Generation after generation, America's continuing need is, as Dr. James E. West has phrased it, for "men of character trained for citizenship."

The Church, the School and the Home, aided by multiplying forces such as the press, the radio, the library, the free time agencies and their programs, and the pressure of the general level of community life tends to give young people opportunities for gaining experience and viewpoint which shall qualify them for citizenship.

In this process, the home is the central institution with which all other factors must integrate.

The rural home bears important relations to this whole matter for several important reasons:

1. The rural home is the center of the farm industry and the family a united cooperative group.

2. The higher rural birthrate places upon the rural home the responsibility of training more children per home than in urban families.

3. Many farm young people will become leaders in town and city life.

Out of school, home, church and other educative forces, the young citizen must get something more than knowledge, skills and understanding of human affairs-somewhere along the line in his experiences the young citizen must catch the democratic spirit of citizenship. Unless his attitudes toward others and his ways of dealing with them are in tune with the spirit of democracy and the Golden Rule-unless they reflect kindly attitudes of brotherhood and cooperation-we have a citizen who may be a menace to society.

WINTER WHEAT IN NEW YORK.

This basic training for citizenship must not be overlooked in the many free time hours or the spaces between home and school and church programs.

Here is where Scouting and Cubbing can do much to assist the rural home, school and other rural institutions-for Scouting aims directly to stimulate and build up these ideals of citizenship through the practice of daily "good turns", as well as through opportunities for individual and group civic services. A Scout is a citizen on the job, doing his best.

The whole Scout program emphasis on cooperation, personal responsibility, initiative, and the conceptions of personal morality set forth in the Scout Oath and Law are precisely of the nature required for development of a true citizenship-so Scouting brings these opportunities for creative self-expression to the rural home and its rural boys wherever they may be. in the interest of a fine citizenry for America.

Masonry

Nut Culture

Pigeon Raising

Pioneering

Plumbing

Poultry Poultry

Reptile Study

Sheep Farming

Soil Management

Swimming

Weather

Radio

SOME RURAL MERIT BADGES

Appendix. Appendix A

Firemanship

First Aid

First Aid to Animals

Forestry

Fruit Culture

Gardening

Legumes and Forage Crops

Handicraft

Hog and Pork Production