The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1914-06-03
Life in The CountrY---How To
Overcome its Disad-
vantaees.

These words have been worn so very
threadbare that we fail to take in their
meaning or to be moved by them But
if country life could be properly organ.
lied, the most helpful task in our world
will have been done or begun, for il is
lifetime process, like all other normal
growths, that will never end.
Country life consists of more than eat
ing, sleeping and working. There are
leisure hours for most adults on Satur-
day afternoon, Sundays and holidays,
after o'clock at night and for several
hours daily in winter. Most children
have much more leisure than this, aud
it is during these hours that companion
ship is especially needed.
The work may be hard and irksome,
and may bring very meager financial re-
turns, but it Is no more monotinous than
the work in any other vocation. AS a
matter of fact no other work in all the
world can be more interesting or so all
absorbing as farming by modern meth
DDS; and when properly done, is suffi-
cient to be attractive. 1t is not the
work so much as il is the unsatisfied
cravings and the dreariness of the leis-
ure hours, that which annually drive
multitudes of our boys and girls from
the country to seek new homes and
broader companionship in more popu-
lous communities.
The sentiment seems TO be every
where anything but this. How can l
get away from it? But our National
welfare requires that this point of view
be changed; that instead of seeking op-
portunities 10 leave the country, people
will ask-"How can we overcome these
disadvantages and make the condi-
lions so attractive that we shall be glad
to stay?' For it is certain that coun
try-life existence depends greatly on a
rural population that is numerous, con-
tented and prosperous.
Indeed, we are on the very threshold
of better methods Of agriculture, better
business methods and more cooperation
will relieve the situation, whilea quick
ened church, improved schools and a
richer and more inspiring community
life will lessen the suffering from isola-
ton. So important is the matter of or
ganized recreation that it must be taken
up by the rural church, the school and
by clubs and associations.
A splendid example is set by the coun
try work department of the Young Mems
Christian Association, whose secretaries
are en- ering heart and soul into the
movement, with most encouraging re-
suits. We are beginning to sense edu-
cations value. The sordid and deaden-
ing in farm life is pretty sure to contin-
ne until the school shall be able to sup
plant it with larger outlook on life,
brought about through the introduction
of many home conveniences for women
and modern labor saving appliances for
men.
The school will have to speak through
the children, demonstrating that the
farm community can have the use of al
most all modern conveniences now found
in the city. But more than this, the
work OF the school is TO infuse into the
old tasks new interest, sprung from a
union of heart and hand. This contem-
plates manual training for boys and do
nestle science for girls. The purpose
may be stated thus: the recognition of
the beautiful as we'll as the practical in
material creation, to the end that farm
life may become more attractive and
more beautiful and better worth living.
Promoted by these organizations, when
properly taught, will put our people and
their environment in better condition
and prepare them for leadership, which
is necessary before the great problem of
life in the open country can be satisfac-
torily solved.