Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-31
STATE COUNCIL
FOR GOOD ROADS
Chairman of Finance Committee
States Hard Surfaced High
ways Aid to Schools
HELP TO GET EDUCATION
Big ASSET in Forming Community
Centers-Wm Better Social
Conditions

Announcement comes today from
r b. Lourie, county chairman ol
the finance committee Of the state
council Of defense. that the com
1nittee Is swinging soIidly into line
IN behalf OF the good roads issue
which comes up for d vote on Nov
5. In q discussion of the matter,
Afr. Lourie stated:
The finance committee Of the
council Of defense is interested in
this $50. 600, 900 bond issue because
our organization is primarily inter
ested IN the rural communities We
believe that this organization can
best serve the nation BY directing
its attention and aiding every
movement that is launched which
has for its aim the development OF
the rural territory.
Not only Will hard surfaced
roads be a benefit TO the farmer
from an economic standpoint, but
they viii be OF great value to him
from an educational and social
standpoint Whenever We get a
system of hard roads in Rock Island
county, I feel that II viii have an
influence upon our school system
Il viii give us better schools and
il will make the schools the COmmu-
Eitv center around which will
evolve the social life Of the com
muuity No doubt good roads viii
develop larger community schools
This will be brought about by the
consolidation OF school districts;
each school will have larger at
tendance and increased teaching
facilities. The farmers expense OF
running the school viii be lessened
or at least not increased, and 1t
viii result in a greatly increased
value IN the training that children
will get IN country schools. The
community school will be worth
many wonderful things to the
DeighbOrhOod in which it is located,
and / take II that our high schools
now IN considerable dispute over
tie state viii be modified into com
munity schools. At the same time
they Will teach the grade as well
as the high school studies and be-
come centers for the community as
they should be.
Better Social Conditions.
Good roads Will have a tendency
to keep the young people on the
farm and viii make the life Of the
older ones living on the farms
more enjoyable. Hard roads and
the use of the automobile in the
country viii do away in some meas
ure with the line of demar&atiOn
between the city and the country.
It viii make it possible for the
farmer TO take a more active part
in the social affairs OF his neigh
b0rhOOd and in the city as we'll
With dirt roads it is impossible to
make an appointment in the city in
advance without taking the wealth
er into consideration. Today the
farmer cannot buy a ticket for an
entertainment of any kind in the
city in advance, because he does not
know whether he will be able to
attend or not
"A system Of hard roads Will
place the cOnveniences of the city
at the very door Of the farmer. The
farmer viii enjoy the same COnven-
fences, the same social atmosphere
and will practically surround him
self with the same environment that
exists in the city.
Everything the city has to offer
commercially or socially will be
brought to his front door. Il will
bring the picture show and the the
atre within a few minutes ride from
his home. doing so irrespective of
what the weather may be. his one
greatest obstacle at this time"