Evening star., 1933-12-03
Continued From First Page.)


heavily mortgaged. It would not sup
port two families. Besides, there may
have entered the consideration of pride:
SO conditions simply drifted from bad
to worse and were practically hopeless
when Grimes came into Scots Run.
But all that was needed to start
things going again was the kick" The
Quakers were willing to supply lew
tools and seed and fertilizer. BY the end
of the Summer there were fair COM
nunity gardens throughout the area.
The project was extended to less notorl-
GUS coal mining sections. Gardening
was supplemented with craftsmanship
making of chairs, rugs and baskets-for
both men and women.
Many Of the men expressed an earnest
desire TO get back to the farm. The
State university and the Quakers thought
that something might be done for them
eventually More than 400 of them were
registered and were put through rlglo
examination. They were given intel
ligence s1d personality tests They
were made to give practical demonstra-
as milk COW. Social workers made eX-
tended studies of their life histories.
The situation had reached this stage
when Mrs. Roosevelt's attention was
attracted to the work through Miss
Alice Davis, director Of the Social
Service Committee of the American
Friends. 1t fitted closely into the
visions of both herself and the Presl-
dent. Here was the demonstrated need.
Here was the known element of human
material men and women about whom
practically everything was known from
the cradle to the present. And here
was the experienced leadership in the
person of Mr.. Grimes and Miss Davis.
Many Sites Considered.
For this reason the first of the sub
sistence homestead projects, which Will
serve as q model for all the others, was
established here with Mr.. Grimes in
charge Nearly so tracts of land. some
ranging up TO 1000 acres and scattered
all over the State, were considered. The
final selection of the Arthur farm de-
pended on a number of crucial points.
In the first place the project was
frankly experimental. 1t would be well
to locate it where it would be under
the eye of the agricultural and soc1o-
logical experts of the State university,
one Of the best in the United States.
It may be said here that the University
of West Virginia. the center OF the
agricultural science of a mountain
State. never has looked upon farming
as a business proposition strictly
speaking and has frowned upon the
big business aping of the Western far
mer. 1t has considered farming as a
way OF life. rot as q way Of making
money. In some cases the two may
amount to substantially the same thing,
but in other cases they are far apart.
This also has been essentially the idea
of President Roosevelt. The Arthur
farm is only about IS miles away from
the university. 1t can be kept under
constant close supervision
In the second place, it was essential
to have good land so that the home
steaders would not become discouraged.
This farm is amC the best in fertile
Preston County W. e farmers boast
that they raise the best potatoes in the
United States, and where the blue
blooming buckwheat still is a profitable
crop. The land is ideal for garden
crops. The land is described as a
good silt loam." Back in glacial
times it probably was the bottom of a
cold mountain lake. This has been
destroyed by the tossings and tumblings
of the mountains through the long
centuries until now only the creek is
left