provide subject matter for a course in horticulture. The fertile land is
turned to agricultural use, and the broad expanse of twenty-four acres
furnishes additional space for games and sports.

The social life of this school is no less effective than is its location
and equipment. The teachers' cottage, an old school building converted
for this purpose, furnishes a center for the life of the teaching staff,
and makes a background for the social life of the entire school. There
are two strong literary societies, including all of the pupils in the
school. Each year plays are presented on the school stage. There are
musical organizations, parents' conferences, entertainments, and
community gatherings of all descriptions. In every sense, the John
Swaney School is a community center.

Prosperity has followed in the wake of this educational development. The
John Swaney School is known far and wide, and consequently farm renters
and farm buyers alike seek the locality because of the educational
opportunities which the school affords for their children, and because
of the social opportunities which the community around the school
affords for them.

The movement for school consolidation, like many another good movement,
originated in Massachusetts. From that state it has spread extensively
to Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Idaho, Washington, and a number of
other states,--East, West, and South. In every progressive rural
community, wherever prosperous farmers and comfortable farm homes are
found, there the consolidation movement is being discussed, agitated, or
operated.

The movement toward consolidation has been particularly active during
the past few years in the South. The Southern States are, for the most
part, largely agricultural communities. The rural population far
outnumbers the urban population, and it is in these districts,
therefore, that the consolidated school can have its greatest influence.
By 1912, the state of Louisiana alone was able to report over 250
consolidated county schools. Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina show
themselves almost equally active in forwarding this generally accepted
progressive educational movement.

The difficulties involved in consolidation may be summed up under two
heads. There is, first of all, the conservatism and prejudice of those
people who believe that the things which were good enough for their
fathers, are still good enough for them. Secondly, there are the
tech