RURAL LIFE IN LITCHFIELD COUNTY 



all such endeavor is that it helps the child to find his 

 bent in life; and when interest in some one subject is 

 aroused, the child begins to become more interested in 

 all other school subjects. 



There is probably no one agency that has done more 

 for rural betterment in this county, as well as in the 

 State as a whole, than the Grange or Patrons of Hus- 

 bandry. While this organization is nearly fifty years 

 old, its influence was not widely felt in this State until 

 about thirty years ago. The Grange was at first urged 

 for its financial advantages in cooperative buying and 

 selling, but it was soon seen that it would never be a 

 marked success in this line. Later, its educational and 

 social features were urged upon the attention of farm- 

 ers. As a means of getting the rural people together in 

 a social way, it has been well worth the efforts of its 

 most loyal supporters. The fact that it has brought 

 both sexes into its work has tended to strengthen family 

 ties. It brings the farm families together in one big 

 community family. In its educational work it has made 

 possible the consideration of questions relating to the 

 home as well as to the farm. It has afforded opportu- 

 nities, to a greater degree than any other agency, for 

 the development of men and women from our farms 

 who have become useful in public life. 



We are just entering a period of extension work in 

 agriculture and home economics that bids fair to do 



