A Great Religious Educational Campaign Speaking of the splendid work which Prof. M. A. Holine accomplished in Windsor County, Vermont, County Secretary Hurd says: "He has taken many of our towns 'off their feet,' even here in conservative Vermont. I had advertised and worked up his program thoroughly, and he did not disappoint us in one instance. He certainly is the strongest man in his line that I have ever listened to and his personality is simply compelling.

"In summing up his work for the ten days, he addressed, by actual count, two sessions of the Young Men's Christian Association convention, with an attendance of 130, one a dinner with ninety at Woodstock Inn; 205 members of several women's clubs; 250 pupils of two high schools; 770 people at various church meetings and Sunday-school institutes; 521 at several community meetings; 249 at two community suppers, which gives a total of 2,125 people who were in attendance at the twenty addresses and lectures delivered.

"Everyone is simply enthusiastic over his work. We have tried to have this work with Professor Honline reach as many different classes of people as possible. It has been a community affair in every sense. It has been encouraging to note how generally good the impression is that he has made, especially with the newspaper people."

Following a Decade What an Array! After ten years of work in an Iowa county the results of the first few years of work is being appreciated. It has taken years to illustrate that individual lives were changed and ideals of service caught. Here are a few indications:

J. R. was converted in an Association service nine years ago. He has worked faithfully in Christian service for these nine years, has gone through college, is now in a theological seminary and holds a good appointment to preach while preparing himself for Christian service.

C. R. was converted in an Association meeting held in a little old one story building. He is just returning to one of

the towns of the county as the paster of a church.

J. W. was a member of one of the first groups in the county. He is now secretary of a small city Association in a neighboring state.

H. B. was an early leader of a rural group. He is now a student in one of the training schools and has completed a year of service in a railroad Association.

Three other boys have served for short periods of time as employed officers of Associations. One rural leader is a very successful school superintendent and looks forward to the ministry. Another member of a rural group is also a school superintendent and a helper in another organized county. R. W. was an early convert in the work and now teaches agricul ture in a high school.

And so the story might be continued almost indefinitely if we attempted to tell what others are doing as leaders in church and Association, business and farming. The boys are making good.

Farm Boys Become Real Experiment Station Agents

Last spring the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, desiring certain data concerning the value of soy beans in the state, co-operated with the boys in the corn contest of Gloucester County to secure the desired information. Seeds of different varieties, together with report cards, were sent to the boys selected. The boys were instructed how to grow the beans and then reported on the relative value of the different varieties. The only new feature in the method of cultivation was inoculation of the seed with the bacteria necessary to the proper growth of the plant. Great possibilities are wrapped up in this experimental work among farm boys under expert supervision.

Splendid Results at Summer Camp San Bernardino County and Orange County, California, closed a very successful camp in which eighty-two boys, fifteen leaders, two cooks, one boatman and two

ceeding B. R. Ryall, who resigned to assume the state secretaryship of County Work in New Jersey. "Tom," as he is affectionately called by his Association brethren, is entering his fifteenth year as an employed officer of County Work. It was in 1890, however, in Edgefield County, South Carolina, when that county was organized, that he was enlisted as a volunteer Bible class leader and from that time on his heart and life were really consecrated to this work. Robert Weidensall, the founder of County Work, writes of him:

"He is without doubt the greatest winner of men to Christ in the entire secretarial body in County Work. He has won hundreds of boys and men to Christ. His unlimited faith in God and belief in men

have carried him through many a hard struggle and many a discouraging experience. From the score of men he has won have come successful ministers, missionaries, Association secretaries, leaders in Sunday-school and young people's work and other avenues of Christian service."

This demonstrated pioneer spirit and Mr. Lanham's unshakable faith in God bids well for Ohio's County Work. Rural Manhood wishes "Tom" and his good family heaven's choicest blessings in their new and magnificent field of opportunity for Kingdom service.

A Great Summer of Joy Among These Farm Boys

During the past summer in Sauk County, Wisconsin, a camp of twentyeight boys gathered for a season of fun and instruction. All sorts of sports were on the schedule, which each boy enjoyed every minute of every day. This enthusiasm spread so that twenty more boys made application for the second session of the camp, and eagerly counted the days until their "turn" came. The Association work was represented at the annual picnic of the Country Life Association, a federation of about twenty farmers' clubs in the county. While at the fair the county committee received two very pressing invitations to organize Associations in two new rural communities. Sauk County is pretty largely rural, as fifteen out of the twenty-two townships are not even touched by a railway; therefore, great emphasis is necessarily placed on the distinct interests of the farm boy. At the camp nearly half of the camp applications came from the open country.

Dig Ditch to Put Running Water in Town Hall

Upon

The passersby on one of the streets in the town of Edinburgh, Shenandoah County, Virginia, were surprised one day to see a group of boys engaged in digging a ditch, a number of them in Scout's uniforms and a Scout flag placed in the dirt which they had thrown up. inquiry one was informed that the ladies of the Civic League had been anxious to have water in the town hall to make work easier when suppers or banquets were served. But, being somewhat limited in their funds, the matter had been put off. One day the suggestion was made that perhaps the boys of the Association would help by digging the ditch necessary to make the connection with the water main.

At the next regular meeting the matter was presented to the boys and immediately with unanimous vote, remembering the many ways in which the ladies had helped them, the boys decided to dig the ditch. The coming of snow prevented them immediately carrying out of their plans, but as soon as the weather permitted they set the first good Saturday and were on hand with shovel and pick and dug the 130 foot ditch necessary to lay the water pipe. (See them on the front cover).

Play Life Inspired in Rural Schools Republic County, Kansas, conducted two camps this summer-one for the boys with an attendance of forty and one for the girls with an attendance of sixty-five. The girls' camp was an experiment, but proved itself profitable in every way. A committee of women was appointed to have charge and they enrolled the girls.

At the boys' camp a special feature was the graduation of eight boys who had been to the camp for three years. These boys all agreed that they would be willing to lead groups of younger boys on hikes, at camp or even in clubs if called upon to do so. They were presented with Young Men's Christian Association felt monograms and were initiated into the "leaders' squad."

Three years ago, when the work was organized in Republic County, Kansas, there was not a school playground equipped with apparatus. Now there are nine schools that have equipment and four have gymnasiums or play rooms. A play festival with a model playground has been conducted two years at the county fair.

Stanchfield in India Saddened-Five Thousand in Athletic Test

Mr. O. O. Stanchfield's recent letter from Bangalore, India, says:

"On the 14th of July, as you have heard by this time, we were the happy parents of a baby boy. He stayed with us only ten days. Some sort of trouble caused him to have internal hemorrhage and his strength was not great enough to win the fight for life. It has been a great shock to us. Our only comfort has been the hope and faith of our religion. What a trouble such a thing as this must be to those who have not the experience of knowing and believing in Jesus. Mrs. Stanchfield is getting along nicely and is around again. Paul keeps his normal healthy condition. I have never been better physically.

"Plans are going forward nicely for our summer school and we have just finished our first month in the new year for the training school.

"The County Work printed matter is fine and in use already. We are working out a test for school boys such as you use in your home rural field. The two copies I have of Dr. Brown's book are in constant circulation. We are testing 5,000 boys in different parts of India. We have just finished the test of 750 boys here in Bangalore and expect to do as many more. India's ascetic ideals show up in this sort of a test. The boys know absolutely nothing about sports."

The community drinking fountain money was raised by subscription among the membership. Every boy contributed something. Most of them earned the money by weeding onions. The people of this community are singing the praises of these boys and an appreciation of the great convenience of their new public drinking fountain.

Throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island there is a movement on among these rural Associations to do something permanent and beneficial for the community. It is said that there is no better way to develop community pride and community loyalty than to make some definite contribution to the common welfare. A bubbler of this sort can be erected for about $40.

A Great Series of Play Festivals A series of play festivals were conducted during the past spring in Charlevoix

It was just three years ago that W. D. McRae resigned the state secretaryship of County Work in New Jersey to take up that work in California. This period of "watchful waiting" culminated in the acceptance of the call of the New Jersey state committee on September 1 by Mr. B. R. Ryall, State Secretary of County Work in Ohio.

Mr. Ryall is a graduate of the UniverEity of Wisconsin, country bred, has been assistant professor of the State Agricultural College of Indiana and has been engaged in County and Rural Work of the Young Men's Christian Association for the past four to five years. He left the College of Indiana to accept the secretaryship of Lake County, Ohio. Later, when C. C. Hatfield was called to the Interna

tional Committee, he succeeded him as County Work secretary for the state. He has proven himself a skillful organizer and one who has a comprehensive and statesmanlike grasp of the whole Country Life Movement and particularly as it is being interpreted from the Associational viewpoint.

The County and Rural Work offers a splendid opportunity in New Jersey. Already six counties have been organized with county committees employing nine paid secretaries. Three other counties are asking for organization, which will be answered in the fullness of time under the guiding hand of this new leadership. Rural Manhood covets for New Jersey and Mr. Ryall an abundance of success on their "home run" to organize the balance of the unorganized counties.

The Boys' Summer Camp a Great Factor in Christian Work

"Are next year's camp applications out yet?" This question has been asked half a dozen times by one of the Madison County, Ohio, lads this month. He almost missed going to camp through delay in sending his application. But there will be no delay next time. He is one of forty-two lads from the county who had their first camp experience this year. It proved a great opportunity to 'get next' to these lads, and to line them up for Christian service at home. The enthusiasm of the boys is shared by the parents, whose loyal attitude is most encouraging for advancing our Christian work. Seventy of the parents and friends came to camp, a distance of over fifty miles, to see the boys on visitors' day. Ten automobiles made this long trip, and the rest came by train, bringing ice cream for the whole camp. Secretary Holliday, of Montgomery County, joined hands with the Madison County secretary in conducting the camp, and his help as manager contributed greatly to its success. Some of the boys gained seven pounds weight in ten days.

Boys' Delight Constructing a Playground

Working on the principles that the energy of boys should be put to good use and that boys will take a greater interest in those things which they have personally helped to construct, the boys of the town of Pocahontas, Iowa, set to work on a community playground.. A tract of ground, owned by the Methodist Church, was located in the geographical center of the town, and just across from the public

school building, which was offered as a site.

The ground was rough and so had to be plowed and leveled. Work was then begun on tennis courts, baseball diamonds and facilities for other outside games. Working under the guidance of leaders, a very large per cent of the boys of the town were at work all the way from a day to a week each. It was not an unusual sight to see twenty or thirty boys at work. There was an enthusiasm and a social spirit about it all which has been worth much to the workers. It is doubtful if any of the boys thought of it as real work.

In the fall a pipe was laid to secure water for the flooding of a skating rink. This necessitated the digging of a ditch from the city water main, but the boys were equal to the job. Very little cost has been attached to the construction of his playground, proving such a wholesome social center for this community.

"It Did the Business"

"You will be pleased to know," writes County Secretary Smith, of Gloucester County, New Jersey, following that significant boys' conference held early in May which was reported in detail in the June number of Rural Manhood on pages 243245, "that action of the conference in the passing of those resolutions has been noted very widely. Attention of the grand jury has been called to the slot machines, and unless the resolution has been impounded, action will be taken. In any event, already some machines are out of sight, as the dealers recognize the danger of opposing public sentiment. We anticipate that much good may yet be accomplished through this action on the part of the conference."

The First Visit to the Big City What could be more interesting than the bicycle hike taken by Secretary Angell, of Ionia County, Michigan, and seven boys? They "hiked" or "biked" from Portland to the state capital, a distance of twenty-five miles. An over night camp was made en route, which of course delighted the boys, for what boy does not love to "pitch a tent" and the "getting back to nature?" While in the capital many places of interest were visited, the agricultural college and the industrial school. The return hike was equally as enjoyable as well as instructive.

From Far Off Travancore, India

Leonard A. Dixon, secretary in Travancore, India, in a recent letter, writes:

"Let me tell you a little of the work in the larger centres in the state. I have told you something before this of the work in Trivandrum. It is the chief city of Travancore, and is consequently a very important center for our work. They have recently extended the college courses, so that the number of students is bound to increase. The number of young men employed in the various offices is also steadily increasing, so that the future of our work may be as great as our faith can make it.

"So far the work has been carried on by a very fine volunteer secretary who has rendered excellent service. Thanks to his efforts we have now reached the stage when it is necessary to have a full time man on the spot, and we are looking and praying for the right man. The rented quarters which we have been occupying for the last five years is now very much overcrowded, and we are negotiating with the government for a site for a new build.