EDUCATION OF RURAL PEOPLE 107 



every state and national meeting. It has assisted in 

 developing parents' and teachers' associations. Per- 

 haps the characteristic feature of the Grange as com- 

 pared with other farm organizations is its insistence 

 upon education. This attitude of the Grange is but an 

 expression of the mind of the better farmers. When 

 the farmers began to settle the West, they carried the 

 school with them; it was a part of their community lug- 

 gage, indispensable at a time when luggage was a bur- 

 den. The farmers' own efforts to improve agriculture 

 are based on an abundant faith in education as a pre- 

 requisite to all else upon the belief that if the farmer 

 is educated all other things will follow; but that if he 

 is ignorant, there is little chance for real gains. The 

 farmer knows that the mind is somewhat like one of 

 his fields cultivation is half the crop. 



DEFECTS IN RURAL SCHOOLS 



Nevertheless, one of the most serious difficulties in 

 adjusting the farmer to the New Day is the fact that 

 rural schools are not keeping step with the needs of the 

 time. Unfortunately, in spite of their belief in educa- 

 tion, the farmers themselves block the progress of edu- 

 cation all too often, through an unwillingness to make 

 changes in antiquated equipment and systems, or 

 through sheer parsimony in financial support. There 

 is often lack of local enthusiasm and ideals. Farmers 

 in many regions are all too content with what they have. 

 Sometimes they are simply stubborn, desirous of doing 

 as they please and resenting outside advice or sugges- 

 tions. As one of our agricultural leaders has said, 

 democracy and education oftentimes have been inter- 

 preted as being the right for any community to have as 

 poor schools as they choose to have. There are farm- 



