SCHOOLS AND FAEMING 



place for farmers' institutes and clubs, and 

 should be the political center of the town- 

 ship, where all civic questions could be dis- 

 cussed. What phases of life the principles 

 of centralization shall include, the commu- 

 nity will easily decide. Good roads from 

 every direction will center here, and con- 

 venience will shortly locate all residences 

 upon these direct lines. Of course, the 

 natural conditions of the township must 

 determine the center or centers, for hills, 

 streams, and size of the township may 

 make more than one center necessary. 



1 ' Three things, then, are fundamental in 

 this problem: First: the cooperation of 

 economic, social, and educational forces 

 with the school as the center is absolutely 

 essential. The one-room isolated school, 

 unless a very large one, can no longer meet 

 the needs of the people. Second : commu- 

 nity life with its dominant interest, agricul- 

 ture, must determine the nature of the 

 work in the school and the mode of pro- 

 cedure. Third : the teachers must be well- 

 prepared men and women, capable of 

 dealing with the problems of life, willing to 

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