CHAPTER I 

 THE STUDY OF RURAL LIFE 



The American farm problem, particularly its 

 sociological aspect, has not as yet had the atten 

 tion that it deserves from students . Much less 

 have the questions that concern rural social 

 advancement found the popular mind; in 

 truth, the general city public has not been deeply 

 interested in the farmer. 



But there seem to be recent indications that 

 the sentiment is changing. The heated dis 

 cussions in New England about Mr. Hartt's 

 interesting clinic over a decadent hill-town, the 

 suggestive fast-day proclamation of Governor 

 Rollins of New Hampshire a few years ago, the 

 marvelous development of agricultural educa 

 tion, the renewed study of the rural school, the 

 wide-spread and growing delight in country life, 

 have all aroused an interest in and presage a 

 new attention to rural conditions. This is well. 

 The sociologist can hardly afford to omit the 

 rural classes from the scope of his study, espe 

 cially if he desires to investigate the practical 

 phases of his subject. Moreover, no one with 



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