Show culture and social amenities are not being neglected by american farmer it may be accepted as a self evident truth that a farmer who 9 goes oes to a meeting of his local cooperative Pera tive in top hat white tie and tails is not a peasant on the other hand it can hardly be seriously contended that this sartorial extremity is a sine alia non of a cultured rural life the farmer and his wife dont have to doll up like fred astaire and ginger rogers in order to prove that they arent peasants mrs maud E says farmers dress like that in denmark but she mentions it to illustrate a point we take it rather than to suggest it as a custom to be adopted by our farmers the point she is making is the desirability of community activity to promote the cultural arts and social graces as a means of escape from a tendency toward a peasant way of life A great deal has been said about the threat to american agriculture of degeneration into peasantry but that problem is is recognizes as an economic rather than a cultural one given the opportunity to maintain a comfortable standard of living in reasonable security the farmer will not neglect the cultural and social amenities which go with it rural life it seems to us is naturally less formal more democratic than urban life but not for that reason lac lacking blackino kino in those qualities which make for a worthwhile culture where rough edges remain they tend to be worked smooth by time there is a continuous striving to achieve greater attractiveness in the farm home and the farm premises without trading comfort for artificiality and the standard of education constantly arises illiteracy is virtually nonexistent omaha world herald |