population.

The first use to which the centralized rural school is adapted is to
halt the exodus from the country. The country community has now no check
upon the departure of its best people. The sifting of the country
community is done, not by the community itself, but by outside forces,
unfriendly and unintelligent as to the interests of the country. The
centralized rural school will retain in the country those who should be
interested in the country community. This will be accomplished by the
study of agriculture, which can adequately be taught only in a graded
school in the country. But much can be done even by the supply of an
adequate system of education in the country community.

At Rock Creek, Illinois, the retirement of farmers to the cities and
towns had gone so far in 1905 that the intelligent and devoted members
of the community, who did not desire to leave the place where their
grandfathers had first broken the prairie sod, took counsel as to the
welfare of the community. The superficial fact of most consequence was
the presence of tenant farmers in the community. These tenants, however
desirable personally as neighbors, were of a short term of residence.
From one to five years was their longest term on one farm. The social
life of the community and its religious interests were beginning to
suffer. The sons of the early settlers, therefore, laid their plans by
which to control the selection of tenants.

Their first plan was to form a farmer's union or syndicate, which should
undertake to run the farms of those who were retiring from the land.
This plan seemed promising and the makers of it congratulated themselves
upon controlling the future of the community. But reflection showed that
this method would have the effect of retiring more farmers from the land
and turning over the hiring of tenants to the few remaining loyal
owners, who would come in a short time to constitute the local real
estate agencies; while the majority of the owners would enjoy themselves
in towns and villages round about.

The result was that the farmers undertook not to control the tenancy,
but to build up the community itself. They deliberately undertook the
reconstruction of the schools. Three school districts were merged in
one. An adequate building in which a group of teachers is employed was
erected. The children are transported in wagons hired for that purpose.
The grounds about the school building are made pleasant; and t