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and the gradual enlistment of these villagers for the common 

 good. 



4. The Best Village Program. What is needed is a move- 

 ment that shall inspire the villagers in each village to make 

 their village the best village possible. There are three lines 

 through which improvement can come. 



a. The improvement of farms and farming 



b. Improvement in the economic field 



c. Improvement in the social field or in the conditions of 

 life. 



No one from outside of China can make a program for each 

 village or even for the villages as a whole. This program must 

 be made by those who know the problems and who know the 

 people. Indeed, each village has its own special problems and 

 must have its own program. The program must not be too big 

 but it must be very practical and important for the village. An 

 example of what might be a working program in a village where 

 a large amount of cotton is grown, would be, 



a. A project to improve the strains of cotton grown in the 

 village, both for yield and for quality. 



b. A project for enabling the growers of cotton to sell 

 together in order that they may get a fair price for their cotton. 



c. A project to educate the boys and girls, as well as the 

 older people, in the best methods of growing and selling cotton, 

 but to do this as a part of a general schooling for the boys and 

 girls and if possible of an effort for teaching the older people to 

 read. 



5. To Make the Village Program Effective. In order to 

 make the village program a reality several conditions are 

 necessary, somewhat as follows: 



(a) The program must be ' 'set 'up" by some outside 

 expert, presumably from the Agricultural College or school, 

 who will furnish the latest information and give suggestions as 

 to how the program can be carried out. 



(b) There must be a group of local leaders who have the 

 confidence of the farmers; who have an intelligent under- 

 standing of the program and who are willing to give some time 

 to the program. These men must be honest both with the 

 farmers and with the outside experts. 



