FARMING BY COLLECTIVE EFFORT 163 



home from school, or, indeed, before they leave 

 home for school, there is often milk to be 

 delivered, cows to be got in, poultry to be fed, 

 and messages to be run. As for attending a 

 dance, or playing in a village game, that is 

 almost out of the question. It is as difficult to 

 tear a small holder away from his work to 

 attend a concert, let alone a political meeting, 

 as it would be to get him to write Greek verse. 



If there happens to be a village library — a 

 rare occurrence — it is not visited by the in- 

 dustrious small holder. If there is a public 

 improvement proposed which will add to the 

 rates, it is promptly vetoed by the parsimonious 

 small holder, especially if he is an owner. No 

 wonder the children learn to hate the land, and 

 early come to look upon the ribbon of road 

 which leads to a town as the road to freedom, 

 to some El Dorado, where they can revive their 

 dying capacity for laughter. As they gaze 

 out of their bedroom windows at night, and see 

 the bright glow of the distant town on the 

 ebon-hued sky, they dream of some "Arabian 

 Nights' Entertainment " which will bring relief 

 to their life of ceaseless drudgery. 



On the other hand, where the large farm is 

 organised with its company of working co- 

 partners, there surely shall we see the revival 

 of sports, of dancing, and of music. There 

 the village institute will become a live centre 

 for social thought and jollity. Politics will not 



