THE CHALLENGE OF THE COUNTRY

THE COUNTRY BOY

Why does he want to leave his father’s farm to go to the city? He ought tobe able to find his highest happiness and usefulness in the country, hisnative environment, where he is sadly needed. Can we make it worth whilefor this boy to invest his life in rural leadership?

THE CHALLENGE OF
THE COUNTRY

A Study of Country Life Opportunity

GEORGE WALTER FISKE

JUNIOR DEAN, OBERLIN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
OBERLIN, OHIO

Association Press
NEW YORK: 124 East 28th Street
LONDON: 47 Paternoster Row, E. C.
1912

Copyright, 1912, By
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF
YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS

TO THE COLLEGE MEN AND WOMEN
WHO LOVE COUNTRY LIFE
ENOUGH TO RESIST THE LURE OF THE CITY
AND INVEST THEIR TALENTS IN
RURAL CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP
WE OFFER THIS
CHALLENGE OF THE COUNTRY

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PREFACE

This study of country life opportunity and analysis of various phases ofthe rural problems in America has been written at the request of theInternational Committee of Young Men’s Christian Associations,particularly for their County Work and Student departments. The formerdesired a handbook for the training of leaders in rural Christian work andthe latter a textbook for the use of college students in ChristianAssociations wishing to study the fundamentals of rural social service andrural progress. It is the sincere hope of those who have asked for thisbook that it may bring to very many earnest young men and women, andespecially in the colleges of the United States and Canada, a challengingvision of the need of trained leadership in every phase of rural life, aswell as a real opportunity for life investment.

Being the first book in the field which makes available the results of theThirteenth U. S. Census, it is hoped that its fresh treatment of thelatest aspects of the rural problems will commend itself to generalreaders who are interested in the Rural Life Movement and the welfare ofthe rural three-fifths of America.

The author acknowledges with thanks the courtesy of the Presbyterian Boardof Home Missions, the Macmillan Company and Rural Manhood, in grantingthe use of the cuts appearing in this volume.

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CONTENTS