Chapter V: under Country Life Deficiencies. With all its serious

difficulties and discouragements the rural problem is a splendid challenge to faith. There are many with the narrow city outlook who despair of the rural problem and consider that country life is doomed. There are still others who have faith in the country town and village but have lost their faith in the open country as an abiding place for rural homes. Before giving such people of little faith further hearing, we must voice the testimony of a host of country lovers who have a great and enduring faith in the country as the best place for breeding men, the most natural arena for developing character, the most favorable place for happy homes, and, for a splendid host of country boys and girls the most challenging opportunity for a life of service.

TEST QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER I

1.--How would you define the Rural Problem?

2.--Illustrate how the growth of the city has affected the rural problem.

3.--Explain the terms rural, urban, city, town, and village.

4.--What misleading comparisons have been made between city and country conditions?

5.--In what six states has the rural population, as a whole, shown a net loss in the last ten years?

6.--To what extent has rural America grown in population the past half century?

7.--Describe the symptoms of a decadent village.

8.--Under what conditions do you find a village improving even when losing population?

9.--Discuss carefully the comparative degeneracy of the city and the country.

10.--Describe some of the stages of rural degeneracy.

11.--What signs of rural degeneracy have come under your personal observation and how do you account for the conditions?

12.--What evidences have you seen of the "urbanizing" of rural life, and what do you think about it?

13.--Why do country boys and girls leave the farm and go to the city?

14.--What must be done to make country life worth while, so that a fair share of the boys and girls may be expected to stay there?

15.--How do you think a farmer ought to treat his boys?

16.--To what extent is the city dependent upon the country.

17.--Why do so many prosperous farmers rent their farms and give up country life?

18.--How does the village problem differ from the problem of the open country?

19.--Do you believe the open country will be permanently occupied by American homes, or must we develop a hamlet system, as in Europe and Asia?

20.--To what extent have you faith in the ultimate solution of the country problem?

CHAPTER II

COUNTRY LIFE OPTIMISM

CHAPTER II

COUNTRY LIFE OPTIMISM

I. _Signs of a New Faith in Rural Life_

A tribute from the city.
The Country Boy's Creed.
City-bred students in agricultural colleges.
Reasons for this city-to-country movement.

II. _The Privilege of Living in the Country_

Some city life drawbacks.
The attractiveness of country life.
The partnership with nature.
Rural sincerity and real neighborliness.
The challenge of the difficult in rural life.

III. _The Country Life Movement_

Its real significance.
Its objective: a campaign for rural progress.
Its early history: various plans for rural welfare.
Its modern sponsors: the agricultural colleges.
The Roosevelt Commission on Country Life.
Its call for rural leadership.
Its constructive program for rural betterment.

IV. _Institutions and Agencies at Work_

Organized forces making for a better rural life.