The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1920-01-16
CRITIC|SES CHURCH
FOR failure To MEET
COMMUNITY NEEDS
Woman Speaker At Mallet Creek
Farmers Institute Gives Re-
maxkable Address. - Other
Lecturers Well Received.
BRUNSWICK INSTITUTE
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

| II l.
One of the best farmers institutes
of the season was held at Mallet
Creek last Friday and Saturday.
This was q two day independent
meeting but in all respects was up to
the standard set for the state aid
meetings. The deep snow and bad
roads held the attendance down
somewhat but the required enthusi-
asm was present nevertheless. The
total attendance was about 250.
The two day speaker was George
E. Scott, who came representing the
State Grange. 1t was here that Scott
made his first farmers institute for
the state thirtN years ago. These
years of experience have made him
an excellent entertainer and practical
institute worker. Every thought was
driven home in some inimical way
that made it stick. His good humor
kept everybody awake and smiling.
He left no doubt regarding the great
work that the Grange and Farm Bu-
reaus are doing and the good they
can accomplish in the future. He
stressed the need of more definite Or
ganization among the farming peo-
pies; not for selfish motives, but for
the great good such a really stable
class can do in these times of unrest
and class interest. The education of
the consuming public to some of the
problems of the farm and farmer is
a necessary thing today and can only
be accomplished through the or
ganized effort on the part of the far
mers themselves.
Mr.. G. r. Wagner was present the
first day and gave his talk on
permanent system Of agriculture and
] the use of limestone. He stated that
permanent system of agriculture is
the big duty OF every farmer to pos
terity. "We are simply stewards Of
the land and should therefore leave
it to those who follow us in better
condition than we received it," de-
clared the speaker. His talks
brought out the important points
large part in the cities Americaniza-
nency. The following are the steps
to be made for permanent agricul-
ture so far as soil fertility is con-
cerned; drainage, lime, crop rota-
ton, legumes, good livestock, phos-
phorus and systematic cultivation.
The practical application of these
features must then be directed by
common sense and good judgment.
No one doubts but that these are
really the vital parts OF a soil fer
tility problem. Mr.. Wagner has been
in the county before unis year and
twill aid in the Brunswick and Chat
ham Institutes also.
The lady speaker was Miss Amy
Parker, extension specialist in Amer
icanization work for the State Uni
versity. Miss Parker has been en-
gagged in this work for two years in
the city of Akron and has had
large part in the cities Americaniza-
tion work. She chose as her topics
the responsibility OF the community
to its boys and girls. In the morning
she discussed the reasons why boys
and girls 60 to the cities and gave
many sidelights on this problem
from the view point of the city social
workers. She forcibly criticized the
failure of the church to meet the
community needs and laid the most
of this blame to denominational
prejudice. In her work she has
found that it is necessary to elimi-
nate the church in the Americaniza-
tion program as it continually has
placed denomination above the needs
of the job. Her plea was for the
federated churches in the small COM
munities where finance is big prob
lem in the securing Of good pastor.
Then she stated that the big neces-
sity was to keep the effort focused
on the Christ work. When this is
done she predicted that churches
could federate and each could retain
their denominational connections but
that all would be working fof the
betterment Of humanity in the spirit
of the great Teacher. This address
was remarkable one. + Many said
it was the most gripping one they
had ever heard on the subject.
In her second talk she laid down a
number Of general plans for COM
munity work on the part of the farm
woman. She stressed the need of
getting together on the essential
things to be done for the community
and stated that if it was the church
that needed help to work there. If
it was functioning to capacity and
the schools were in need of assist
ance to put the effort in that direc-
tion.
Possibly both needed aid or per-
haps the problem would be of an en-
tirely different nature. According to
the speaker no specific rules can be
laid out until the community has
made a real searching survey and the
people are Of mind to do the things
needed. Community groups for the
purpose Of assisting established
agencies should be developed, girls
clubs fostered, clean amusements ar
ranged for, and all other needed
forces set to work. This was a clean
cut talk bringing out the response
bilities of the farm women in COM
munity development, and then giving
some concrete workable basis from
which to start to get these things.
All who heard Miss Parker were in
spired by her helpful talks. It is
hoped to have her attend future
meetings that others may get her
message.
Mr.. v. H. Davis, of. the State Bu-
'reau Of Markets, got as far as Clev-
land but on account of DELAYED train