IMPROVEMENT HAS BEGUN 117 



Other organizations that are helping the coun- 

 try social life, or that might be made to help it, 

 are women's clubs, musical clubs, reading-clubs, 

 athletic and playground associations, historical 

 and literary societies, local business men's organi- 

 zations and chambers of commerce, all genuinely 

 cooperative business societies, civic and village 

 improvement societies, local political organiza- 

 tions, granges and other fraternal organizations, 

 and all groups that associate with the church 

 and school. 



There is every indication, therefore, that the 

 social life of the open country is in process of 

 improvement, although the progress at the pres- 

 ent moment has not been great. The leaders 

 need to be encouraged by an awakened public 

 sentiment and all the forces should be so related 

 to each other as to increase their total effective- 

 ness while not interfering with the autonomy of 

 any of them. 



The proper correctives of the underlying 

 structural deficiencies of the open country are 

 knowledge, education, cooperative organizations, 

 and personal leadership. These we may now dis- 

 cuss in more detail. 



