pends and the risk that he assumes, and that the social condi- 

 tions in the open country are far short of their possibilities." 

 Many reasons are given for this state of affairs and many sug- 

 gestions for improvement made. Three fundamental recom- 

 mendations of the Commission are: (1) Surveys should be 

 taken of all the conditions that surround the business of farm- 

 ing and the people who live in the country in order to take 

 stock of our resources and to supply the farmer with local 

 knowledge. (2) Agricultural extention work should be made 

 national and should reach every man on the land. (3) Local, 

 state, and national conferences should be held to unite the in- 

 terests of education, organization, and religion into one great 

 movement for the rebuilding of country life. Rural teachers, 

 librarians, editors, physicians, and others may well unite with 

 farmers in studying and discussing the rural question in all 

 its aspects. 



The report made by this Commission should be in the 

 hands of every teacher. It can be secured from the Govern- 

 ment Printing Office, Washington D. C. for ten cents, (not in 

 stamps). It gives in detail the movements which are improv- 

 ing farm life today and also some of its chief deficiences with 

 the suggested remedies. 



The Farm Home 



Advantages. The farm home occupies a unique position 

 in that all the members of the home circle are interested in the 

 same business which furnishes occupation for all. Provided 

 there are good school and church advantages there is no bet- 

 ter place in which to rear a family than the country. Next to 

 the good country home ranks the good city home, while the 

 home in small village ranks last. The country village does not 

 fully possess the virtues of the city or of the country while it 

 often has many of the vices of both. The farm home has 

 many advantages: 



First. Country boys and girls enjoy an environment 

 which is simple and natural. The field and the wood and the 

 running brook are theirs. For playmates they have animals 

 and learn lessons of kindness in caring for them. 



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