Pocahontas star herald., 1926-02-11
WRITER COMMENTS ON
OUR SOCIAL CUSTOMS
CBy George NJ. MOreIand)

The people VINO i've III SoVu ViN A
dolph County have instituted an IN
noyation that l like-one that ought
TO be adopted by every other rural
community in Arkansas. The story,
as I cleaned it from the Pocahontas
Star-IIerald. the spokesman for TINS
section of Arkansas, is substantially
as follows: The citizens, under the
leadership of man named John ID.
Camnbell. were invited to assemble at
the courthouse at Pocahontas on sun
day afternoon to engage in an Old
fashioned community singing. A Dlg
crowd assembled for the diversion and
nlans were cOnsummated to make
these community singings a permanent
feature in the activities of the section.
All those with vocal talent from any
where are invited to join the singers.
Singing organizations Of the different
communities Of the county are invited
TO participate in the singing.
In these modern days when condi-
tions of life are more or less hectic
and people in their mad race for wealth
and fame seem to forget the spirit of
neighbOrliness which once prevailed IN
America. it is refreshing to learn that
there still exists a community where
the people assemble and join their
voices in uplifting song and commun-
ion and fellowship which cannot be
otherwise than elevating to the morals
of that community.
Man is by nature a gregarious ami
NAL. 1t is not the natural life for him
to live aloof from the companionship
of his kind. Those communities which
adopt Notwithstanding conventions
barbecues, spelling bees, or other class
of healthful recreation that will cause
the people to mingle one with another
are the communities that will realize
more Of the good things of life. They
will be happy, enjoy neighborly con-
tentment. After all, that is the finest
attainment of life-better than the
amassing of great riches.
The community singing is not the
first notice l have had that Randolph
County people still enjoy the old-time
neighborly spirit that has long since
become extinct in the greater urban
centers. In this newspaper already
mentioned, the editor very wisely car
ries several columns of news from local
correspondents out in the rural sec
tiOn. The other day, in one Of these
columns, / read of an Old-time quilt
ing bee. The good women Of that
communicable Supply Community
assembled at one of the neighbor's
homes and engaged in quilting after
the fashion Of our grandmOthers. They
finished quilting three quilts during
the day. ] wonder if the child being
reared in the city who reads this para
graph will know what a quilting bee
is. This is not only a most expedite
GUS way for the ladies of the neighbor-
hood to have their quilting finished but
+ it brings them together in a social
way. They exchange ideas (never for
one instant forget ideas are exchanged
at quilting bees) and each participant
returns home with new food for
thought which makes rural life more
inviting.
1t is a relief after reading Of the
murders, the hold-ups and the crime
sweeps eternally over the great me-
tr0politan centers to revert to the rural
papers and read about the quilting
bees, the community singings, the social
visits over the weekend, as related by
these rural correspondents Sometimes
conditions in this great country of ours
seem very bad. One almost despairs
of the future of America. But there
is no need for this pessimism. The
country folks of these United States
are still all right. They will save the
country in the future as they have
saved it in the past. AS long as we
have the singing conventions, quilting
bees, and the fine tone of morals as
yet prevail in the rural communities
America is all right. There is no need
for worrying.
Editors Note-Mr. Moreland, who
is rapidly becoming known as one OF
the greatest writers our state has ever
produced, is resident OF Hot Springs
He has daily column Of his Arkan
sas philosophy in the Memphis Com
mercial Appeal and it was from this
column that the above article was clip
ped. This column, by the way is the
most attractive feature in the South'l
greatest newspaper, in the opinion Of
Arkansas people, at least. Mr.. More
lands column is full, each day, of mat
ter on a par with the above articl,
and this one feature. in our opinion
is much more than worth the price O
the paper.)