The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-07-06

motor truck 10 country stores must
be sold for more. The writer knows
OF places where II costs from 80 cts.
20 rs cts. hundred pounds 10 have
bacon, hay, flour, etc. hauled from
the freight station 10 the country
store. But the money cost Is only
one Of the many kinds involved.
The Schools
Rad roads affect the attendance at
the country and village schools. In
the study Of the educational condi-
tions in a southern county the writ
or discovered that over two-thirds
Of the teachers reported that bad
roads account in a large measure
for the irregular attendance. There
are many communities among the
Southern mountains where the bad
roads keep fully half OF the child
rem at home during many days Of
the term. Why do you think u IL
had economy for the children 10 be
kept out OF school on account OF the
muddy roads?
In the chapter on Community Edu-
cation we talked about the advisable
ity Of doing away with so many OF
the little one-room schools and con-
solidating them into a larger school
centrally located. Here n better
building can be erected and expert
teachers secured. But such a plan
is impossible where the roads are in
bad condition. The wagons that
carry the children TO and from school
could not run on time. The people
coud not easily reach such n school
building for the lectures, the musi-
cal programs. the demonstrations
and the social events that such
consolidated school would make pos
sible. Thus the education for the
entire community suffers.
The Religious Work Of the Com
munity
wonder how many OF you would
enjoy the Sunday School lesson or
the sermon il you had 10 walk two
miles on a muddy road 10 reach the
church? And yet there are tens Of
thousands 81 young people who must
do this very thing. On very bad
days they cannot go 10 church at all.
Many communities attempt 10 have
Sunday School for only few months
in the year because the roads are
too bad in winter for the people %
attend. Do you think II Is a good
idea for boys and girls not 10 come
in touch with any definite religious
work at all during six or eight
months Of each year?
Successful religious work in the
country depends very largely on
little groups Of people who get To-
gether and make plans for helping
the poor. visiting the sick. engineer
ing the church social. and doing
other important things for the COM
munity. Whenever IL is hard for
them Ia get together some will be alb
sent who should be present, en-
thusiasm will run low and plans
for efficient work thru the church
will be seriously interfered with.
Do you think that all chLrch-go-
/ ing people could afford 10 see that
all roads leading 10 their churches
are kept in good repair9
other Community Interests Affected
Nor do the bad roads affect the
school and the churches only. The
grange, the farmers institute, the
teachers association, other gather
ings for social or educational purpo-
ses are interfered with. The people do
not attend so readily because the
travel is so difficult. Many who
should attend these meetings TO get
inspiration and learn how 10 be bet
ter farmers. teachers or citizens stay
at home and do the same old things
in the same old way just because
the road Is bad and the team is too
tired to travel H. Does a condition
like this help or hinder the pro-
gress Of a community?
The distribution OF mail by rural
carrier is interfered with. and in
many places free rural delivery
routes cannot be established because
the roads are so poor that the car
rier could not possibly make the
rounds on time. I have known
many people who had 10 go without
their mail for days because the roads
were so bad that the carrier could
not travel them.
Then there is the wholesome life
OF the people that suffers. Young
people and old like 10 get together on
purely social occasions like the Sum-
day School picnic or the church SOC
ial or the grange rally. Bad roads
keep those at home who are perhaps
in most need Of social intercourse