It may be obvious to
one or two people that the place is perishing and the intelligence of
its humanity is decaying, lacking some centre of life. They want a
village hall, but how is it to be obtained? They begin talking about it
to this person or that. They ask these people to talk to their friends,
and the ripples go out weakening and widening for months, perhaps for
years. I know of districts where this has happened. There are hundreds
of parishes in Ireland where one or two men want co-operative societies
or village halls or rural libraries. They discuss the matter with their
neighbors, but find a complete ignorance on the subject, and consequent
lethargy. There is no social organism with a central life to stir.
Before enthusiasm can be kindled there must be some knowledge. The
countryman reads little, and it is a long and tedious business before
enough people are excited to bring them to the point of appealing to
some expert to come in and advise.
More changes often take place within a dozen years after a co-operative
society is first started than have taken place for a century previous.
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