ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses space and distance as the concepts relate to rural areas. Rural is a relative concept, indicating that the density of population is less in some areas than it is in others. Space is a necessary attribute for many production and consumption activities. Just as space is necessary for certain production and consumption activities, overcoming distance entails cost. Many US institutions had the effect of lowering the cost of geographic distance. Traditional local area policies have reduced the cost of economic distance to the more sparsely settled outlying areas. Numerous public policy implications flow from the systematic consideration of space and distance in rural development. Traditional farming and forestry activities have been space vising, and those who obtained their livelihood from such activities typically have been residents of sparsely populated areas. Resource adaptability and mobility is cornerstone of growth and change in rural areas. Resource adaptability and mobility is of obvious importance in the consideration of educational policy.
