I am very greatly indebted to the following persons and firms for their kindness and generosity in lending pictures and cuts for illustrating the book: E. T. Fairchild, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Topeka, Kansas; J. W. Crabtree, Principal State Normal School, River Falls, Wisconsin; George W. Brown, Superintendent of Edgar County, Paris, Illinois; O. J. Kern, Superintendent of Winnebago County, Rockford, Illinois; Miss Jessie Fields, Superintendent of Page County, Clarinda, Iowa; A. D. Holloway, General Secretary, County Y.M.C.A., Marysville, Kansas; Dr. Myron T. Scudder, of Rutgers College; Doubleday, Page & Company, Garden City, New York; _Rural Manhood_, New York City; _The Farmer's Voice_, Chicago, Illinois; _The American Agriculturist_, New York City; _The Oklahoma Farmer_, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; _The Inland Farmer_, Lexington, Kentucky; _The Farmer's Advocate_, Winnipeg, Canada. My thanks are also due _Successful Farming_, of Des Moines, Iowa, for permission to use excerpts from President Kirk's article on the model school, and portions of a series of brief articles written for the same magazine by myself. The references given at the close of the chapters have been selected with considerable care. It will be found in nearly every case that they give helpful and more extended discussions of the several topics treated in the preceding chapter. WILLIAM A. McKEEVER. MANHATTAN, KANSAS. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. BUILDING A GOOD LIFE 1 What is a Good Life? 2 1. Good Health 3 2. Usefulness 3 3. Moral Strength 4 4. Social Efficiency 5 5. Religious Interest 5 6. Happiness 6 Is the Human Stock comparatively Sound? 7 II. THE TIME TO BUILD 12 What of the Human Instincts 12 The Dawning Instincts 12 Social Sensitiveness Helpful 19 III. THE RURAL HOME AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT 26 What Agencies build up Character? 26 1. Play 27 2. Work 30 3. Recreation 33 Moving to Town for the Children 36 A Back-to-the-country Club 38