The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1920-07-07
A DAY IN JUNE IN
~ IOWA

Going through Iowa in June, the
tourist from the city, or from the far
western, arid regions that have to be
constantly irrigated, wonders why so
many natives of this pleasant state
have emigrated to Los Angeles. With
its rolling hills. its cornfields and its
bits Of wooded pastures, along the
smallest, streams, Iowa, is always re-
freshing to look at. For one who
knows how to appreciate Ehe true
farm, it is even more refreshing to
spend vacation in this state, or even
to settle down in it for the summer
Along the Mississippi for instance, in
June, one finds loaded cherry trees,
Strawberries and raspberrics to make
the Californian enviOuS, enough foliage
and green things generally to satisfy
any man, and with it all quiet feeling
of enthusiasm that is neither quite cas-
tern nor obstrusively western. Iowa,
indeed has never been properly boom
ed. A little judicious advertising on
the part of it's good citizens ought to
do wonders in attracting there, at least
for the summers, those who are need
ed to take care of maximum produc-
ton, as well as some few others VINO
merely wish change.
June or earlier is. of course, the
time for this advertising. Many high
school or college boy, even many a
worker in the city, if he knew or re-
membered what the farm is really.
would be glad to take advantage OF
Iowa's genuine attractions. 1t is
land of constant variety, not so osten-
tatious perhaps as the great mountain
regions but certainly enjoyable after
the fairness and SCOT Of Chicago or the
baroness of Wyoming. Why should
restlessness ever have taken so many
people away from: this state which
should rightly be always a place. OF
contentment and prosperity? Surely a
proper presentation of what truly sat
isles is all that is necessary to turn
back to the great farming. communities
an abundance of enthusiastic labor.
The farm does not have to be idealized
as an acreage for gamboling lambs;
but it is entitled to be sincerely repre-
scented and not subjected to the eXag-
gerations of what too often undcserv-
edly passes for humOr.2 Newspapers
generally should do justice to the mid
die western farming regions not only IN
Intentionally serious editorials but cv-
en- in more or less humorous features.
Now Iowa, in June, is just the sort
of place in which to see America $
productivity at it's best. One who fol-
lows the cultvator around the corn
field, or, a little later, does the long
rows by hand, certainly realizes that
growth of one sort or another is con-
stantly going on. There is something
lacking in the makeup of Il man who
cannot learn to enjoy hoeing corn. To
cut weeds all day and then pick cher
ries in the twilight is really very
exhilarating way of filling in an Iowa
day, when days are their longest. Then
there is the vigorous joy of working
in front of a hay loader or, of driving
the team just slowly and steadily
enough to allow the other fellow to
work there with pleasure. Being a
hired man requires all the admirable
qualities that are ever devoted to
sport, if the. doing of the work is truly
adequate. Then in the evening there
Is the boat on the river or nowadays,
the automobile to give still further va
riety to ones activities. Really life
on an Iowa farm today furnishes n
kind of activity that is superior to
what the many have been seeking in
more remote regions. Just bit of
such whimsically as Lord Dunsays
could easily make it equal to the liv-
ing in any dreamed of land Of won
der.-Christian Science Monitor.