266 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



centers are in the schoolhouses. If the city can profit by them 

 how much more the country? It is by such meeting together 

 and talking over common problems that we make ourselves 

 intelligent citizens. Gladstone said the men of the farm and 

 workshops were the nation's foundation, and declared that in the 

 labor unions of workaday England was the hope of democracy. 

 He thought so because they get together and talk over public 

 questions and enlighten one another and learn to act together 

 for the common good. 



In recreation we find another need of interest and co- 

 operation in the country. You say his work gives him enough 

 exercise; that the sawbuck is the best gymnasium. But you 

 overlook the play side of boy and girl nature. That is by nature 

 a social thing, and it cannot be met by toil but only by recreation 

 and in games. The country needs field meets and contests and 

 all sorts of public gatherings for the youth. Perhaps more young 

 people go to town for the sake of play and association with other 

 young people than for any other one cause. They find little 

 diversion on the farm, and the lure of the city with its high lights 

 and gayety is too attractive for them to resist. There is excite- 

 ment and crowds and pleasure and the hope of riches. But few 

 get the riches, and many get sodden poverty in the city and the 

 pleasure all too often is that of the moth-and-flame variety. 

 Give the farm children and youth more association and chance 

 to play together and keep their interests in the country. Build 

 neat homes as the townfolk do and lend to toil a flavor of human 

 interest, and boys and girls will want to stay with the fresh 

 air and beauty of the country. Teach them the excessive mor- 

 tality of city life and educate them in farm lore instead of city 

 ways and fewer will leave the farms and the ways of their fathers. 



The first and most fundamental of all means to rural 

 progress is that of co-operation. It is the nurturing spirit for 

 all good things needed. It will save money and it will make 

 money. It will help get good roads and will cultivate the com- 

 munity desire to get them. It will bring better schopls, and 

 once put to work in all community matters will bring to the 

 farmer all that progress demands for him. The center from 

 which it ought to spring is the church. It is deplorable that the 

 one institution that should teach co-operation and fraternity so 

 often destroys it by dividing good men into opposing camps 

 over matters of creed. Suppose we united in matters of deed 

 and made our religion a matter of works instead of opinion. 



