Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/851

Rh rural life. Colonel Francis W. Parker, Dr. Arnold Tompkins, Will Carleton, Hamilton Wright Mabie, Byron King, and others who have addressed this unique Hesperian gathering say that there is nothing equal to it in America for inspiration, social and civic uplift. Yet Hesperia is a village of only 700 inhabitants, and situated twelve miles from a railroad.

Having studied the different methods now in use for the amelioration of rural conditions, and having witnessed the comparative success or failure of these methods, we see that certain organizations attained good results, because they scientifically founded their organization on the social structure of the rural community; their methods were arranged in technique to solve the rural problem of isolation, and were not simply borrowed from urban organizations that had solved the problem of congestion; they satisfied the sixfold interests of individual and social welfare; they secured the interest and co-operation of practically every member of the community, regardless of age, sex, sect, or politics; they strongly organized the community to realize their principles; they prohibited political and sectarian discussions, thus guaranteeing permanence and harmony; they sought the vitalizing and socializing force from the community itself, not entirely from without.

From this analysis we derive the following regulative principle: Any method based upon a scientific analysis of the social structure of the rural community will ameliorate the conditions of such community, if it secures the forceful interest, co-operation, and organization of its members, regardless of age, sex, party, or creed; and if it satisfies the interests of individual and social welfare, viz., health, wealth, sociability, knowledge, beauty, and rightness.

A rational program for reform, suggested by the failures and successes of the preceding methods and based on the regulative principles of social action derived, must be broad enough in its aim to embrace all classes, ages, sects, and parties of the