bating societies and amateur
theatricals, of which the Little Country Theatre is the best exponent,
can with profit be incorporated into the life of every rural community
that maintains a social center, and that takes genuine pride in making
country life what the possibilities so readily warrant.

No one of these separate organizations, even though fully developed and
earnestly supported, will altogether satisfy the needs of a community.
No one of them should be over-emphasized for its own sake alone, for
each is but a part of the community need. All are needed. The friends of
each, therefore, should work for all and all work for each, and becoming
thus federated, they will prove to be a positive force and establish,
beyond question, a community spirit satisfactory to old and young alike.

A sufficient number of these rural social institutions to meet the
changed conditions of modern life is as essential as a progressive and
highly contented agriculture; for without such institutions agriculture
will decline until on a level with the peasantry of other and less
favored countries. For just in proportion as agriculture advances or
declines will the prosperity of the people rise or fall, and the
integrity of our government be stable or questionable. This fact has
been clearly demonstrated in the history of nations; hence, stewardship
of the soil embraces not only conservation of its fertility, but the
fostering of such social institutions and educational forces as may be
necessary to support a rural civilization that will minister to all the
physical, mental and spiritual wants of a highly intellectual and
permanent population. Said James A. Garfield:

"The higher education of the village and city youth, together with
a modicum of the country youth, with only the fifth to eighth grade
for the best blood of the state may stand for the educator's
ideals, but it is bad for the country as a whole. It tends to make
aristocrats of the poorest and slaves of the best blood. Education
is for all, not for a favored few."

_The Morrill Act._ The Morrill Act of 1862 was the first important step
toward the emancipation of agriculture. The establishment of the Land
Grant Colleges was the biggest piece of constructive legislation that
Congress has enacted during the past century. By means of higher
education thus redirected and vitalized, industrial independence will
ultimately be realized. But the work m