Community Civics and Rural Life | Page 4

Resources XVI. Protection of Property and Property Rights
XVII. Roads and Transportation XVIII. Communication XIX.
Education XX. The Community's Health XXI. Social, Aesthetic, and
Spiritual Wants XXII. Dependent, Defective, and Delinquent Members
of the Community XXIII. Teamwork in Taxation XXIV. How We
Govern Ourselves XXV. Our Local Governments XXVI. Our State
Governments XXVII. Our National Government Appendix--The
Constitution of the United States

COMMUNITY CIVICS

CHAPTER I
OUR COMMON PURPOSES IN COMMUNITY LIFE
TEAM WORK AND COMMON PURPOSES
The most important element of success in community life, as in a ball
game, a family, or a school, is TEAM WORK; and team work depends,
first of all, upon a COMMON PURPOSE. Our nation gave an example
of team work during the recent war such as is seldom seen; and this
was be cause every member of the nation was keenly intent on
WINNING. We may see the same thing in our school when Christmas
entertainment is being planned, when an athletic tournament is
approaching, or when some other school activity is under way in which

all are deeply interested. It is often illustrated in our town, or rural
neighborhood when some important enterprise is on foot, such as the
building of a new railroad into town, a Red Cross "drive" and a county
fair, or the construction of a much needed new schoolhouse.
RECOGNITION OF COMMON PURPOSES
All communities have common purposes, although they are not always
as clearly defined as when our nation was at war, or as in the other
cases mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Sometimes the people of a
community, or a large portion of them, seem to be wholly unconscious
that a common purpose exists. This may be true even in a family or in a
school. And when this happens, the effect is the same as if there WERE
no common purpose. No club or athletic team can be successful unless
its members have a common purpose AND UNDERSTAND IT.
Insofar as our communities are imperfect--and none of them, is
perfect--it is largely because their members fail to recognize or
understand their common purposes.
People in communities have common purposes because they have the
same wants. This may not at first seem to be true.
COMMON PURPOSES DUE TO COMMON WANTS
If we visit a large city, we see throngs of people hurrying hither and
thither, jostling one another, apparently in the greatest confusion. We
wonder where they are all going, what they are doing, what they are
seeking. In rural communities or in small towns there is less apparent
confusion than in the bustling life of the city. Yet even here it is not
always easy to see common purposes and common interests. Whether
in large or small communities, we are more likely to be impressed by
the VARIETY of men's wants and even by the CONFLICT of their
purposes.
But no matter how numerous and conflicting our wants may seem, they
may all be grouped in a very few important kinds, which are common
to all of us alike. It will be worthwhile to test the truth of this, because
it will help us to see our community life in some kind of order, and will

throw a flood of light upon the common purposes that control it.
PHYSICAL WANTS: LIFE AND HEALTH
For example, we all want food, drink, and sleep, clothing to protect our
bodies, and houses to shelter us. But all these things supply our
PHYSICAL wants; that is, they re late to LIFE AND HEALTH. Many
of the things that we do every day are important because of their
relation to our physical well-being. One reason why we enjoy out door
sports is that they make our blood tingle and give a sense of physical
pleasure. Unless our physical wants are provided for, the other wants of
life cannot well be satisfied. Good health is a priceless possession.
Mention some things you have done today for your physical welfare.
THE WANT FOR ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERS
Another reason why sports and games give pleasure is be cause of the
association they afford with other people. ASSOCIATION WITH
OTHERS is a second great want which explains many of the things we
do. Whatever may be our other reasons for going to school, it affords us
the opportunity to meet and work and play with other boys and girls to
our pleasure and profit. One of the objections often raised against life in
the country is the lack of opportunity for association with other people.
But life in the country is not so isolated as it once was; and one may be
very much alone in a city crowd, where nearly all are strangers to one
another, and where there is very little real association among
individuals. City families often live in