220 CHAPTERS IN RURAL PROGRESS 



writer for the exhibit in "rural economy" at 

 the St. Louis exposition. There are also sub- 

 jects that have a political bearing, such as local 

 government in the country, and primary reform 

 in rural communities, which perhaps ought not 

 to be omitted. So, too, various phases of home 

 life and of art might be touched upon. The 

 subjects suggested and others like them could 

 be conveniently grouped into from two to a dozen 

 courses, as circumstances might require. 



What classes of people may be expected to 

 welcome and profit by instruction of this charac- 

 ter? (i) The farmers themselves. Assuming 

 that our agricultural colleges are designed, 

 among other functions, to train men and 

 women to become influential farmers, no argu- 

 ment is necessary to show how studies in rural 

 social science may help qualify these students 

 for genuine leadership of their class of toilers. 

 On the other hand, it may be remarked that no 

 subjects will better lend themselves to college 

 extension work than those named above. Lec- 

 tures and lecture courses for granges, farmers' 

 clubs, farmers' institutes, etc., on such themes 

 would arouse the greatest interest. Corre- 

 spondence and home study courses along these 

 lines would be fully as popular as those treating 



