To most settlers in rural North Dakota, the community was the universe, and the rural school served as a community center. The Christmas program was a universal favorite in rural schools, but it was only one of several programs for the public. Local customs, ethnic backgrounds, and a particular teacher's fondness for a holiday or season gave individual schools some unique programs. School picnics were a feature of the last day of school in many rural communities, and basket socials were a favorite form of social entertainment and fund raising. In addition to school functions that attracted the community members, the country school served as a meeting place for a variety of gatherings unrelated to the school. Dances were a favorite form of community entertainment held at the school. Political parties and farm organizations also met there. Religious services were common in the schools in the years before various denominations had constructed their own churches. Although almost all of the country schools had been eliminated by the 1960s, the sense of community in many of those old rural school districts remains alive, part of the country school legacy. (Author/CM)