Written in 1936, this book overviews the guiding objectives, essential principles of school practices, and general teaching procedures of rural education. The book served not only as a reference concerning the many problems of rural teaching, but also was used as a textbook for preparing rural school teachers. Part 1 overviews problems of rural school management and includes the following chapters: (1) present-day problems in rural education; (2) a good beginning for the young teacher; (3) personality, an essential for success; (4) teacher health, a vital prerequisite; (5) social and business relations of the teacher; (6) equipment and care of the rural schoolhouse; (7) heating and ventilating the one-room building; (8) supervised and unsupervised play; (9) curriculum, classification, and class programs; (10) problems relating to control; (11) a better and a socialized noonday meal; (12) parent and teacher working together; (13) guidance in participating citizenship; and (14) rural social-civic meetings. Part 2 overviews problems of teaching and learning and includes the following chapters: (1) elementary ideas about human behavior; (2) how we learn; (3) motivation through problems and projects; (4) providing for individual differences; (5) unit plan of teaching and learning; (6) the activity program in the rural school; (7) directing study activities in the rural school; (8) recitation objectives and practices; (9) principles and procedures of character education; (10) health activities in the rural school; (11) measuring mentality and achievement; and (12) problems of testing and examination. Each chapter includes discussion questions and a list of additional readings. Appendices include listings of professional books for elementary teachers, encyclopedias, teaching-learning unit materials, and a suggested daily program for one-teacher schools in Pennsylvania with explanatory notes. Includes an index and photographs. (LP)