CHAPTERS IN RURAL PROGRESS
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Agents
THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY
NEW YORK
THE CUNNINGHAM, CURTISS & WELCH COMPANY
LOS ANGELES
THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
LONDON AND EDINBURGH
THE MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA
TOKYO, OSAKA, KYOTO, FUKUOKA, SENDAI
THE MISSION BOOK COMPANY
SHANGHAI
KARL W. HIERSEMANN
LEIPZIG
Copyright 1907 By
The University of Chicago
All Rights Reserved
Published Febraury 1908
Second Impression June 1909
Third Impression May 1911
Fourth Impression February 1913
Fifth Impression October 1916
Composed and Printed By
The University of Chicago Press
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
TO MY FATHER
IRA HOWARD BUTTERFIELD
WHOSE CONSTANT CONCERN FOR RURAL WELFARE
AND LIFE-LONG SERVICE TO RURAL INTERESTS
HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE CHIEF
INCENTIVES TO THE STUDIES
LYING BEHIND THIS BOOK
PREFACE
This book does not offer a complete analysis of the rural problem; butattempts, in general, to present some of the more significant phases ofthat problem, and, in particular, to describe some of the agencies atwork in solving it. Several of the chapters were originally magazinearticles, and, though all have been revised and in some cases entirelyrewritten, they have the limitations of such articles. Other chaptersconsist of more formal addresses. Necessarily there will be found somelack of uniformity in style and in method of presentation, andoccasional duplication of argument or statement.
For permission to use articles, in whole or in part, I have to thank theeditors of the Chautauquan, Arena, Forum, Review of Reviews,Popular Science Monthly, Michigan Alumnus, New England Farmer,Cornell Countryman; also Professor L. R. Taft, superintendent ofFarmers' Institutes in Michigan, and the officers of the American CivicAssociation. Two chapters comprise material heretofore unpublished.