If it is said that systems of superintendence for rural schools could be devised more effective than the county superintendency, this may be granted as a matter of theory; but as a practical working program, there is no doubt that the office of county superintendent is a permanent part of our rural school system, unless the system itself is very radically changed. All the States, except the New England group, Ohio, and Nevada, now have the office of county superintendent. It is likely, therefore, that the plan of district superintendence permissive under the laws of certain States will hardly secure wide acceptance. The county as the unit of school administration is growing in favor, and will probably ultimately come to characterize the rural school system. The most natural step lying next ahead would, therefore, seem to be to make the conditions surrounding the office of county superintendent as favorable as possible, and then give the superintendent a sufficient number of deputies to make the supervision effective. These deputies should be selected, of course, with reference to their fitness for supervising particular lines of teaching, such as primary, home economics, agriculture, etc. A beginning has already been made in the latter line by the employment in some counties, with the aid of the Federal Government, of an agricultural expert who not only instructs the farmers in their fields, but also correlates his work with the rural schools. This principle is capable of almost indefinite extension in our school system. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 5: See Coffman, _The Social Composition of the Teaching Force_.] [Footnote 6: _The Social Composition of the Teaching Population._] OUTLINE I. THE RURAL SCHOOL AND ITS PROBLEM =The General Problem of the Rural School= 1. The general problem of the rural school identical with that of all schools 1 2. The newer concept measures education by efficiency 2 3. This efficiency involves (1) knowledge,(2) attitude, (3) technique, or skill 3 4. The purpose of the school is to make sure of these factors of efficiency 4 =The Special Problem of the Rural School= 1. Each type of school has its special problem 5 2. The rural school problem originates in the nature of the rural community 5 3. Characteristics of the rural community 6 _a._ Its industrial homogeneity 6 _b._ Its social homogeneity 7 _c._ Fundamental intelligence of the rural population 8 _d._ Economic status and standards of living 10 _e._ Rural isolation and its social effects 10 _f._ Rural life and physical efficiency 11