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This report embodies the results of a Sociological Survey of Montgom- 

 ery County, Maryland, which was undertaken by this department at the 

 instance, and conducted under the auspices, of The Montgomery County 

 Country Life Committee. Hence an introductory word as to the origin 

 and nature of this committee is not out of place here. In September, 

 1911, the Hon. Willet M. Hays, Assistant Secretary of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, invited 53 representative men and women, 

 residents of Montgomery County, to meet at his home to consider the 

 feasibility of organizing a Country Life Federation for the County. In 

 order that the form of organization to be adopted might be wrought 

 out with the good of the farming community as a wlwle for its prime 

 purpose, the choice of those invited to attend was based upon geo- 

 graphical distribution, 17 centres being recognized and three or four 

 selected from each centre. As a result of this meeting, which was held 

 on September 29, the Montgomery County Country Life Committee was 

 provisionally organized, with the avowed aim of making Montgomery 

 County the Model Rural County of the United States. In the judgement 

 of the committee, the first necessary step toward this end, without 

 which no other step could well be taken, was to determine the exact 

 present status of affairs in the county. In accordance with this idea, 

 its first official act was to decide upon the undertaking of a Sociological 

 Survey, with the end in view of obtaining, as a scientific basis for future 

 work of improvement, accurate information concerning the prevailing 

 economic, social, educational and religious conditions throughout the 

 county. The following resolution was adopted: "Resolved: That 

 the Montgomery County Country Life Committee invite the Presby- 

 terian Department of Church and Country Life, and the Interstate 

 Executive Committee of the Y. M. C. A. of Delaware, Maryland, and 

 District of Columbia, to assist in making a Social Life Survey of Mont- 

 gomery County." The Interstate Y. M. C. A. was to cooperate by 

 raising funds to pay part of the expenses of the survey. The actual 

 work of investigation was undertaken for the Presbyterian Department 

 of Church and Country Life by the Superintendent, Dr. Warren H. 

 Wilson. The department also met the bulk of the expense and published 

 the results. Two field investigators, E. Fred Eastman and Hermann 

 N. Morse, were detailed for this work which was begun in January, 

 1912, and finished in April, 



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