The improvement of the rural schools of the United States is the most important school problem. The most important factor in their improvement must be better educated and better trained teachers. The education and training of teachers should always have some special reference to the work of the schools in which they are to teach. Therefore any intelligent attempt to adjust the courses of study and training in the normal schools to meet the special need of teachers in schools of the open country, villages, and small towns is worthy of careful study and wide publication. This bulletin was prepared for young men and women preparing themselves for teaching in the rural schools and members of boards having control of schools in which teachers are trained. (Contains 13 tables and 5 footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.]