The leader interested in the foregoing plans may again be reminded of the necessity of instituting a social organization of such a nature as to touch all the young lives in the neighborhood. The rules and regulations governing the society should therefore be drawn on broad and liberal lines, not forgetting the great possibilities of awakening slumbering interests and aptitudes, and of building up a social community that will draw young people to it.
If one will take the time to drive for a hundred miles in a direct line through the farm districts, as the author has done, he will be not a little surprised at the striking contrast in the social conditions of the various neighborhoods passed through. In one instance he will be told that there is absolutely nothing present to invite the young—a dull, dead place with perhaps many run-down farms and farm homes to keep it company. He will learn that the young people of such a community are running off to some neighboring town where many of them find a cheap and degrading class of entertainment. But the next adjoining neighborhood may present a converse situation. One will be told that the young people are happy and contented there, that they have frequent meetings of their social clubs and other forms of organization; most probably the appearance of the neighborhood will be likewise much better than that of the other one mentioned. Attractive homes, well-kept roads and hedges, and other evidences of prosperity will meet one’s view.
In one district visited, the author found that this better situation had an interesting history and that it was nearly all traceable to a quarter of a century of public-spiritedness of one man. This resident had settled upon a quarter section of good land. While he was reconstructing his own home and its surroundings into a place of attractiveness, he was continually engaged in awakening the entire neighborhood in behalf of better things. He had led out in establishing a well-attended Sunday school in the district, had been instrumental in instituting regular preaching service there twice each month, had led the entire neighborhood out on more than one occasion for a day’s work in improving and beautifying the school grounds, had been the organizer and director of the country literary society, and of more than one club of farmers and their wives. During all this time he was correspondent for one or two county papers and used every occasion for advertising the home community. All together, it was a most commendable and far-reaching service which this one man performed for his own neighborhood. So, it may be said that wherever there is one inspired leader in a country community, there is life.
Finally, it may be urged that the biggest thing in the rural community is not the big crop of corn or wheat or the excellent breeds of live stock. Important as these things are, the great concern of the community should be the development of sterling character in the lives of the growing boys and girls and the cleanness and integrity of the personalities of every one within the neighborhood limits. To that end let this social center ideal be actualized, becoming a place toward which the thoughts of all will go frequently and fondly during the hours of care and toil. Let it be made a place the thought of which will forever impart a full measure of good cheer, of contentment, and of honest courage to the mind of every member of the society thereabout. Let it be a place so ordered and arranged that things sacred and divine may reach down to the things often thought of as very commonplace and mean, and exalt the latter to their true and proper place. Lastly, let it be earnestly desired and planned for that every heart in the rural district shall be rekindled with a living fire of enthusiasm in behalf of the general improvement—of interest in the things that are high and divine, and of affection and good will toward all in the community. Let some local resident rise up as leader and bring this order of things to pass, and the social experiences of the young people will naturally become of such a nature as to develop them into men and women of great worth and efficiency.
REFERENCES
Wider Use of the School Plant. Clarence Arthur Perry. Chapter IX, “Social Centers.” Charities Publication Committee, N.Y.
Chapters on Rural Progress. Kenyon L. Butterfield. Chapter XIV, “The Social Side of the Farm Question.” University of Chicago Press.
Development and Education. M. V. O’Shea. Chapter XIV, “Problems of Training.” Houghton, Mifflin Company.
Social Control. Edward A. Ross. Ph.D. Chapters VII and VIII, “The Need and Direction of Social Control.” Macmillan.
The Girl Wanted. Nixon Waterman. Forbes & Co., Chicago. A wholesome and cheering book for girls.
Confidences. Edith B. F. Lowry, M.D. Forbes & Co. Plain, helpful talks regarding the sex life of girls.
See the excellent editorial article, “Forces that Move Upward,” Farmer’s Voice, June 15, 1911.
Causes of Delinquency Among Girls. Falconer. Annals American Academy. Vol. 36, p. 77.
Democracy and Education. Dr. J. B. Storms. Annual Volume N.E.A., 1907, p. 62.
The Efficient Life. Dr. L. H. Gulick. Chapter III, “Life That is Worth While.” Doubleday, Page Company.
The Ideals of a Country Boy. A. D. Holloway in Rural Manhood, May, 1910.
Why Not Education on the Sex Question. Editorial article. Review of Reviews, January, 1910.
Report of Vice Commission of Chicago. Chapter V, “Child Protection and Education.” Guntorf-Warren Printing Co., Chicago.
The Spirit of Democracy. Charles Fletcher Dole. Chapter XXIX, “The Education for a Democracy.” Crowell & Co.
The Education of the Boy of To-morrow. A. D. Dean. World’s Work, April, 1911. Prize essay.
College and the Rural Districts. W. N. Stearns. Education, April, 1911.
The Boy Problem. Educational pamphlet No. 4. Society for Sanitary and Moral Prophylaxis, N.Y. 10 cents. Treats ably the question of social purity.
Genesis. A Manual for Instruction of Children in Matters of Sex. B. S. Talmey, M.D. Practitioners’ Publishing Company, N.Y.
CHAPTER XIV
THE FARM BOY’S INTEREST IN THE BUSINESS
The theory that the boys and girls who grow up in the country must in time become settled in farm homes of their own has neither logic nor psychology nor common sense to support it. It is never a question of whether or not a boy will take up the work of his father, but whether or not he will find at length the true and only calling for which his nature is best fitted. If the parents of the country boy will keep the latter question clearly in mind, many a problem in the latter’s rearing will be made much easier.