Showing Dad the Way

by Mrs. A. J. Wilder.

Mansfield Has a Boys' Good Road Club That Works and Plays

The science of road making was brought to such perfection in the days of ancient Rome, that some of the old Roman roadways are in existence today. But it remained for the Ozark Mountain town of Mansfield, in the year 1915, to show the world something new in the way of road building.

Mansfield is situated on one of the highest points of the Ozarks, so exactly at the crest of the slopes to the north and south that the rainfall from the eaves, on the north side of the railway station, runs north to the Gasconade river, which drains the northern slopes of the Ozarks, while the rain that falls on the south side of the station roof, finds its way south to Bryant River which is the waterway for the southern slope.

Steep hillsides and swift flowing mountain streams make beautiful scenery but also they make it very hard to keep the roads in fit condition to the traveled and last summer a new element entered into the problem -- the urge of competition.

One of the proposed routes, for the state automobile roads, runs thru Mansfield and consequently the citizens of the town and surrounding country had quite a severe attack of roadmaking fever.

Other places were affected also and there was a strong, tho friendly rivalry, among the nearby towns and different road districts, as to which should make the best showing in working the roads.

Then the mayor of Mansfield, Dr. F. H. Riley, had an idea. He has an idea every once in a while, but this has proved to be one of the happiest,-- "Why not make use of the energy and activity of the boys of the road district, which were going to waste?

"Growing boys must have some excitement. They must have an outlet for their exuberant spirits and some way to work off their superfluous energy. Without proper guidance these things run riot and make trouble for themselves and all concerned. I have it! We will guide this energy and it shall help turn the wheels of industry even as do the swift streams of the Ozarks, when properly controlled."

Mansfield is a town with only 900 inhabitants but they are very much alive and quite capable of following an idea to see where it will lead, so the "Mansfield Boys Good Roads Club" was organized with 50 members and started out to help work the road.

It is astonishing how much work 50 good lively boys can do in a day when their hearts are in it. They raked the loose rocks out of the road; cleaned out ditches and culverts; picked up rocks from adjoining fields to be used on the road; cut brush from the roadway; and thoroly enjoyed it all.

Especially did they enjoy themselves when noontime came, for, with the dinner hour, arrived their mothers and their sisters and their aunts, with well filled baskets. And you all know what happens when a small boy meets a picnic.

The boys were not so small at that-- though it made no difference with what happened to the picnic-- for the business and professional men of Mansfield learning what was afoot, had begged to be taken on as associate members of the boys' club. They were present with their picks and shovels and acquired a good appetite for the noontime lunch.

Some of the business men of the town, who were unable to take an active part, opened their purses and contributed to help along the work.

Farmers, who knew of the plans, not to be outdone by the townspeople, came with their teams and gave their time and strength to the cause.

All worked with great enthusiasm and the spirit of the old time country "workings" and the roads leading into Mansfield presented the appearance of an elongated beehive.

The club spent two days on the road last summer and besides other work accomplished, the boys themselves picked up and hauled more than 200 loads of rock, which were used in bad places in the road bed and in building a culvert.

The Mansfield Boys Good Roads Club has been a great success, not only in the amount of work accomplished, but because of the example it has set. Which example will be followed, when spring comes, by the organization of several other boys' clubs, for work on the roads of the Ozarks.

As the Mansfield club was the first organized, its members intend to stay in the lead and Dr. Riley and the boys expect to do very much better next summer than they did last. There will be at least one "working" a month, during the summer session, Dr. Riley thinks, and the picnic lunch, at noon, will be a special feature of each occasion.

Being the originator of the plan and one of the three road commissioners for the district, Dr. Riley is in a position to greatly influence the boys of the club and he intends to lead them in beautifying the roads as well as improving their driving condition. He says there is no need for anything to be ugly in order to be useful, and nut and fruit trees, by the roadside, give a pleasant shade on warm days; and make of a road a beautiful driveway. Planting and caring for these trees would be an education in itself for the boys.

Some of the effects of organizing the boys for this work are shown in the increased interest their elders take in the subject of good roads. The Mansfield road district, last fall, voted a bond issue of $20,000 for road work and it is hoped that it will result in putting in good shape the 35 miles of road in the district.

But it is expected that the effects of this work on the boys themselves will be very far reaching. It keeps them occupied during some of their idle time and thus out of mischief: gives them a good, healthy, live interest and makes them feel responsible members of the community.

It teaches them the necessity for good roads: and a proper respect for public property. What boy, after realizing the work it takes to make a good road; and feeling that he owns an interest in it, because of his labors in making it good, but would feel  indignant to see the road carelessly or wantonly damaged?

This feeling of a proprietary interest in public property, if wisely handled, will surely extend to other things and help to make these boys, public spirited, intelligent citizens.

Mrs. A. J. Wilder. "Showing Dad the Way" Missouri Ruralist,  (August 5, 1916):  pages 12-13. The article is accompanied by two photographs: (1) A group of men and boys in the middle of a town road, with the caption, "Lining Up for the Big Day. Everybody Worked- Including Father, And Little Jim Was There with Pick and Shovel, Too;" and (2) Several groups of workers on the highway with a team of horses, a car, and a large pile of rocks, with the caption, "This Pile of Stones Look Better Off Than on the Public Highway, Doesn't It? The Boys Think So."

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