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 to be able to find his highest happiness and usefulness in the country, his native environment, where he is sadly needed. Can we make it worth while for 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

PREFACE

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

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

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

CONTENTS