THE HESPERIA MOVEMENT 119 



the community have joined in making up the 

 conference. An attempt is also made to interest 

 the pupils. At one conference there was organ- 

 ized an athletic league for the benefit of the boys 

 of the country school. The practical phases of 

 nature-study and manual training are treated 

 on the programme, and at least one session is 

 made a parents' meeting. There is no organi- 

 zation whatever. 



Dr. A. E. Winship, of the Journal of Educa- 

 tion, Boston, had the following editorial in the 

 issue of June 21, 1906: 



It is now fourteen years since D. E. McClure spoke 

 into being the Hesperia movement, which is a great 

 union of educational and farmer forces, in a midwinter 

 Chautauqua, as it were. Twelve miles from the rail- 

 road, in the slight village of Hesperia, a one-street village, 

 one side of the street being in one county and the other 

 side in another, for three days and evenings in midwinter 

 each year, in a ramshackle building, eight hundred 

 people from all parts of the two counties sit in reserved 

 seats, for which they pay a good price, and listen to one 

 or two notable speakers and a number of local function- 

 aries. One-half of the time is devoted to education and 

 the other to farm interests. 



It is a great idea, well worked out, and after fourteen 

 years it maintains its lustiness, but I confess to disappoint- 

 ment that the idea has not spread more extensively. 

 It is so useful there, and the idea is so suggestive, that 



