rural school,
accepting it with a genuine love for country boys and girls and for
country life,--then the problems of rural education will lose much of
their seriousness. With increasing centralization of rural schools and
ever rising standards, worth-while opportunities in country teaching will
rapidly develop. Nor will the need be merely for teachers in the grades
and in high school work. Capable women are everywhere needed in
educational leadership. Country life specialists are now needed in state
and country normal schools, agricultural high schools, and county high
schools, as well as the country colleges.

_Responsibility for Rural Health and Sanitation_

Probably the chief reason for the slow progress of modern sanitation in
rural districts is the lack of training of country doctors in the modern
aspects of their profession. In the country, sanitation is largely a
household matter, and women have most at stake and the greatest influence
here. In a few months or years one trained nurse or woman physician could
raise the ideals of sanitation and hygiene in the country homes of a large
area.

Old-fashioned rural neighborliness and large families have combined in the
past to keep trained nurses in the city. The country people have managed
to get along without them usually. But both these causes have been
diminishing and there is serious need in most country sections for the
expert services of trained nurses. The "district nurse association" plan
has already gained acceptance in country places and its rapid spread would
prevent much hardship. Combined with community ownership of sick-room
appliances, this would greatly help to make country life comfortable for
people accustomed to city conveniences.

Rural frugality hates to pay a woman nurse a man's wages! But gradually
efficiency will win and the higher life standards prevail, and this will
give countless young women splendid opportunities for broad service, with
which the petty office positions in the city cannot compare.

Conservative country folks are slow to recognize the professional
authority of the woman physician; but the prejudice will soon pass.
Certainly a capable woman with a modern medical equipment would not need
many months to prove her superiority to the average low-grade country
doctor; and she would soon find a great life work. While college men are
more and more shirking this great healing profession, let the college
women give it large con