FIFTY MILLION STRONG 



liche zieht uns hinan." How true it is, that " The eternal 

 feminine leads us upward and onward." So to the extent to 

 which the womanhood of the nation is placed on a higher 

 plane, to that extent is the manhood of the nation elevated. 



What is the first work of these two associations in the 

 country? A complete survey of the particular section in 

 which they will be active. Unless one has a quite intimate 

 knowledge of the territory, it will be impossible to prepare a 

 program that will perfectly fit the needs of that territory. 

 A thousand facts are brought out by surveys. For instance, 

 one learns the exact character of the population ; the number, 

 denomination, etc., of all the churches; the standing of the 

 schools ; the economic condition of the people ; what other 

 organizations are doing; and the status of agriculture and 

 village life. Knowing all these things and many others, 

 one is in a position to plan for cooperative and supplementary 

 work. 



After the survey the available leadership will determine the 

 program of activities in natural order. Play or recreational 

 features should constitute the first work. If one studies the 

 play life of Rural America in the growing and already 

 voluminous literature of the subject, he is amazed at the 

 diversity of the activities of a recreational character. But 

 unfortunately the activities are so scattered and so few 

 rural sections can be found anywhere that have developed 

 anything like a system in providing wholesome amusements 

 for all the people, that one regrets the failure leadership has 

 thus far made in this direction. The chief reason why so 

 little definite progress has been made is, professionalism and 

 commercialism have secured a tight grip on the recreations 

 and amusements of the nation and only an enlightened con- 

 science will lead to their emancipation. 



Different parts of the country differ greatly in their recrea- 

 tions. There is a record of one rural county that emphasizes 

 county Sunday-school picnics. Several are held annually and 

 each is given under the auspices of two or more schools 

 working together. In this way picnics occur all over 



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