Rural school consolidation in Iowa in the early 20th century was not simply an attempt at educational reform, but was also an attempt to transform the rural social geography of the region. Since consolidation of corporate power had resulted in economic progress in the cities, it was thought that re-centering rural life around country towns could help diffuse that progress to rural areas. The consolidated school would introduce methods of scientific agriculture and modern business practices and would prepare farm children for the urban industrial jobs that many of them would fill as the number of farmers dwindled. School consolidation in Iowa during this period failed because rural Iowans felt that the loss of a country school ensured the demise of the rural neighborhood and that consolidation simply delivered education in a different, not necessarily better, manner. This is relevant to today's situation in that to obtain the necessary public support and be successful educationally, programs in gifted education should help forge a re-connection between rural schools and the place-based communities they serve. Opportunities should be provided for gifted students to exercise their talents in ways that integrate them into their home communities. Even in the age of telecommunications, the concept of school as a place where people learn about themselves in relation to their community retains its relevance. In seeking ways of serving gifted students, the kind of place the rural school is and what kind of place it could become should be rethought. (TD)