7

have regarding war. Community interests also vary from
those that we can see and handle, like the trade with the
groceryman, to influences that are mystical and spiritual, as
those of religion.

But in this complex world of interdependent relations, peo-
ple have vocations and homes. In the agricultural community,
vocations and homes go hand in hand. Moreover, they are
grouped around centers which provide trading opportunities,
school facilities, churches and the like. All of this makes a
natural interrelated unit in which the welfare of each person
is very distinctly related to the welfare of the others.

In undertaking community planning, leaders have first to
decide the size of the territory to be included. Perhaps it will
be the district served by the school. Or, in specifying a more
general area, the leaders may outline the boundary from which
at least half of the farm people go to the town center for a
majority of such services as trade, education, worship, local
newspaper and recreation. An average agricultural commun-
ity will include a village of 500 to 2,500 people and a surround-
ing area in which there are approximately an equal number of
citizens.

WHEN SHOULD WE START?

These are critical times. Crude force is pushing democratic
procedure into the background in many situations we the
planning is done by autocratic rulers.

We can be cooperative or combative. If citizens use science,
invention and power combatively civilization. as we know it
can be destroyed. The alternative is ‘‘vertical’’ community
growth, doing more things cooperatively, through which a
greater future can be peacefully achieved.

While there are only a few ‘‘planned communities’’ in
America today, thousands of communities are progressing
through cooperative effort. Rural people are familiar with
planned programs for 4-H club activities, home project work,
agricultural conservation and scores of other endeavors. Where
these are coordinated with a consistent program for town and
country development the community is a better place in which
to live because (1) favorable choices are being made for ad-
vancing human welfare, (2) leadership functions more effec-
tively and (3) community pride results from coordinated
achievements.