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Show A Lw'W.vw.v.nvo ... ............ . .. ........ ...v." -.-...vy.-.v. .wv 'I'fBlW JOf T; ACROSS CARMNSS - . J - - , - yfa ,hD' u , - I - J Mm ' anITJ-STAR WINNER . . . The five-point program of the Tupelo, Miss., T;l Community Development council forms the theme of this com-Esii'y com-Esii'y booth, which won first place over 18 entries at the 1947 Mis-1 Mis-1 "ipl-AlaHama fair. Dairying, cotton, truck farming, poultry and try are the points emphasized by the council In its plea for di-j di-j fie4 farming. TOWNS, U.S.A. Mississippi Project Sets Ittcrn in Rural Planning ff. By EARLE HITCH . Released by WNU Features. Country life must be made hopeful, healthy and happy Ijral regions are to continue as the main source of our na-1 na-1 strength. One of the major phases in the revamping of rural pattern of living is the expansion of rural occupa-f. occupa-f. For the first time since the factory system put an end CLndicrafts in the home and village shops, economic de-ipment de-ipment is taking a turn favorable to the rural environ- ;Amore than a century it has Otherwise. Rural enterprise, fl limited to farm- . I ing and a dwin-rKJAmerica dwin-rKJAmerica dllng retail -j.' Stoke trade, followed the path of non- US ' - resistance. Out-t Out-t fHo. 5 side of the fertile of l( $eries 'arm belts and I the mill towns of thT"""" 018 upper South ,f if income has been declining Um ila'nd wore out and the people Job! in the city. Now, there Wasoni to believe, that trend dM halted. Invention and discov- ' 'fter the earning opportunities jjch the country has been wait- Ijiiyiing and churning are gone; ie, old-fashioned tanning and ring,! milling and hoeing. But lost occupations, sorely J In the small farm communi-an communi-an be replaced. There is new I letter work to be done, both U land and in the local mills lantSf The community which to increase the earning I ties of its population can do 3 New Pattern Evolves. been several years in maturing, and it Is the more effective now for having hav-ing made progress with caution. It has not started to go anywhere until its supporters believe it is in their power to help it get there. Chief aims are to encourage new types of farming, especially types that will aid in soil enrichment en-richment and at the same time yield better income to the small hill farmers. Poultry and fruit growing are being emphasized, and dairying has been backed for a number of years. To aid in getting this work started and to keep it going, several specialists special-ists have been hired with funds contributed by the program's backers. Chief factor in success of the Tupelo plan is the kind of sponsorship sponsor-ship it has. The leadership and the full influence of the Tupelo Daily Journal and its publisher, George McLean, are supporting the project. The Daily Journal has guaranteed the funds necessary for the first three years' activities. The Chamber Cham-ber of Commerce, of which McLean now is president, is doing its part by financing a special program in horticulture, which is allied with the plan in general. Community Backing. In previous years banks and business busi-ness men have helped introduce dairying and better dairy breeds. Tupelo business men realize that business will thrive and their town will grow to the extent that the entire en-tire community prospers. They are convinced that there should be more earning opportunities on the farms and in the rural neighborhoods. They are helping not only to build up a better farming industry, but also to promote new town industries indus-tries that will make assured markets mar-kets for things produced on the better bet-ter farms. The plan that has been developed covers five counties and is the biggest big-gest rural community development plan in the United States, in the number of people it affects and the extent of its program. It already is demonstrating how small farming resources can be improved when energy and imagination are applied. The next article will give details that were followed in establishing the Tupelo plan. ;ted land can be restored and flor new kinds of small-farm '. New production systems, be extension of rural power j give; country manufacture an t never has had before. These Li, of course, cannot be brought K' on a community-wide scale t careful planning and deter-p," deter-p," leadership. They are most 3flve when they are undertaken long range program for com-y com-y development, ripiral economic problems are w too, much neglected. Only w Intelligent and patient at-l,pts at-l,pts have been made to find ble solutions. Consequently J plans that are succeeding II important not only as local Lrrams, but also as patterns Kother places, for there are I areas of rural America -ch need some kind of eco- nlo rescue. H most successful plans have adapted to particular condi- Consumer tastes, market Ions Io-ns and the job of organizing (c support have to be taken into deration along with restoring and and finding out what can I'oduced by the farmers and the labor supply. This will take less backing and business man-lent. man-lent. It never has been suffi-to suffi-to make a plan and count on 1 work by popular voluntary ort. Ambitious Tupelo Project. pelo, Miss., has one of the most jetic and far-reaching plans in Country. It is a plan not for lo primarily, but for the large ; area of which Tupelo is the ir. The project is especially ible from the fact that it is not ed to dealing with present rural ems, but also is looking ahead oblems that probably must be ! In the future. s Tupelo program is no sud-autburst sud-autburst of enthusiasm. It has |