THE RECENT rapid development of organized social work with the county as the unit, both as a public and private function, is mainly the result of emphasis given to agri? cultural necessities during the last five years. Prior to this period when the large cities were busy developing their social machinery in an effort of community and individual adaptation to secure personal and community hygiene educa? tion, recreation, and social relations, the smallest cities, towns, and rural districts were very gen? erally neglected by the trained social worker and public attention at large. This caused a wide cfisparity of culture to grow up between the urban life and the contiguous rural life. How? ever, with the renaissance of agriculture as one of the necessary arts?this being brought about because of the necessity of farm products during the days of the great war?attention in general has been refocused upon the rural district and the small community. This facing about of the public in general, and leaders of correct social relations in particular, has concerned itself with the securing for the inhabitants of the rural sec? tions and small communities, the benefits of mod? ern conveniences, such as electricity, auto-motive transportation, the highest possible degree of medical science, efficiency in home building, fam? ily and community hygiene, and ways and means of individual and community expression through education, recreation and religion. This whole process has found expression through an enormous number of organizations of every kind and type, most of which have rendered a most worthwhile service. However, in a large number of instances these organizations have overlapped and duplicated, and are striving to do the self-same work. But out of this general maze the movement has merged itself into two distinct forces. One of these has been public and quasi-public agencies that were taken care of by public taxation. In general, the eflfort to transfer private and philanthropic eflfort from the volunteer stage to a public and official status has progressed faster and with more marked success in rural work than has been true in urban social work. The causes for this