No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 659 



We want the time to come when all of the boys and girls born in 

 the country will be prond of their birthright, when the college 

 graduate will become a high-class farmer with as much pride in his 

 work as has the mechanical engineer, or the lawyer; when the coun- 

 try girl will take a full college course and will then be willing to 

 return to her country home, happier in being queen there than thft 

 belle of an artificial town society. Then will the rich farm lands of 

 our country continue to remain in the hands of educated, patriotic 

 Americans, whose children and whose children's children will be, 

 as were their fathers before them, the strongest and best support of 

 our free Republic. 



SOCIAL LIFE IN RURAL DISTRICTS. 



Bv MAUD DROMYOLD, Blain, Pa. 



The subject assigned me seems rather of an embarrassing nature 

 to discuss. Considering the narrowness of the sociabilities of those 

 now occupying the stage of action and those about to come upon it, 

 there is beauty everywhere and in everything. But we who see "as 

 through a glass darkly," are not always able to discern it. God loves 

 the beautiful and good. No blue is so perfect as the ethereal dom? 

 or arch above or over us, no green so fresh, so beautiful as the grass 

 beneath our feet. Man's ways are far short and inferior to God's 

 ways, and yet, God has endowed the human body with head, brains 

 and massive nerve power whereby the human mind may become ex- 

 panded, enlarged and the whole of man's structure made more pleas- 

 ing and acceptable to all who come into intercourse with him. To 

 become sociable we must show ourselves to be desirous of the 

 acquaintance and v»'elfare of those around us. We must not be look- 

 ing for flaws and failures in our friends. We must cultivate a desire 

 to discern the good qualities of our friends and acquaintances. And 

 when we are in company^ if we cannot say anything good of our 

 friend or neighbor, Ave can refrain from entering into gossip and say- 

 ing anything mad or detrimental. We might say that one of the 

 fundamental principles of social life in rural districts is organizations 

 for mutual development. The young and rising generation, both 

 male and female, needs culture and refinement. Where or how can 

 this be obtained better than by having good literary societies, good 

 singing schools, common school institutes and farmers' institutes, 

 thus bringing together those of different and diversified talent and a 

 commingling of thought that shall arouse in the human mind a 

 desire to be and to do something that shall cause us as a people, ns 

 a nation to rise to a higher level, a more elevated sphere, in which 

 the advancement and betterment of all as a people shall be obtained. 

 To do this we must set aside our little jealousies and narrow-minded- 

 ness and come fully to the conclusion that it is brains well developed 

 and not money or title that makes the true American citizen. 



In being sociable, we oftimes may cause an erring friend to take 



