THE COUNTRY CHURCH 441 



ship for country communities in student centers and through or- 

 ganized county Associations. Voluntary study courses in Coun- 

 try Life Leadership, with the text book "College Women and 

 Country Leadership" as a basis, have been taken by thousands of 

 college women, the majority of whom have gone back to lead 

 dubs of girls in their home communities during the summer. 

 Such classes as these have, also, been held in the summer confer- 

 ences. These classes have not only given more knowledge in 

 regard to country conditions but have definitely enlisted a great 

 many strong young women in active, sacrificial service. 



Through the organized County Young Women's Christian 

 Associations, trained leadership is made available through the 

 county secretary and the volunteer leaders of the county with 

 whom she works, for the girls and young women of the county. 

 Local resources are made use of ; programs for social, educational, 

 physical and spiritual growth are planned ; recreational features 

 are made a constructive force ; while county Camps, Conferences, 

 and so forth, bring a chance for a wider community and more 

 friendships for the girls of the county. Through cooperation 

 with the homes, the schools and the churches, the best things are 

 made available for the girls. 



There are now twenty-three such organized counties in the 

 United States and the number is rapidly growing. Seven field 

 secretaries are at work on this special part of the Association work 

 in different parts of the United States. 



TEN YEARS' PROGRESS IN COUNTY Y. M. C. A. 

 WORK IN MICHIGAN 1 



C. L. ROWE 



THE County Y. M. C. A. has evolved a policy that is applicable 

 to the field, town, village and rural community. It uses resident 

 forces, makes its appeal on the basis of service, cooperates with 

 existing agencies and develops the individual through group 

 service. A comparison of the growth in the last ten years is as 

 follows : 



i Publication of Rural School Department of Western State Normal 

 School, Kalamazoo, Michigan. 



