Make a brief inquiry throughout the neighborhood and you will perhaps find that not a single farm home has apparently given this matter any definite attention. Now, what playthings may easily be provided in such homes? After having determined that matter, begin a campaign of education of the rural parents. First, write to the Playground Association of America in New York City and ask for a list of their literature on play. From this source you will obtain pamphlets and larger volumes giving specific suggestions for installing rural play apparatus, and details as to dimensions, prices, and the like. Now, you are ready for work. Appeal to a centrally located family for their cooperation in establishing a model. Induce them to provide for their children a full set of the apparatus, seeing to it that the expense is kept down to the minimum. Nearly all of the materials of construction are lying about the ordinary farm home and need only to be assembled and put into place. Once you have established your model home playground, then invite your neighbors in to see it, perhaps making a sort of picnic or holiday occasion out of the affair. At any rate, you may be sure that the parents of the neighborhood will begin at once to copy the models and many will even improve upon them. Along with your efforts there may be necessary a campaign of instruction and admonition in relation to the play of the children. Many parents may be working their small boys and girls too hard and allowing not enough time for play. In this respect your persistent effort will in time show excellent results. Let us suppose that the farm home selected for the model playthings has at least one small boy and one small girl therein. Then, the following might be set up:-- A swing, a seesaw, a sliding board or pole, a pair of rings, a trapeze, and a horizontal bar. Have all under shade if possible. Provide also a small play wagon and a cart or two, with a sand box for the small child. Inspect the district school in reference to play facilities and you may find nothing other than the bare ground with perhaps a baseball diamond. Here, then, is a rare opportunity for constructive work. Organize in your own way a boosters' club and provide play apparatus. In Chapter VIII you will find full details as to the equipment best suited for the purpose. Provide in every case that the expense be minimized. Nearly all of the apparatus may be constructed free of cost by interested persons in the home neighborhood or in the near-by village. A NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY