A Study of the Agencies of Rural Progress and of the Social Relationship of the School to the Country Community
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 392 562 RC 020 217 AUTHOR Carney, Mabel TITLE Country Life and the Country School: A Study of the Agencies of Rural Progress and of the Social Relationship of the School to the Country Community. PUB DATE 12 NOTE 435p.; Xerox copy of original book, reproduced two pages per landscape pages. This book is cited by Mary Phillips Menke in her article "The Rural Teacher in the Early 1900's" (EJ 478 228) as a classic of rttral .education literature; see else RC 020 215-218, 435, 451-452, 470. Photographs will not reproduce adequately. PUB TYPE Books (010) Historical Materials (060) Information Analyses (070) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC18 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Agriculture; Community Development; Consolidated Schools; Educational Administration; Educaional Change; *Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; Farmers; Higher Education; Leadership; Organizations (Groups); *Quality of Life; *Rural Areas; *Rural Schools; *School Community Relationship; School Role; Teacher Education; *Teacher Role IDENTIFIERS Community Viability; *Country Life Movement ABSTRACT Written in 1912, this book addresses the role of teachers in improvirg rural farm life. Rural-to-urban migration had resulted in the loss of leadership from rural localities and the declin,, of agriculture, and country life had lost its prestige both socially and economically. This book suggests that the country school is the key to achieving progress, and that teachers need to be trained and assisted to assume leadership roles. Chapters cover the following: (1) issues related to agricultural societies, social isolation, rural-to-urban migration, and the role of community agencies and institutions in improving country life;(2) a description of the farm home and the life of farm women; (3)the country church as an agency for rural progress;(4) the role of the Grange and other community organizations in improving rural life; (5) the role of farmers' institutes, farmers' demonstration work, and corn and canning clubs in improving rural life;(6) the effect of poor roads on rural life and suggested improvements for roadways; (7) the country school as an agency in the solution of the farm problem; (8) the consolidation of country schools and the consolidated school's role as a community center; (9) issues related to the leadership role of the country teacher; (10) problems associated with teaching in rural schools, including the physical environment of the country school, socializing the country school and making it an institution of community service, and vitalizing and enriching the country school's course of study;(11) the need for specialized training of country teachers;(12) dIfficulties with country school supervision and suggested improvements, including increasing the efficiency of county superintendents; and (13) an overview of the Country Life Movement and its influence on the improvement of rural life and rural education. Contains a bibliography,an index, and numerous photographs. (LP) THECOUNTRY COUNTRYAND LIFESCHOOL I. A STUDY OFSOCIAL THETO AGENCIES THE RELATIONSHIP COUNTRY OF RURAL COMMUNITY OF THE PROGRESS SCHOOL AND OF THE MABEL BYCARNEY DIRECTORNORMAL OFTEACHER THE UNIVERSITY, COUNTRY OF THE NORMAL WESTERNSCHOOL,SCHOOL ;MACOMB DEPARTMENT FORMEaLYILLINOIS STATE COUNTRY IN THENORMAL ILLINOISTRAINING STATE Mr. pU S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION F lid TI( ,NALm0^!CFNTEPrEP,C, RE Nig SOURCES We, ,PD,LIA, INFORMATiON PC, 8I M,,o,0,1*1na,vos,110 ,nonip11#1.},/, PP," ,10,/dt.1,0',Trove & "".,'..* c3 C H I C A G 0 ,1NEW P. YORKnO,,,r u VR 0 W, P E T L.O'isitiL. RutrY COMPANY thatTo gave the spirit it being, of the andlittle to country the country school ROW, PETERSONCOPYRIGHT, AND191? 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