THE COMMUNITY IDEA 143 



core of the community idea, then, as applied to rural 

 life, is that we must make the community as a unit, 

 an entity, a thing the point of departure in all our 

 thinking about the rural problem and in its local, prac- 

 tical application the direct aim of all organized efforts 

 for improvement or redirection. The building of real 

 local farm communities is perhaps the main task in 

 erecting an adequate rural civilization. Here is the 

 real goal of all rural effort, the inner kernel of a sane 

 country-life movement, the moving slogan of the cam- 

 paign for rural progress that must be waged by the 

 present generation. 



BUT WHAT IS A COMMUNITY? 



It is not a neighborhood or even a hamlet. A mere 

 collection of people dwelling in houses somewhat near 

 together or within easy reach of one another does not 

 constitute a community. Neighborhood life is import- 

 ant and neighborhood spirit vital. But a " neighbor- 

 hood," as most American farmers understand the term, 

 is not likely to be a true community. 



The New England states teach us some lessons in 

 rural organization. The u town " or as it is better 

 known in other parts of the country, the township 

 forms a natural community. New England was settled 

 by communities, or groups, or towns. When people 

 decided to seek new homes they went as a community 

 and formed a new town. Each town had its church 

 and it is interesting to remember that the members of 

 the church and the members of the political town had 

 to be the same people. Each community had its school 

 and its political or governmental life. Each New Eng- 

 land town became a little democracy. It governed it- 

 self to a very large degree. It planned its future, paid 



