176 THE FARMER AND THE NEW DAY 



the agricultural colleges and farm bureaus cooperating 

 hold extension schools lasting perhaps three or four 

 days. These have been warmly supported by the farm- 

 ers as a rule. There ought to be in each community 

 each year a school in which teaching should be done 

 by specialists not necessarily all of them college 

 men and women but real specialists who can really 

 teach the farmers something. But this school should 

 have for its subject matter those fields of thought that 

 have a bearing upon the problems and programs of the 

 community. In other words, the extension school 

 should tie up with the most pressing needs of the com- 

 munity and should throw light upon how the needs 

 can be met. 



THE COMMUNITY CENTER 



There has been a good deal of discussion during the 

 past twenty years concerning the establishment of a 

 community center. Very recently the community cen- 

 ter movement has swept the country and is being pushed 

 not only in cities but in rural districts. What does all 

 this mean and how important is it? Various plans 

 have been suggested from time to time and each has its 

 advocates. 



The Church as a Community Center. For some 

 years there was considerable advocacy of the idea of 

 making the church the rural neighborhood center. It 

 is perfectly practicable to make any one church a center 

 for many community activities. No doubt that is de- 

 sirable in many cases; but wherever there is more than 

 one church in a community, the plan for making the 

 church a community center is barred from considera- 

 tion. But suppose there is only one church then is 

 not the way clear for making that church a true com- 



