Toward the close of the school year 1912-13 the United States Commissioner of Education sent a letter to all school superintendents who have rural schools under their supervision, asking them to report to the Bureau of Education anything of unusual or special value that had been done in the schools during the past year or two. These superintendents were asked also to report any special methods which they had found successful in improving the efficiency of their rural schools. Approximately 3,500 letters were sent out, nearly one-half of which were answered. Many of the letters briefly enumerated a number of occurrences of local interest, such as an increase in the length of the school term, a bond issue for the new school building, or the introduction of a printed, course of study. Others gave fairly complete accounts of one or two things of general value to those interested in rural education. From the great number of answers received there have been collected for publication in this bulletin such selections as seem to contain suggestions of special value to other superintendents. The reports are grouped broadly under the following topics: (1) Administration and supervision; (2) instruction; (3) improvement of grounds and buildings; (4) socializing the schools; and (5) miscellaneous. Several letters containing reports on more than one subject are included in full. A study of the letters from which these abstracts are taken reveals improvement everywhere in the schools for country children. [Best copy available is provided.]