By living in rural Indiana, a recent book I read (title in title) hit home. The town written about was actually in Iowa, but the scenario is played out all over the country. The rest of the title says it all: "Rural Brain Drain and What is Means for America".

The premise is as follows:

Every small rural town (let's say 1000-3000, even much more)
has four main groups of students and future adults moving through the local school system. (I'm really summarizing here.)
There are the "achievers", the top 10 percenters from the more affluent parents. They are quickly identified in elementary school and encouraged to become somebodies--leave the community for college and become doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc., always somewhere else. "There's nothing here for you".

There are the "stayers", never encouraged to go or do anything different. They simply stick around--work in the local factories (if any) or farm, get married early, remain regular town folks.

Some young adults become "seekers". They join the military service, or maybe just take off to get away from their "nothing to do here" small town. They're sort of the "romantics".

Out of the first and third groups, a few become "returners". They come back for a wide variety of reasons--homesickness, parents and family, a job opening (like in education).

I found myself in the latter group (after 5 college years and 7 teaching yrs in California). It's all pretty much Sociology 101, which I never liked because it's obvious (but has to be pointed out to you).

However, the story line is quite true. While some communities strive for keeping the "best and brightest" home, most small towns inadvertantly push the "achievers" out the door. Teachers and counselors are to blame! The book says "the jury is out" on whether small midwestern towns can survive on their own. Unless they are "bedroom" communities, I see little hope in them growing and prospering without something to keep the brain drain from occurring. (PS: 3 of my 4 kids are long gone.)