The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-04-15
Country Lad Now In the City Explains
Why Young Folks Leave the Farm

ly about their cars, | feel little en-
thusiasm about the town.
But / remember> also the city. I
know how easy it is to have good
talk there, in the street car going
to work, if not elsewhere. know
there are clubs where can 60, free
of cost, and make the acquaintance
Of men with nearly my own interests,
or maybe a congenial chap has a room
next to mine. know, too, that there
are places to meet appreciative girls
and young women with interests like
mine. If all else fails, there is we'll
ordered club especially for lonely per-
sons. There are all kinds of people
in the world, men as well as women;
and in the city they are near each
other. And these friends are not ex-
pensive. / have tried them and know,
Farmers say they are) Most of them
would not know how to live in the
country; they have to struggle for ex-
istenee in the cities.
Plea for Happiness in City and Farm.
I think Of all Of this in the sweet
n&ss of the clover or buckwheat; and
I make up my mind that when life
is struggle for existence in the city
and struggle for happiness in the
country, it is better not TO exist than
to be unhappy, Foolish, say the land
owners in Illinois. Perhaps. But if
there is anything in majorities they
are with me.
Make Country More Inviting.
But / have not written this merely
TO find fault with the social conditions
Of the open country. / believe these
might be reformed considerably. The
open country might become more in
viting to young men.
1t must be expected that men will
prefer to work for family that is
eongenial. Yankees viii not be happy
with immigrants, Catholics. Baptists.
intellectual young persons with the
dull. An unmarried, sweetheartless
young man generally would like the
privilege of knowing women Of some
where near his own age. not too much
wrapt up in other men. The average
young man is unceneented with eonfne-
mens with an elderly couple, etc. The
farm labor problem demands individual
adjustment because the man has to
live with his employers. This point
is 9 good one to set. Employment
people don't get it,
Advocates Recreation Houses.
There must be social cooperation
between town and country. The
churches ought to have something like
the pheasant Sunday afternoons now
common in citiess there ought to be
a rest room. music room. reading
roem, lunch room, and game room
I (for dances, tool connected in one
building for all ages and both sexes.
with chances for informal association
and for limited privacy, all designed
to promote the aeQuaIntaneeship Of
all types Of persons IN tne community
who fit each other as comrades. friends,
lovers. or what not, And these social
/ centers ought to be open Sundays as
well as other days, oand especially
evenings and Sunday afternoons.
/ Country people should become less
fearful Of people they have not known
from the CRADLE. There should be
more generous, heart-free soeiahliity
among country young people, Nothing
is more exclusive than country
clique. There should be less gossip.
and more exchange Of sentiment, and
of fact. GosSiping anu family visit
ing are the two great vices Of the
country middle aged and elderly pee
pie.
think I hsys an explanation Of Why
+ people do not stay on the farm when
they cannot really set food enough in
the cities Probably some will laugh
and say, high wages" but don't let
high wages foel You toe much,
And If yoa happen 10 know Of any
communities of places that ven think
might. prove interesting to me. you
might pqt he in touch with them Z
might havs some place to 60 when the
4 p&vsme1ts get loo hot and the grind
Of work gets too hard, And If I once
found things as happy as hsve heard
4 they were, might stay.