The book records the development of the program of adult education and economic cooperation sponsored by St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The program dates from 1853 when a Catholic theological school was established at Arichat. In 1855 the school was transferred to Antigonish, named St. Francis Xavier, enlarged and converted into a liberal arts college. By 1939, the faculty was known for its interest in the people of its constituency. S.F.X extension workers organized mass meetings and small classes enrolling farmers, miners, and factory workers in economically oriented adult education programs. The study clubs proved an adequate means for organizing labor and credit unions and economic cooperatives. Eventually, the people owned their own lobster factories and marketing cooperatives; economic power of the masses was being achieved. Basic to the philosophy of the S.F.X. extension program was the belief that educational emphasis should be on the material and economic so that ultimately the common man would be free to devote his time and energies to cultural pursuits. Although the program repudiates Marxism, economic cooperatives are advocated, since they reward the members according to the people's creative and productive ability. (The book contains a revision of statistics correct to the end of 1960.) (se)