The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-02-24
Postwar Planning
Important

The first and major postwar problem
facing this and every other county in the
nation is the providing of gainful employ
ment for all service men and women and
= for all of those who have been engaged in
defense work.
When our boys come back they will
want, need and must have gainful employ
ment Naturally they will want a home of
their own and will want to take up their
places in the community.
If our boys cannot find employment at
home, they will obviously go to other Sec
tons looking for farms or for work. When
this happened, our county would lose.
To keep pace with all other towns and
counties and, if possible, to stay out in
front of them it is highly important that
we start making postwar plans NOW. This
is duty that we owe to those in service,
as we'll as to ourselves. If our community
and county is to continue to progress after
the war, we must plan today.
We should like to see a countrywide
postwar planning committee appointed at
once to make a complete study of the coun-
tvs needs, to conduct surveys and to set
up goals We should like to see each town
in the county appoint planning commit
tee of it's own to do the same thing
SUGGESTIONS TO A COUNTRYWIDE
POSTWAR PLANNING COMMITTEE
Here are some suggestions that we wish
to offer to the countrywide postwar plan
ming committee:
First, Agriculture-To improve agricul-
ture in this county we need and must con-
tinue to build up the fertility of our soil
conservation program of erosion control,
terracing, strip cropping, crop rotation,
tree paintings, permanent seeding to grass,
ETC., should be expanded. We should con-
tinue t build up the fertility of our soil
with legumes, application of lime and phos-
phate, and by other methods. The major
thing our county has to offer is it's soil and
there was never a truer statement than the
one that poor soil makes poor people, while
rich soil makes rich people. To improve
agriculture in this county we must develop
more and better marketing facilities
which will assure demand for the crops
produced and the best price possible for
them. In this connection a cold storage
plant will become must" after the war.
Second, Dairying and Livestock-A
movement should be launched to develop
better herds, better pastures, more feed
crops, better facilities, including silos,
barns and fences. The establishment of
the state test farm in this area should
prove to be great benefit in this respect.
Third, Schools-We need more school
buildings, more equipment in the schools
and more vocational instruction. Surveys
should be conducted Immediately to deter
mine just how much building is needed and
the order of their Importance.
Fourth, Roads-Much of our county is
still in the mud and we must do something
about it. Let's not wait until statewide
road building program is started; let's
make our own survey and determine which
roads must be improved and list the order
of their Importance. This survey should
also include all streets.
Fifth, Industry is most impor-
tant. Industry provides that vitality need
ed employment. We have made a start
towards getting industry, but we have not