FIFTY MILLION STRONG 



to the school. The play-ground will expand into a community 

 athletic field, with a special building for a community fair. 

 Beside the school house will be the teachers' home. The 

 teachers will be appointed for a term of ten years, will live in 

 the community all the year around, and will take a leading 

 part in the community social life. Near the school house will 

 be the community church, with its resident pastor. About 

 these two regenerated institutions will center a new country 

 life, efficient and socially satisfying." 1 



B. Rural Life Bureaus of the Federal Government 



The work of the Federal Government in the Rural Field is 

 largely in the hands of bureaus, many of which have recently 

 been established. On the first day of 1916, for example, the 

 new Bureau of Social Centers began operations. To put the 

 schools and churches of Rural America into use in the every- 

 day life of Americans as an Americanizing, industrial, social, 

 educational and religious influence of the broadest character, is 

 the purpose of this new bureau. Much attention will be given 

 those communities in which there are large numbers of immi- 

 grants, since it is recognized that the sons and daughters of 

 America's polyglot foreign population must be assimilated. 

 Many other bureaus are doing an equally important work, 

 the aim of the Federal Government being to supervise all the 

 more important activities of Rural America and to render 

 assistance in the organization of the Rural Field. 2 



C. Extension Work 3 



The editors of The Country Gentleman recently made the 

 statement that " probably the greatest improvement in country 

 life conditions is resulting from the work now being done 

 under the provision of the Smith-Lever Act." 4 Before the 

 passage of this act in May, 1914, the Federal Government, 



1 W. K. Tate, " The New Country School," p. 8. 



2 The work of Institutes and Granges would be considered at length 

 under the head of Work, were it not so well known. 



3 Information under the several sections down to that on Banks ob- 

 tained from sources too numerous to mention. 



4 From a letter to the author. 



52 



