upon as
the most fundamental agency working
toward the upbuilding of country life.
1t fs the center of all interests and
the heart Of the whole farm. All So
ctal movements in any way related to
the welfare Of country living must be
rooted in the home. The school and
church. to gain life and permanency,
must establish vital connections with
1t. The home, In other words, absorbs
the efforts Of all other socializing
agencies and redirects these efforts in
to the lives for whom II Is maintained.
The immediate need for the i'm
proyement Of farm-home life Is for
the better control and decrease Of
household labor. This, In turn, calls
for the better planning and recon-
struction Of farm houses, and the vo-
cational education of country women.
The chief occupation of the coun-
try home, as we all know, Is farming
The fact remains that rural life Is un-
dergoing a rapid expansion. Mate
rally. socially and intellectually the
farmer Is broadening. The plowman
is no longer content to keep his eye
forever on the furrow. Thousands Of
farmers are farming on a scientific
basis. The number of specialists
among farmers is increasing, and new
methods are being rapidly developed.
1t Is the business of the educational
welfare, to turn their attention to the
Improvement Of the rural school. The
country population has right to hold
its old advantages. No amount Of
mere preaching to rural school teach
ers will make the country schools suf-
ficiently better. The situation requires
economic advantages and social press
ure to produce results, Our expert
ence shows that country life and in
stitutions have been modified by far
reaching conditions-economic social,
political, legislative and administra-
tive. They must be re-created by the
use Of the same large forces. II
wealth has gone to the cities. at least
a small part of their riches must be
returned for the education of country
youth. This means the doing away
with the antiquated principle that
schools must be supported by local
funds. Expenditure for the education
of child differs materially from that
used for building roads or for supply
ing fire protection.
The efficiency of child has po-
tential significance for the country at
large. Tomorrow he may become a
citizen Of town or city. The train
ing Of country boys and girls is not a
local problem; Ii Is the responsibility
Of the whole state.
The past decade has been an espe-
cially fruitful one In the field Of pub
lie education. The country school has
not been omitted in the process Of re-
construction and criticism, and proba-
bly, no question has received more
thought and attention during the past
decade than, How to improve the
rural school?" Hundreds Of articles
have been written, addresses made and
reports printed on this subject. Eff
forts have also concentrated In the
quality Of the teacher. This certain
ly was needed and there is still much
room for improvement along this line.
The result Is that after almost two
decades Of agitation for improvement,
the rural school stands about where 1t
was at the beginning. The teacher Is
q little better and the course of in
struction contains a little more that
Is really worth while, but the school
still lacks almost all of the elements
which go to make 1t strong educa-
tional factor in the lives Of country
children.
Country church conditions vary in
different localities quite as much as
home conditions. Here and there In
exceptional communities are found
prosperous country churches almost
ideal in every way. In hundreds Of
rural localities the church problem Is
rather one Of over-churching than Of
nder-churching. There are no local
churches. Church attendance Is ir-
regular and infrequent. In other in
stances church buildings are old and
COh6l C6otiOho DihoAib pos
tors unpaid, and all local church his
tory is but q pitiful story Of struggle
for life. It is the general impression
that farmers as a class, are extremely
sectarian That this Is frequently true
In individual instances, must be con-
fessed; but upon the whole farmers
are far more liberal minded in matters
Of religion than Is commonly realized.
But the new farmer is man Of mark
ed spirituality and generous charity.
These new farmers who have out
grown all petty creeds, are only wait
Ing to welcome the religion Of COM
mon humanity. Just what this re-
llgion shall be cannot now be deter
mined.
Rural life, extensive and intensive
alike, has been revolutionized In all
parts of our country. In every quar-
ter there are individuals and commu-
mites that have won such prosperity
and happiness as the soil never before
yielded. The application Of new sci
entific knowledge have made the till
ing Of the earth new industry. The
organization Of rural life has In some
places brought 1t to a degree OF ef-
ficiency and comfort never before
known.