The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-13

rect natures forces and employ his
own energies for larger social service
as we'll as for the accumulation O,
property.
To maintain its dignity and integ-
| rity, however, it seems necessary fol
the country to develop it's own peculiar
civilization n not be controlled BY
city Ideals. Agriculture must not, un-
der any circumstances, occupy a sec
ondary place in the social, business
Dr. industrial world. The social life
and customs of urban residents are
not compatible with country peoples;
hence the necessity for developing a
social life that is satisfying to rural
communities. The business of farm
ing, also, eXcelling in magnitude and
Importance as it does, all others
must not much longer be subjected to
the manipulation of middlemen and
spectators. The extension movement
can throw a flood Of light into these
dark places and WELD a potent inlu-
ence for the emancipation of agricul-
ture.
Aversion to Agriculture.
That there is a deep-seated aversion
to agriculture by many farmers, rs
! we'll as farmers children, however,
goes without saying. AS far as posi-
BILE. farm life is avoided by young men
ambitious for a career. Why this
aversion to agriculture on their part?
May it not largely be owing to the
fact that their parents never enter
into the spirit of their vocation?
With too many only the drudgery, the
mental side of arm life is seen, with
never a vision of the beauties and the
things of interest which a knowledge
rf e,iay,44 Iier1nc1a 1N11kvYrsa nIr 80
farmers actually bemoan the fact that
agriculture is their cruel lot, and their
meanings are so Enthusiastically au-
dible that their children, to escape
their parents fate, flee to the city
Upon the slightest ~provocation. And
little wonder that the lot of husband
men is SO sore when they take two
steps where one would answer better
and mentally starve in gardens of
knowledge that are vast and rich with
heavens own planting.
1t ia to these men and women the
college extension should minister.
Those engaged in extension work,
however, must be in hearty sympathy
with their problem and approach 1t in
the spirit Of helpfulness. The mis-
s%ionaries of a more satisfying country
life must entertain no Interior motive
and betray no interest beyond making
the farm and home supply every
healthful physical, social and spirit
ual desire. Needless drudgery indeed
may be avoided; waste eliminated,
which alone would insure prosperity;
the premises beautified at trifing ex-
pense Of money n labor; the bust
ness Of farming modernized; systems
Of co-operation in labor as well as in
buying and selling, established;
q M lJSoYn a1fe TNrnryiIaS FOR a11 and
young alike; roads and schools i'm
proved: and a community spirit de-
veloped on a basis that will endear
the social life to all its members.
Leadership Required.
Only tactful leadership is required
to direct the rural social forces to
such desirable ends as here indicated.
This leadership the college must pre-
pare and distribute through the or
g~anization of its enxtension division.
Moreover the leadership must not be
apart from and remote, but located in
the community and be identified with
and partake of the community life,
to produce satisfactory results. Ev-
cry farm should become a laboratory
and every home a nursery for incul-
eating the principles of better farming,
better business. and better living.
These desirable ends cannot all be
accomplished in the same way nor by
the same means in all communities.
but the ultimate object should be to
bring to the different communities
the very latest scientific and practical
knowledge that may be of value to
farmers. This knowledge should i'm
clude a better social attitude toward
the church. the school, and local i'm
proFernents generally. The spirit OF
corporation n larger social inter
course may thus be greatly encour-
aged: also a deeper interest in the af-
fairs of government. Agriculture will
never come into its own nor occupy a