News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-12-13
Community Work
(From the Farm Bureau News)

During the past two years, the
Vermont Extension Service has been
trying to stir up the people of the
state to a realization of the benefits
to be derived from taking an active
interest in the welfare of their neigh
bors and townspeople.
The Extension Service has further
encouraged people to stop minding
their own business to the extent of
encouraging them to find out if life
among their neighbors is one grand
sweet song or if their townspeople
are struggling with any difficulties,
what these are and if they can be
remedied. This is Community Interest.
! The Extension Service is offering
I to work with the people who would
/ attempt to solve the difficulties of
themselves and their neighbors.
This is Community Development.
Anyone not interested in community
development is not helping himself
or his town.
What Are the Problems?
This may be answered in various
ways, but I believe a problem, in this
connection, means anything that in
terferes with or assists in the de-
velopment of the individual. Then,
anything that interferes with or
assists in the development of the in
dividual is community problem,
since the development of the COM
munity is the result of the develop
ment of every person in it.
In our communities the big prob
lens are farm problems since almost
the entire business in this section is
agricultural. There is a prevalent
idea that the Extension Service
exists for farmers alone, which is not
the case. The Extension Service
stands ready to assist in the highest
development of every community
whatever it's problems, but at present
is doing most of it's work in direct
contact with the farming public.
Let's Take Look
Nearly every family in Lamoille
county is drawing it's income directly
from the farm or through farm
patronage of store, bank or mill.
Farming is not only the county's
biggest business, but the foundation
of most of its other business.
When the Extension Service was
brought into the county good many
merchants and townspeople sup
ported it to the extent of paying a
membership fee. But there their
interest ended, very few ever attended
single meeting. Why? The bust
ness men of our towns, believing that
the Extension Service exists entirely
for the farmer, have never concerned
themselves as to how farming was
getting along. That is taken for
granted as something that always
was there and always will be; the
biggest source of trade, but somehow
not as good as it should be for some
reason.
The business men have regarded
the farmers organizations formed
thus far with disfavor and sus-
picion, doubtless due to their en-
enlargement of cooperative buying
which means taking money out of
the merchants pocket. There has
never been a meeting of business
men and farmers to talk over mutual
interests and problems and our towns
will never be what they should be
until this takes place. Few farmers
or business men appear to think of
their problems being in any way con-
nected.
In two of our towns are mems
commercial clubs that have COM
mittees appointed on nearly every
thing except agriculture. The farm
ers, on the other hand, would not see
the sense in their becoming members
OF Chamber OF Commerce.
The Big Problem
The biggest problem of the COM
munities in Lamoille county is that
of getting all the people to realize
that the problems of agriculture are
of personal interest to them no mat
ter whether they happen to be living
and working in the town or in the
country.
This appears to be a pretty sweep
ing statement, but I submit if it
isn't true. Take one example: The
rural mail carrier. He received his
and pay direct from
Washington, d. c., and may say to
himself that his job is permanent
the community is prosperous
or not. His source of income will be
what he will naturally think of first,
but the other things that will make