Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-04-08
RELIGION AND LIFE
BY
Rev. A. Fl. Rapking

Country Lie Conference was held
on the 9Th, 9th, and 10th of October,
1920, at Aurera in Preston County.
/ Since then, over six hundred have
been held in the state OF this num-
Der ! have assisted with at least
three hundred
! The Country Life Conference is
built around two ideas: namely, the
community score card, and the re-
lation of religion and the Church in
the solution of the individual, home,
community, county, state, national,
and world problems. In the score
card certain definite standards. on
community spirit, citizenship, recrea-
ton, health, homes, schools, churches,
business, and farms, have been set
up.
/ The thousand-point community we
have in mind as we score commune
ties consists of the best of the var
ious communities in the state COM
bined into one community. In Har-
rison County, for instance, we think
Of the school at Salt Well, taught by
Miss Berta Lynch, as a good stand
ard for a one room school. This school
grades 96 out of a possible one hun
bred points
The Good Hope Church, from the
point of view of the building, equip
ment, Sunday School, and organiza-
ton, is one Of the best in the county.
Rev. j. D. Engle is the popular pas
tor of this church.
Berlin in Lewis County is noted
for the splendid recreational pro-
gram put on during the last few
years. The Berlin Band is a real
asset in community development.
And so we have pretty definite
standards in mind as we help the
communities measure itself. The
score card with the assistance of
those who aid the community with
this work becomes a mirrer to the
community, as the people compare it
with the thousand-point community
which is held up before the folks who
help with the scoring. This examina-
ton always diseloses some strong
and some weak points. For instance
at Enterprise we found that the
Fourth Club work is going strong
and that the graded school work is
going on splendidly. We also
found as we do everywhere, some
things that can be and should be
greatly improve. The score card is a
great aid in assisting a community
to find itsalf. The lowscores in
dictate points to attack in making
the community still better place
in which to live while the high scores
help to create community pride and
a determination to raise the low
scores lest they bring down the high
scores.
The plan Of work is begged on the
discoveries made with the side of the
4 score card. In fact it is not difficult
for the leaders Of the community TO
make out a plan of work if they have
before them the score card which has
been filled out with the help Of those
in charge of the scoring The process
of scoring the community does three
things for it: first certain definite
practical standards are set upscoring
the community, in measuring itself
by these standard, become conscious
Of its strong and weak points in
community development, and third,
it prepares the way for plan of
work based on the diagnosis made
of the conditions in the community.
If you are interested in securing a
score card, write to the College of
Agriculture at Morgantown for Cir
cular 255. "The Country Community
Score Card"
The originaters Of the Country
Life Conference movement believe
that the greatest dynamo for the i'm
provement of conditions is the Chris
tian religion We believe that without
the teaching of the Bible and faith
in Christ and God, we build in vain
We believe that without the right at
titude toward God and man, we are
just tinkering with the machinery
and cannot be c Tie greatest posi-
Bile help in ma the community,
county, nation, world still better