Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1916 — FARMERS CLUBS [ARTICLE]

FARMERS CLUBS

The Farmer's Bulletin ordinarily would hardly be looked upon by even the most hopeful as a promising source of what writers and editors and the public call “humajj interest” material. But bulletin No. 2 71, issued by the agricultural experiment station of the University of Wisconsin, might almost be regarded as an exception to the rule. It has to do not with corn and wheat and oats or with live stock or farm buildings or farm •machinery, but, as the title, ‘‘Rural iubs,” would indicate, with the social side of rural life. ‘‘Good farming,” says its opening paragraph, ‘‘depends on good neighboring. Living on good terms with folk is a part of modern farming as truly as knowing how to farm.” Incidentally, in an economical sense, ‘‘good neighboring” has been found profitable amongst the Wisconsin farmers who have tried it. The Skillet Creek Farmers’ club of Sauk county has already scored these improvements to its credit: Better roads, better schools, more attractive surroundings for the schools' co-operation' in the building of a potato warehouse and the improvement of seed and live stock. Women, as well as men. presumably had a hand in these undertakings, but, if they did not, in the River Falls neighborhood they plainly were vigorously at work for there, to quote -the bulletin, “the Homs Culture club agitated the subject of a farmers’ laundry, until the men consented. The laundry, to prove that the consent meant something, is built and its photograph appears in the bulletin. But the aim has not been pri-

marily materialistic. The Skillet Creek club, with its admirable record of things done, reports that "the rest in which gives the people of the Skillet creek neighborhood the greatest satisfaction is the delightful spirit of friendliness, sympathetic interest and helpfulness which is the ruling spirit of the neighborhood.” The member of another club is quoted as saying:

“We have been finding ourselves and our neighbors; and this alone has been worth all the time and labor it has cost.” The social element is not, to say the least, a conspicuous part of American farm life. The farmer complains that he has no time for it. It is nearer the truth, however, to say that, as a result of his habit of seclusion, he has lost, to a great extent, his inclination to live' on more intimate social terms with his neighbors. He has lost the “knack” of "good neighboring.” He is sympathetic, helpful and quick to respond when called upon but there, too often, his neighboring ends. Why should there not be, this winter, a great deal more rural social intercourse than there has been before? Why not a few’ of these Wisconsin clubs- —for men, women and children.