IMPORTANCE OF RURAL INTERESTS 



one. Those interested in the cause are in 

 earnest and may be counted upon to con- 

 tinue agitation until every boy and girl in 

 country parts can obtain first-rate school 

 preparation for the university or for life 

 without tuition cost and without being 

 obliged to leave home. 



5. Vastly improved primary and gram- 

 mar as well as high schools will come when 

 rapid and easy travel over country roads is 

 the rule. Schools will be concentrated at 

 county and township centers so that grading 

 can be made much more complete than now. 

 A higher order of teaching talent will also 

 be employed. Far beyond this in impor- 

 tance, grading and administration being 

 equally good, country schools can be made 

 immensely more instructive and inspiring 

 than city schools. (On the superiority of 

 country schools see, further, Chapter XI.) 



6. The encouragement of all who can to 

 build and live in the country, even if a part 

 of their life must be in the city, will follow 

 as a consequence of these improvements. A 

 reflux of population from city to country 



33 



