RURAL SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY 123 



slowly worked out in numerous city schools. 

 How far can this idea be developed in the coun- 

 try school ? 



The purpose of this chapter is not to deal in 

 the theory of the subject, nor to argue particu- 

 larly for this view of the function of the school, 

 but rather to try to show some methods by 

 which the rural school and the farm community 

 actually can be brought into closer relations. 

 In this way we may perhaps indicate that there 

 is a better chance for co-operation between the 

 rural school and the farm community than we 

 have been accustomed to believe, and that this 

 closer relation is worth striving for. Five 

 methods will be suggested by which the rural 

 school can become a social center. Some of 

 these have already been tried in rural communi- 

 ties, some of them have been tried in cities, and 

 some of them have not been tried at all. 



i. The first means of making the rural school 

 a social center is through the course of study. 

 It is here that the introduction of nature-study 

 into our rural schools would be especially help- 

 ful. This nature-study when properly followed 

 approves itself both to educators and to farmers. 

 It is a pedagogical principle recognized by every 

 modern teacher that in education it is necessary 



