entire railroad duty, yet his salary was considerably more than that of the rural minister in that town. If it is possible to bring agriculture back to its former status in this state, so that farmers may earn a fair profit on their operations, they will be able to pay more taxes and supply enough to warrant higher salaries to the school teachers and to other agencies for improvement in their communities, thus making better living conditions and life more attractive in the rural districts. In looking over a farm audience, we find it is made up of two rather distinct groups. In the first place we have the elderly persons who have lived on these farms many years; the other group is composed of young people of high school age, perhaps younger, who are interested in agriculture. We do not find many persons of middle age in these gatherings; they have gone to the cities. The work being carried on by the County Agents and Farm Bureaus and Boys' and Girls' Clubs, has done much to keep the young people interested in farm work. It is the privilege and the duty of every one living in a rural community to make use of these organizations and state departments which can in any way add to the attractions of country life. The Department of Education and Agricultural College and State Department of Agriculture can be of assistance. They are all in a position to do a great deal more for rural improvement than the school teachers and farmers of this state realize, and their facilities, their information and help should be utilized continually. The State Department of Agriculture has a fund for the encouragement of agriculture in this state. It is primarily for prizes awarded at the various exhibits and competitions and gives stimulus which is necessary to keep up interest in these various enterprises. In spite of the decline in agriculture in this section, I believe that we can be very optimistic in regard to the future of the country districts of the state. They are becoming more and more important to the industrial section, and compared with many other sections of the United States there is much ground for optimism. The rural population alone of this state exceeds the total population of ten states and exceeds the rural population of nine states. The rural population of this state alone, which we consider small as compared to the urban population, exceeds the total population of ten states in the Union. The Massachusetts rural population, with a density of 33 per square mile, exceeds the density of the total population of 21 states. The number of farms in this state is greater than the number of farms in 14 other states, so you can see that when you compare our state with these, we are by no means near the bottom in the total number of our rural population or in density. In conclusion, let me say again, that the State Department of Agriculture exists to serve you. Do not wait for us to come to you; please come to us. We have many facilities to help you of which you may not know, so please come to us and you will find we will be happy to meet you more than half way. SONNET Father - Spirits Brings rest and peace unto a world of care And rarely move my soul to ecstasy. Yet, would I wander when the stars are fair, LINDA RIDER. Can We Educate Rural Agencies to Believe in and to Practice Co-operation with Teachers? MRS. IRENE W. LANDERS, HOME EDITOR, FARM AND HOME. C AN we educate rural agencies to believe in and to practice co-operation with rural teachers? This is one of the questions for our earnest consideration. The very fact of the presence of such a question in our minds, imposes the idea that some rural agencies do not co-operate with the rural teacher, possibly one of the reasons for which is their lack of belief in her. Just who are we rural teachers, and why should we expect the faith and co-operation of other rural agencies? And who are these other rural agencies whose belief and co-operation we are asking? The target for all the existing rural agencies is the farm home, a home whose members have felt socially ostracized. We desire to help these rural folk to express themselves through better living conditions, and thereby overcome the heavy penalty they have imposed upon themselves by locating among the solitudes and distances of rural life. Their living conditions have produced a lack of opportunity to express their inner selves in constructive action. So many capable, substantial men and women are in the plight of the good old farmer who said, "I have plenty of idees up in my head; the trouble is I can't get them down onto my tongue.' We who are termed rural teachers are aiming to emancipate the farm home through the children-those classed with the other rural agencies in the most part have this same mission with their immediate point of attack sighted on the adults of the rural family. We are all aiming at the same spot, the family hearthstone, from a common motive, a strong humanitarian impulse. Our creed asserts very definitely our love and firm belief in the farm home its occupants, its power for immense good and never-ending influence, proclaiming that it is the very backbone of this world of ours. You who are rural teachers, went into your profession with your eyes quite open-no element of curiosity prompted you to try this very difficult calling, no item of dollars and cents held a lure for you. Here your reward was to be in greater things, commensurate with your power for service. Why should you not merit the belief of the whole world, especially of those agencies who have heeded a similar call and are traveling a parallel, though a far newer road into your territory, to make their aim at the farm hearthstone, too. Possibly all who are in the rural agency game can still feel the benign influence of the smile of their teachersoul, "Miss Stone," that has followed them down through the years. They may appreciate the fact that "Ma Bennett," with her motherly ways, always decked out in her firm starched little cuffs and collar in rain or shine, in season and out, has been such a powerful memory and inspiration to greater things. Her motherly way may have been so potent a factor that you could not resist her challenge, luring you back to the teacher's road, made smooth and level for you by the efforts of just such faithful inspiring souls as your early teachers. The teacher's highway is known to all, the other rural agencies do know what patient toil has made it broad and level, and thereby have to offer their firm belief in your purpose and are eager to have you act as their guide. You have been following the well-blazed trail and have made a broad thoroughfare to the very hearthstone of the home, for you have been ministering to the farm's most precious crop-the children. "Miss Stone," "Ma Bennett," and the rest in the pioneer procession, did not have to sit at institutes and be told by the powers that be that they must be skillful in their interpretation of the three R's, be adept as musicians, artists, sculptors, gymnasts, scientists, hygienists, grammarians, with a thorough working knowledge of household affairs, including hygiene, cooking, sewing, gardening, plus having a proper personality equal to organizing and leading groups at the church sociables, the granges, and the school entertainments! These teacher folk knew that an equally great service in the community consisted of after 4 o'clock duties, Saturday and Sunday responsibilities. The burden was too great, the day did not have hours enough in it to finish the tasks that merely opened the way to larger neighborly growth. They worked with the child as the key to the hearts of the countryside. In gaining the love of the rural folk they realized that the child had led them through doors once flanked by suspicion, opposition and positive unfriendliness. A few years ago the government saw "Ma Bennett" and "Miss Stone" and their co-workers making marked strides, but discovered their limitations of human strength and the element of limited time. As a result of this rural study and the truly remarkable work of you and your predecessors, a new rural agency, the Farm Bureau, was placed in some of the farm communities. The aim of this new agency was the farm home. An educated farmer-man was placed in a position to help that rural home develop by the means of better agriculture. This county agent began to translate his interest in the home through the language of better fertilization, better pigs, culled flocks, and so on. Some progressive farmers he reached; many farmers he antagonized, to the decided detriment of the development of his work. He did not have just the right key he had not discovered the most direct route into the home. A very wise county agent discovered that via the pig-sty to the hearthstone often offered too great an opportunity to the farmer for getting lost in the barns of indifference and stumbling through the ells of scorn, for experienced farmer-folk had au abhorrent fear of having book-farming imposed upon them. These wise agents soon discovered that when a better boy as the result of a better teacher and a better school, could show Dad a better pig, better eggs, better vegetables, than Dad and his age-long practice could produce, it was not hard for the farmer father to be sought out. He then was waiting to be approached. Having seen results he could be made to believe in improved methods. A great im |