382 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



of the farm family be made less solitary, fuller of opportunity, 

 freer from drudgery, more comfortable, happier, and more at- 

 tractive ? . . . How can life on the farm be kept on the highest 

 level ? . . . How can a compelling desire to live on the farm be 

 aroused in the children that are born on the farm? ... All of 

 these questions are of vital importance, not only to the farmer, 

 but to the whole nation. . . . There is no more important person, 

 measured in influence upon the life of the nation, than the 

 farmer's wife, no more important home than the country home. 

 . . . The farmers have hitherto had less than their full share of 

 public attention along the lines of business and social life. 

 There is too much belief among all our people that the prizes 

 of life lie away from the farm. ' Jl 



In response to President Roosevelt's letter, the Country Life 

 Commission made an analysis of the main deficiencies in country 

 life, and suggested remedies for the deficiencies. Three impor- 

 tant recommendations were handed to President Roosevelt. 

 First, a recommendation was made for a comprehensive plan of 

 study or survey of all the conditions that surround the people 

 who live in the country. The commission suggested that federal 

 and state governments, agricultural colleges, other educational 

 agencies, organizations of various types, and individual students 

 of the problem be brought into cooperation for the great work 

 of investigating with minute care all agricultural and country 

 life conditions. 



Second, a campaign for rural progress was mapped out. The 

 commission believed there should be held state and national 

 conferences on rural progress, designed to unite the interests of 

 education, business organization, and religion into one forward 

 movement for the rebuilding of country life. 



Third, according to the recommendations of the commission, 

 each state college of agriculture should be empowered to organize 

 as soon as practicable a complete department of college exten- 

 sion. The work should include such forms of extension teaching 

 as lectures, bulletins, reading courses, correspondence courses, 

 demonstration, and other means of reaching the people at home 



1 The Report of the Country Life Commission. 



