The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-04-03

Visions Of q RevlVIfiod Com.
munIty Life
The FUNDAMENTAL TASK.
Importance Of Local Rural Building
and the Erection Of Strong Units.
How This Fundamental Task Can
Best Be Forwarded.
The new rural awakening is upon
us. New plans are developing. There
are new visions Of a revivifed CON-
munity life In our rural neighbor-
hoods. There is u keen eagerness in
all rural welfare work. The forces Of
the countryside are gathering for a
great forward looking movement. says
Kenyon l.. Butterfeld in the Survey.
What shall the new year bring us in
our country life campaign? What
shall be the chief notes of our rural
campaign slogan for 1914?
It is to be remembered that the fun
damental task of the rural advance is
local rural community b%uilding-the
gradual erection Of stronger commu-
nifty units. founded ON better farm
practice. securing a fair profit through
better farm business and growing
nightly ambitious for a better farm
life. How can this fundamental rural
task best be forwarded in 1914?
First.--Organize local community
campaigns in as many neighborhoods
as possible. Seek the formation of a
community council or federation made
up of representatives of all the organi-
cations in the neighborhood that have
any interest in the common good
church, grange, women's club. farr
ers' club. civic improvement sOciet.
etc.
Second.-Seek to develop the collec.
tive or cooperative method Of doing
the business of the farm. Farmers
a save money by cooperative buy
ing of supplies needed on the farm.
1t is possible that they can make a
larger profit by selling their products
in the same cooperative inner The
cooperative plan is spreading. 1t
should not be entered upon hastily,
but it promises to render more help to
the farmer than does perhaps any
other one thing.
Third.-Push the idea of an agricul-
tural high school or of an agricultural
department in the public high school.
Farming demands educated men and
women. The agricultural colleges.
neither in the classroom nor in their
extension service. can meet the full
need. Every boy OF girl" desiring the
equivalent Of u good high school edu-
cation in and for agriculture should
have the opportunity of acquiring that
training. -
Fourth.-Join in the. demand for the
passage by congress- Of the Lever bill!
.appropriating federal money to the
several agricultural colleges for .ex;
tension work in agriculture and home
economics. This means the democra-
thing Of agricultural education the ma
ton over. 1t mems. that tile best
knowledge gained in agricultural re-
search will be placed at, the disposal Of
the humblest farmer: that a great edu-
cational campaign for better farming
in all its ASPECTS will be carried into
every farming community.
This bill. ii enacted into law. prom
Uses not only a distinct advance in the
agricultural educational field. but in
deed a national intellectual uplift of
great proportions and significance.
Fifth.-Strive, for ut least prelimi-
nary steps to bring together on a
tional basis. the various agencies that.
are seeking rural welfare. This is
merely the Matchmaking of the plan
for local. rural community building.
The many activities and institutions
engaged in promoting agriculture
should be correlated. The country life
movement should be integratel. We
should look upon the rural problem as
q unity. We should try to solve it on
large lines and with solidi1ed en-
deavor.. '
Slxth.-Above all. perhaps, try to stir
religious forces to new effort in the
rural fleld. The country church faces
q crisis. Rural advance Is leaving the
church behind. But the rural move
ment must not become, m%aterinlistic.