Rural Youth and the Government.

More than two and a half million rural young people have bad to be assisted in some way by the Federal Government since 1933. This situation is the result of long-time trends which were brought into bold relief by the depression. In the past rural youth escaped from the effects of these trends by either migrating to new lands or to the cities. New lands are now no longer available and the cities are unable to absorb as many rural youth as formerly. The result is a "piling up" of youth in rural territory. The educational and work programs of both the National Youth Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps have supplemented the schools and the economic system. Through these programs the Federal Government has admitted its responsibility for removing the economic barrier to education on the high school level and above for youth in low income families, as well as the responsibility to provide vocational training, work experience, and wages to youth from relief families who are unable to obtain employment. The governments obligation to its citizens in the field of recreation received an impetus during the years since the initiation of the emergency programs. A responsibility to youth not yet discharged adequately by the government is the presentation of facts for discussion of present-day problems and government. There is a demand among rural youth for such discussions. Requisites to proper discharge of the governments responsibility to youth in any area of activity are: Adequate facts including uniform data gathered periodically, upon which to base policies and a body of public opinion sanctioning the assumption of responsibilities to youth expressed through the elected representatives of the people in Congress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]