The Challenge of the Country: A Study of Country Life Opportunity. Fiske George Walter

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      3. Agricultural experiment stations, in nearly all cases connected with the colleges of agriculture.

      4. The public school system, into which agriculture is now being incorporated. Normal schools, into many of which agriculture is being introduced.

      5. Special separate schools of agriculture and household subjects.

      6. Special colleges, as veterinary and forestry institutions.

      7. Departments or courses of agriculture in general or old-line colleges, and universities.

      8. Farmers’ Institutes, usually conducted by colleges of agriculture or by boards or departments of agriculture.

      (The above institutions may engage in various forms of extension work.)

      9. The agricultural press.

      10. The general rural newspapers.

      11. Agricultural and horticultural societies of all kinds.

      12. The Patrons of Husbandry, Farmers’ Educational and Cooperative Union, and other national organizations.

      13. Business societies and agencies, many of them cooperative.

      14. Business men’s associations and chambers of commerce in cities and towns.

      15. Local political organizations (much in need of redirection).

      16. Civic societies.

      17. The church.

      18. The Young Men’s Christian Association, and other religious organizations.

      19. Women’s clubs and organizations, of many kinds.

      20. Fairs and expositions.

      21. Rural libraries.

      22. Village improvement societies.

      23. Historical societies.

      24. Public health regulation.

      25. Fraternal societies.

      26. Musical organizations.

      27. Organizations aiming to develop recreation, and games and play.

      28. Rural free delivery of mail (a general parcels post is a necessity).

      29. Postal savings banks.

      30. Rural banks (often in need of redirection in their relations to the development of the open country).

      31. Labor distributing bureaus.

      32. Good thoroughfares.

      33. Railroads, and trolley extensions (the latter needed to pierce the remoter districts rather than merely to parallel railroads and to connect large towns).

      34. Telephones.

      35. Auto-vehicles.

      36. Country stores and trading places (in some cases).

      37. Insurance organizations.

      38. Many government agencies to safeguard the people, as public service commissions.

      39. Books on agriculture and country life.

      40. Good farmers, living on the land.

      It is through the activity and growing cooperation of these various agencies that the new rural civilization is now rapidly developing. It will be the purpose of our next chapter to describe the process. Rural progress in recent decades has been surprising and encouraging in many quarters. Men of faith cannot fail to see that the providence of God is now using these modern forces in making a new world of the country. It may fairly be called a new world compared with the primitive past. Thus our rural optimism is justified, and we have increasing faith in the future of country life in America.

Test Questions on Chapter II

      1. – What tribute to country life is inscribed on the Washington Union Station? It is a just tribute?

      2. – Can you accept the “Country Boy’s Creed”?

      3. – Why are so many city boys studying in agricultural colleges? How is it in your own state?

      4. – Discuss some of the disadvantages and drawbacks of modern city life.

      5. – Why is country life attractive to you?

      6. – What do you reckon among the privileges of living in the country?

      7. – Discuss the real optimism you find in the “challenge of the difficult” in country life.

      8. – How do you explain the “back-to-the-soil movement” from the cities to suburban and rural villages?

      9. – Show how the real “Country Life Movement” differs from this.

      10. – Mention some of the early plans for rural welfare in America.

      11. – What part have the agricultural colleges had in the Country Life Movement?

      12. – When did rural betterment first become a national issue in the United States?

      13. – What definite rural needs did President Roosevelt mention in his message to the Country Life Commission?

      14. – What special call for rural leadership did this Commission voice?

      15. – What do you think about the program for rural progress which the Commission proposed to Congress?

      16. – What do you think about the proposal to establish a parcels post?

      17. – In what special ways do the farmers’ interests need safeguarding?

      18. – Make a list of improvements which you consider necessary in the country sections you know the best.

      19. – Name as many agencies as you can which are making a better rural life.

      20. – On what do you base your faith in the new rural civilization?

      CHAPTER III

      THE NEW RURAL CIVILIZATION

FACTORS THAT ARE MAKING A NEW WORLD IN THE COUNTRY

      Introductory: Rural Self-Respect and Progress

      The faith of the country life movement is justified by the remarkable rural progress of the past generation. City life has been revolutionized by inventive skill, modern machinery, new forms of wealth and higher standards of efficiency and comfort; but meanwhile this marvelous progress has not been confined to cities. To be sure depleted rural districts, drained of their best blood, have not kept pace. But suburban sections in close partnership with cities have shared the speed and the privileges of urban progress, and meanwhile healthy, self-sustaining rural counties, scorning any dependence upon cities except for market, have developed great prosperity of their own and a remarkably efficient and satisfying life, even though population may have somewhat СКАЧАТЬ