Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-09
COOPERATION IN
4 COMMUNITY
Meeting at Gastonla Marks
Epoch In North Carolina.
DISCUSS CIVIC PROBLEMS


Bankers, Business Men, Government
Farm Demonstrators and Commercial
Organization Secretaries Hold a
Unique and Remarkable Meeting Pre-
ductive of Excellent Results.
Can you imagine city of 14.G00 1
people arousing such a state wide IN
terest in series of meetings over thu I
space of four days that it can at.
tract to those meetings 100 Of the !.
representative bankers of the entire
state, more than 100 Of the representa-
tive business and commercial men of
the state, more than half hundred
Of the government farm demonstrators
in the state and practically every com
mercial Organization secretary in the
state? asks contributor to the Town
Development Magazine.
Well, it can be done; in fact, it has
been done.
The city which developed this potent
influence over the active men of an
entire state was GastOnia, n. {. And
the little performance of Gastonia was
one of the most vivid demonstrations
of the practicability of community co
operation in town, In county and in
state which the south has seen in sev,
cral blue moons.
Tho progress of Gastonia is the result
Of active cooperation on the part of
her citizenship. The citizenship admits
it and the slider can see 1t for himself.
The spirit which has won for Gastonia,
the city, is winning for Castor, the
county. Many Of the growing smaller
towns about Gastonia have caught the
thought and are protiting. The spread
ing Of the spirit Of cooperation made
possible the formation of the Greater
Castor County association, an associa-
ton which bin1s together a number
Of separated communities through their
commercial organizations, all units Of
the greater county association.
Gastonia was scheduled to entertain
the annual meeting of the government
farm demonstrators Of the state. This
approaching convention provoked a
bigger thought in the Gastonian mind,
and 1t was determined to bring togpth
er in series Of meetings the men
chiefly responsible for the progress Of
the state. That determination inyoly
cd the bankers, the business men and
the commercial organization scereta
ries. As Il result Of the Invitations and
the urging some 500 men of these va
rious classes gathered in Gastonia last
month and discussed together the prob,
lens and plans Of North Carolina.
At the meetings held during the four
days the feasibility of state chamber
Of commerce for North Carolina was
discussed, plans were outlined for n
publicity campaign for the state, and
some very definite movements were be.
gun for the aid of the smaller towns
and rural communities Of the state.
The commercial organization score
taries were entertained at a dinner fol
lowing a decidedly helpful round Ia
bic conference. The bankers from
over the state were entertained at
luncheon by The Gastonia bankers. and
some very timely banking questions
were discussed from the viewpoint Of
an entire state. One day at noon a
banquet for al the visitors was spread
in the armory This banquet was in
charge of the good women Of Casio
MIA some 100 Of them, and they had
80 perfected their arrangements for
the affair that from the viewpoint of
banquet alone It was a pronounced
success.
Throughout the convention days the
I lHTll utHlb1lSlIHlHEA liuf Oh NHNtlil
really notable exhibition Of live stock,
poultry and agricultural products from
farms all over the state. This exhibit
attracted the widest attention and was
the means Of giving very definite in
sight into whit rural North Carolina
is producing.
Summing 1t all M, this unique and
original state meeting held at Gastonla
was, as was mentioned earlier. u prac
teal demonstration Of cooperation
through city, county and state. II was
the means of getting every section o.
the state acquainted with every other
section as 1t had never before been &c.
Quainted Those who We're there be
lieve 1t will prove n very certain step
toward making North Carolina rs n
state bigger better and more prosper.
Gus and giving to North Carolina folk
more Of those good things which the
heart Of every normal man and won
an desires.
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