Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-02-12
COUNTRY LIFE AND COUNTRY
SCHOOL-THE FARM PROBLEM

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the country people to the towns and
cities. To the country boy who hasn't
many advantages the city seems al
Turing. The way to ind an end to
this problem is to prepare country life
to hold them here. 1t isn't every boy
talent tc farm of course, but care must
be given to those who stay. The farm
problem then in its most fundamental
aspects is the problem of maintaining
a standard people upon our farms.
Since the days of Cain farming has
been the foundationar industry. The
most alarming thing is one third OF
our population gain their living from
the soil, and the other part depends
upon the ~sustenance of ii.
Isolation in. the country is caused
mostly by bad roads. They are SO bal
in winter that. the farmers who have
to travel them buy enough provisions
to last them during the bad months,
this making hermits of themselves.
N-eighborhood strife is another cause
of rural isolation.
Farmers need leaders, ones that
have the confidence of the people and
they need tt organize.
The book gives an ideal community.
A community in Putnam county, ILL.,,
where the land owners stay upon
their farms and therefore have their
interest centered in the community n
which they live. Too many of our
land owners are moving to the cities
and leaving their land and country
hcmes to tenants, who of course r
just in for all the ycan get out of it.
In a progressive community we find
rice farm homes. What ia grander
than living in the country and having
q nice farm home.
The school. the home and the church
are the places which are of interest
to each family.
Nothing speaks better for a con
munity than a nice church and school
building.
A stranger who is thinking of
ing into a new community of which
he knows nothing the first question
he will ask, Have you a church an
school?
A school house should especially b
a place of social, interest fitting pre-
pairing our young people. Our me
and women of the great tomorrow.
Our country homes should be con-
venient and nicely furnished. Nothing
but things that can easily be kept san
itary should be put into u homes as
il causes so much drudgery on the
house wife which might not be. in
cur school rooms domestic science
should be taught for we find SO many
farm wives who are inferior cooks.
There are many many things too num-
erous to discuss that go to the inl-
provenent of the country community.
The country church in most respects
is one of the most Intellectual prob
lens of the community. This of
course indicates that the farmers
haven't the religion they should have
The influence of a progressive church
is great. But a large number of our
churches are dead in a use For the
lack of earnestness and zeal or ineh
cheney of the pastor. The children
should have more religious training
in the home. One great reason why
our church problem is such an eco
nomic problem today is that the. COM
pensation is so small that the pastors
salary is no more than a common la
borer. The pastor should have good
knowledge of farm needs n social
condition in the community which he
supplies. 1t is too often the case that
country preachers like teachers are
the "back numbers" or the youth of
their profession. Country teachers
and preachers shrouId and must know
agriculture n the social and eco
nomic conditions of farm life. The
country church progress is being
brought about by the federation and
cooperation, more of the spirit OF the
Y. M. c. A. and better education of
ministers. The country teacher must
have interest in the church work III
the community where she works. She
must give much thought and study to
the country church problems. The
greater part of the teachers today
enlightenment on church matters.
She should be well posted on all the
Church organizations.-Miss Creola
Gufey in Polk County News.
OLD FORT WATER WORKS.
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