Articles
Dirt Roads
What’s mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have been paved.
There is not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency that
wouldn’t be remedied, if we just had more Dirt Roads, because Dirt Roads give character.
People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride. That it
can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it’s worth it, if at the end is home… a loving
spouse, happy kids and a dog.
We wouldn’t have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their
exercise walking a dirt road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along.
There was less crime in our streets before they were paved. Criminals didn’t walk two
dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they’d be welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double
barrel shotgun. And there were no drive by shootings. Our values were better when our roads
were worse!!
People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more
courteous, they didn’t tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with
dust and bust your windshield with rocks.
Dirt Roads taught patience.
Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly, you didn’t hop in your car for a quart of milk,
you walked to the barn for your milk. For your mail, you walked to the mailbox.
What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed out? That was the best part, then you
stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony
rode on Daddy’s shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody else.
At the end of Dirt roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.
Most paved roads lead to trouble. Dirt Roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a
swimming hole. At the end of a Dirt Road there was always extra springtime income, from when
city dudes would get stuck. You’d have to hitch up a team and pull them out. Usually you got a
dollar, always you got a new friend...at the end of a Dirt Road! ~Paul Harvey (Edited for space)
