THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY Cop NOTICE: Return or renew all Library Materials! The Minimum Fee for each Lost Book i* $50.00. The person charging this material is responsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for discipli- nary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-6400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 05 L161 O-1096 sosoi; FORCES AFFECTING PARTICIPATION OF FARM PEOPLE IN RURAL ORGANIZATION A STUDY MADE IN FOUR TOWNSHIPS IN ILLINOIS By D. E. LlNDSTROM UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Bulletin 423 CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION 79 DESCRIPTION OF AREAS STUDIED 80 METHOD OF STUDY 80 GENERAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SITUATION 81 Size and Value of Farms 81 Percentage of Tenancy 81 Nativity and Density of Population 81 Number of Persons per Household and per Farm 81 Age-Groupings and Mobility of Young People 83 Mobility of Farm Families 84 Schooling 86 FARM AND HOME ACTIVITIES 88 TRADE HABITS 91 Road Conditions and Nearness to Market 92 Time Spent in Trading 92 Centers for Purchasing 94 Centers for Selling 95 Centers for Banking 98 COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES 99 Community Centers 99 Membership in Voluntary Organizations 103 Time Spent in Voluntary Organizations 105 Time Spent in Unorganized Activities 107 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INDIVIDUAL'S PARTICIPA- TION IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES 109 Type of Land Tenure 109 Location Stability 110 Extent of Formal Schooling 110 Trips Taken Ill REASONS FOR MEMBERSHIP IN VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS 112 ATTITUDES TOWARD BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 114 Attitudes of Owners, Tenants, and Farm Laborers 115 Attitudes of Farmers on Different Educational Levels 116 Attitudes of "Established" and of "Transient" farmers 117 DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERSHIP '. 117 QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP 120 SUMMARY 124 SOME IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY.. . 126 Urbana, Illinois May, 1936 Publications in the Bulletin series report the results of investigations made by or sponsored by the Experiment Station Forces Affecting Participation of Farm People in Rural Organization A Study Made in Four Townships in Illinois By D. E. LINDSTROM, Associate in Rural Sociology 1 INTRODUCTION IOCIAL CONTACTS among farm people have increased in form, number, and complexity with new means of communication and with the modernizing of farm work and farm life. This grow- ing complexity of social and economic forces makes a knowledge of what is now happening in the social organization of rural communities a matter of prime importance to those interested in the welfare of such communities. The farmer no longer patronizes only the small town he may buy supplies in the nearby city and sell his products in the distant metropo- lis. His chosen church may be located in the open country, the small town, or the city. His informal social contacts may likewise be else- where than in the neighborhood, especially if he has just recently moved into the community. His interests thus lead him not to one but to several service centers. Such fundamental changes in farmers' ways of living as are involved in this broadening of social and eco- nomic contacts inevitably brings about significant changes in rural life. The present study is an analysis of certain social situations in four rural areas (townships) in the cash-grain section of central Illinois. The analysis was made in 1930, when conditions were normal in that the severe depression of 1930-1935 had not as yet had any marked effects in these communities. The data obtained show where the farm people went for various purposes and activities, the manner in which they participated in voluntary group organizations, and the nature and development of leadership in these organizations. It is hoped that the results obtained will help rural people to tnalyze the influences that affect the trade, schools, churches, and ocial organizations in their own communities. An understanding of he effect of such influences is the first step in an intelligent program or the building of more satisfying community life in rural areas. 'For their assistance in collecting data for this study acknowledgment is ic to Arthur Miles, graduate student in Sociology 1930-31, and Arthur V. oughton, Assistant in Sociology, University of Illinois. Dale C. Keiffer, rmerly Assistant in Farm Organization and Management, helped in the tabula- n of the data. 79 80 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, DESCRIPTION OF AREAS STUDIED The four townships included in this study are located in Macon and Champaign counties in east-central Illinois. Illini and Milam town- ships are in Macon county and Philo and Harwood are in Champaign county. Illini and Philo townships have trading centers within their boundaries ; Milam and Harwood have not. Illini and Philo also repre- sent high organization areas (that is, areas in which there were a relatively large number of active social organizations when the study was made) ; whereas the other two townships represent low organiza- tion areas. Champaign and Macon counties lie in the cash-grain area, and may be considered representative of that section of the state. The chief crops grown are corn, oats, soybeans, and wheat corn and oats chiefly in Champaign county, and corn and wheat in Macon county. 1 The soil of the area is of two general types: brown silt loam and black clay loam. Brown silt loam predominates. Classed as upland prairie, these soils are dark colored and rich in organic matter. This type of soil characterizes all four townships. 2 METHOD OF STUDY A house-to-house canvass of 250 families in the four townships was made in August, 1930. A questionnaire was used to obtain in- formation 3 on where trading was done, the condition of the roads, the distance to various service centers, how much time various mem- bers of the family spent in different economic and social activities, how and to what extent they participated in such organized activities as the farm or home bureau, the church, lodges, and social clubs, and the extent and nature of the leadership in these activities. These 250 families constituted more than 50 percent of the farm families living in the four townships. In analyzing the data an attempt was made to determine what as- sociation there was between such factors as mobility, schooling, ten- ancy, trips made from home, and trading habits, on the one hand, and, on the other, participation in social organizations, reasons for be- longing to organizations, and attitudes toward farmers' organizations. An attempt was also made to draw comparisons and contrasts between high and low organization areas in the extent to which various mem- 'Case, H. C. M., and Myers, K. H. Types of farming in Illinois. 111. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 403. 1934. 111. Agr. Exp. Sta. Soil Rpts. 18 (1918) and 25 (1923). 'Persons fifteen years of age or over, the majority being adults, were in- terviewed. The information was taken by the author and two other canvassers, all of whom were thoroly familiar with rural life and trained in rural sociology. 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 81 bers of these families participated in the social organizations of their communities. GENERAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SITUATION Size and Value of Farms The four townships included 420 farms in 1930. The farms averaged 194.5 acres each and had an average of 162.9 acres in crops and 22 acres in pasture. In Milam township the farms were larger, on the average, than they were in the other three townships (Table 1). The average value of land alone per acre in the four townships was $142; the average value of land and buildings was $166. Farm land in Philo township was valued at $26 an acre more than land in Illini township, $35 an acre more than in Milam, and $45 an acre more than in Harwood. Percentage of Tenancy Owners, part owners, and retired farmers constituted slightly less than one-fourth of the 250 families from which data were secured (Table 2). Almost two-thirds of the families were tenants; less than one-sixth were farm laborers. The Philo and Illini families had the lowest percentage of tenancy. Among the entire group of families in all four townships tenancy was a trifle higher than in the two counties as a whole, but it was lower than in Champaign county. In the Philo township families tenancy was lower than for Champaign county as a \vhole, whereas in the other townships it was higher than for the county in which the township was situated. Very few of the tenants were related to their landlords. Philo and Illini townships contained a higher percentage of tenants related to their landlords than did Milam and Harwood. Nativity and Density of Population The four townships were comparable with respect to nativity and density of population. Of the total population 87.2 percent were Dersons of native parentage. In Philo township 82.5 percent had native parentage; in Milam 92.9 percent (Table 3). The highest percentage >f foreign-born was 2.8 percent in Harwood township. In density, the arm population ranged from 16.5 persons per square mile in Illini and lilam townships to 17.9 in Harwood township. Number of Persons per Household and per Farm Nine hundred seventy-five individuals were living in the 250 house- ilds at the time the study was made, which was an average of 3.9 Tsons per household. H BULLETIN No. 423 [May, I i - I 5""" X Is jj ISil i 1 X = M S' xt^r- O> f^ tst^ ^ g II JJOW* JO & 3 CD * Land withou bulldlnits, ptr acre S32S 3 - ii! pn i = = _ , 0. 0. ^_ g 53x S I ! - i s js 5 O-+>no m ^ J WN * S222S 2 H -5 = i S^c o z o ; ^1 - ^ ci : = . = i=-^ I =s=s < M I H i g r i _ ? u. - M h | N s 2 8 1 3 e cx-. . c -'. 00 3 1 <*J ** Z g Wl- ** 1 2 - m 3 8 s JJ i i E Or ^< r * 3 | M O eu 3^"* 5?* 2 8 s E * S 10 Z | _ _ 1 or* M m 2 8 s ~ 6 t^. O a ** *5 *"* Z | -ex oo ^ s I 0> s* -- E c c- ~. X 00 3 Q f*5 <> * Z ^ = 3 || -: = : I a x en loin I.IIMII IIMIl-l.ll.-.l lrl.,1,-,1 In I i IS V.IIIIMI.I | ..|lll-ll.l | I 2 < 1936] FOBCES AmBcmc RURAL TABLE 3. POPULATION or THE Fou* Towxsmrs: Sex, NATIVITY. ASJD RELATIVE NUMBER or ^"fifr OH FABMS* Total Sex MUh Native ?-..- Hi.- Milam AO tomfcipK. 1 113- 1 lOf MB 3 258 *t 51.7 51.3 51.7 52.0 51.6 4> 4S.7 48.3 4S.O 48.4 91.9 82.5 83.9 . 87.2 15.9 13.3 11.0 l. 1.6 2.8 1.0 1.8 54.7 56.1 98.1 99.4 9.2 1930 U. & 517 ' i~-.^i~ .ri. <*Iadnd 512 the LIIJI afr Innu of the According to the 1930 U. S. Census, the average number of persons per farm on the 420 farms in the four townships was 5.4; the average number in Philo township, 4.9; in Illini, 53; in Milarn, 5.7; and in Harwood, 5.8. These figures are higher than the person-per-house- hold figure because often more than one household was located on a farm. Age-Groupings and Mobility of Young People Analysis of the age-groupings of the population in these auras and in the urban areas of die state indicates that die young people were migrating from die farms. There was a higher percentage of children under 14 years of age and a significantly smaller percentage of persons between 14 and 44 years on die farms in these areas dian in die urban areas of die state (Fig. 1). The greatest difference in age-groupings between these areas and die urban areas was in die 25-to-44-year group. That die four areas studied were holding their yondi some- what better than was die rural portion of die state as a whole is in- iicatrd by die proportionately smaller migration of young people from hese areas dian from die farms of die entire state. 1 Of diose young people who did not migrate to die cities, not many tayed on die home farms after diey reached legal age. Only 9 per- ent of die sons and 6 percent of die daughters were over 25, most f diem being less dian 35 years of age. More djqghtris dian sons ere on die home farms, indicating diat dai^liins nossMy stayed at The study was made in Angus*, 1930. After tint tame there was a bearj gration of population to the mural areas doe to mnanpIoTment. The net gration to the farms in the United Slates totaled 747,000 in 1931 and M3ZL e present net lajpuliiM. huactu, is citfwmd. See O. EL Baker, "Ike oot- k for ytjoth, Fxt Serr. Grc. 20$, US. Deft Age. 84 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, home until they were married or went to the city to work during the winter, whereas the sons had begun at these ages to shift for themselves. ^j| URBAN (STATE) RURAL -FARM (STA TE) FOUR TOWNSHIPS FIG. 1. PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION OF ILLINI, MILAM, PHILO, AND HAR- WOOD TOWNSHIPS IN DIFFERENT AGE-GROUPS, COMPARED WITH PERCENTAGES IN THOSE GROUPS IN STATE AS A WHOLE That these four townships were holding their youth somewhat better than was the rural population of the state as a whole is indicated by the fact that while there were about the same proportion of children under 14 years of age in the four townships as in the rural-farm state group, there was a larger proportion of persons 15 to 34 years of age in these townships than in the rural-farm state group. The percentage of persons over 65 years of age was higher in the four townships and on all farms in the state than in the cities of the state. Of the four townships, Philo and Illini, both of which included small towns, had the highest percentage of people over 65 years of age. The 250 farms of the four townships were operated by men who were in the most productive years of their lives. Three-fifths of the farmers and their wives were less than 45 years old, slightly more than one- fourth were between 35 and 45, and slightly fewer than one- fourth were between 25 and 35 (Table 4). Mobility of Farm Families One indication of the stability of a farm operator is to be found in the number of years he has been on his present farm in comparison with the total number of years he has been farming. Altho almost 45 percent of the farm operators in this study had been farming twenty years or more, about 35 percent had spent less than five years 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 85 3 < fi er 6 ears 5 to yea Ill HE* 3 a co>o o -G ON -O J-H loin _,/-, 86 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, on their present farms (Fig. 2). In Illini and Philo townships, where the lowest percentage of tenancy prevailed, approximately one- fourth of the farmers had been on their present farms for twenty years or more. In Milam township 17 percent and in Harwood township 9 percent had been on their present farms for this period. Apparently the farmers in Philo and Illini townships were more stable than those in Milam and Harwood. 45 40 CO a. UJ 130 020 Z UJ u a. UJ Q. 10 YEARS FARMING YEARS ON PRESENT FARM 0-4.9 5-9.9 10-14.9 15-19.9 20 OR MORE YEARS FIG. 2. PERCENTAGE OF FARMERS WHO HAD SPENT SPECIFIED NUMBER OF YEARS ON THE PRESENT FARM AND IN FARMING About 75 percent of the 222 farmers represented in this graph had spent ten or more years in farming. About 40 percent of this group had spent ten or more years on the present farm. Schooling About half the mothers and two-thirds of the fathers who gave information about their schooling had less than an eighth-grade educa- tion (Fig. 3). A higher percentage of children than of parents had at- tended high school. This reflects the recent trend toward increase in high-school attendance by farm people, a trend which probably is due somewhat to better school facilities and roads and to the growing belief in the need of higher education (Fig. 4). Higher age limits for and more rigid observance of compulsory school attendance than formerly have also, of course, increased high-school attendance today compared with that of a generation ago. A higher percentage of mothers than of fathers, and a higher per- centage of daughters than of sons, had attended high school. Also, a 1936} FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 87 higher percentage of women than of men had attended college. Seven percent of the mothers and 5.2 percent of the daughters at home had spent some time in college, whereas but 4.6 percent of the fathers and EXTENT OF SCHOOLING L ESS THAN GRADE SCHOOL ABOVE GRADE SCHOOL BUT LESS THAN 12 TH GRADE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL 10 20 30 40 50 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUA TE COLLEGE BUT LESS THAN GRADUATE FIG. 3. EXTENT OF SCHOOLING ENJOYED BY VARIOUS MEMBERS OF FARM FAMILIES Mothers and daughters have, on the whole, enjoyed somewhat greater ad- vantages in formal schooling than fathers and sons. The graph represents data on 238 fathers, 222 mothers, 105 sons, and 95 daughters. FIG. 4. WARRENSBURG COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL IN MACON COUNTY This is an educational and social center housing school activities chiefly, t is typical of community high schools constructed in numerous rural com- nunities during the decade 1920 to 1930. 88 BULLETIN No. 423 [.May, 4.8 percent of the sons at home had gone to college. This difference in the educational attainments of men and women is partly explained by the fact that farm boys, more frequently than girls, are called upon to stay out of school in harvest seasons or even to discontinue their formal education earlier. 1 The extent of formal education attained by members of these farm families differed in the four townships. A higher percentage in Illini and Philo townships finished the eighth grade and attended high school and college than in Milam and Harwood. This difference may be ex- plained in part by the higher percentage of owner-operated farms in Illini and Philo townships. Differences in distances to high schools and in types of roads were not pronounced enough to be important causes. Differences in types of people, their interest in education and their financial ability doubtless account for most of the differences in educational attainments. FARM AND HOME ACTIVITIES The apportionment of time to the different home activities varied little among the four townships. The summer work days in the Macon county townships, the corn-and-wheat area, may have been slightly longer than those in the Champaign county townships, the corn-and- oats area, and the recreation hours slightly shorter, but the differences were not great enough to be significant. Time Spent at Home The estimates that farmers gave concerning the proportions of their time devoted to different purposes would indicate that they spent an average of about 37 percent of their total time in working, almost one- fourth at rest and refreshment (not including sleep), and but 6 per- cent in visits away from the farm ; that they spent approximately one- sixth of their working hours in doing chores mostly those chores having to do with livestock the rest in taking care of crops and doing other miscellaneous farm work (Table 5). This estimate of the total work time approximates very closely the time (31 percent) estimated to have been devoted to crops and live- stock by a group of farmers in central Illinois who kept farm-manage- 'Perhaps another explanation of the higher educational attainments of farm girls than of farm boys may be found in the feeling apparently prevalent among farm people that the daughter's future is dependent upon her schooling to a greater extent than is the son's. Farmers usually expect their sons to take over part of the home farm or to move to another farm in the community when they grow up; whereas they often expect their daughters to teach or take up a business career. 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 89 ment records. 1 However, the estimated division of work time between chores and other work by the farmers in the present study one-sixth to chores, five-sixths to other work is a much smaller proportion of time for livestock than was found in the farm-management study just referred to. In that study even on farms almost entirely devoted to grain production and having very little livestock, as much as 35 to 40 percent of the work time was found to go to livestock care alone. TABLE 5. MANNER IN WHICH 247 FARM OPERATORS SPENT THEIR TIME, ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN ESTIMATES* Type of activity Time spent Hours per year Percent of total Work on farm Work other than chores 2 702 529 3 231 2 987 835 606 587 2 028 513 31 6 37 34 9 7 7 23 6 Chores' 1 Total Sleep Rest and refreshment Meals Work-day rest and recreation Sunday and holiday time Total Trips away from home Computed from estimates made by these farmers of their usual sum- mer and winter work days, adjusted to account for Sunday and holiday time and trips away from home. b lncludes such work as grinding feed, feeding livestock, etc. The Typical Work Day Heavy work seasons on corn-belt farms in Illinois come in April and May, June and July, September and October, and November. 2 During these seasons the farm operator is likely to spend more time than usual in the field and less in rest and recreation. In the heavy work season, the typical work day of the 243 oper- ators interviewed in this study, according to their own estimates, con- sisted of 11.5 hours of work including chores in spring and summer and 10.7 hours in fall and winter; 7.7 hours of sleep in summer and 8.6 hours in winter; and 4.8 hours for meals, rest, and recreation in ^University of Illinois Farm-Management studies reported by Andrews, f. B., Herrington, W. A., Mosher, M. L., and Case, H. C. M., in 111. Agr. Ext. 5erv. mimeo pub. M-339 (1932), "Three-year summary report for the years 929, 1930, and 1931 for Livingston, McLean, Tazewell, and Woodford ounties." 2 Case H. C. M., et al. Organizing the corn-belt farm for profitable pro- uction. 111. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 329, 1929. 90 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, summer and 4.7 hours in winter (Table 6). This schedule does not take Sunday into account, nor days in which trips were made away from home, nor slack periods. Since the time used for meals and in doing chores probably varied little from day to day, the time used for various off- the- farm activities probably was taken either from regular working and sleeping hours or from periods which were ordinarily used for rest and recreation. The average work day, con- sidering both summer and winter, when adjusted for time taken for TABLE 6. TYPICAL WORK-DAY SCHEDULE OF 243 FARM OPERATORS DURING THE SUMMER AND WINTER SEASONS Township Number of operators Time spent per day in Work other than chores Chores Sleep Meals Rest and recreation Summer schedule Illini .. 68 hrs. 9.4 hrs. 2.4 hrs. 7.4 hrs. 2.3 hrs. 2.5 Philo 55 9.2 2.2 7.6 2.0 3.0 Milam 71 9.5 2 2 7.5 2.1 2.7 Harwood 49 9.5 1.8 7.6 1.9 3.2 All 243 9.4 2.1 7.7 2.1 2.7 Winter schedule Illini . 68 8 6 2.2 8.8 2.0 2.4 Philo 55 8.7 1.6 8.8 2.4 2.5 Milam 71 9.1 2.0 8.1 2.8 2.0 Harwood 49 8.6 1.6 9.0 2.2 2.6 All 243 8.7 2.0 8.6 2.4 2.3 trips away from home, shows approximately 9 hours used daily for farm work including chores, 8 hours for sleep, a little over 4 hours for leisure, and a little more than 2 hours for meals (Fig. 5). The homemaker, according to studies made in Illinois, 1 and in other states, 2 spends approximately 9 hours a day at all work, a daily time schedule not much different from that of her husband. 'Unpublished data compiled by Department of Home Economics, University of Illinois. "Arnquist, I. F., and Roberts, E. H. Present use of work time by farm homemakers. Wash. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 234. 1929. Wilson, Maud. Use of time by Oregon farm homemakers. Oreg. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 256. 1929. Rankin, J. O. The use of time in farm homes. Neb. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 230. 1929. 1936-] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 91 Family Diversions The 247 farm operators who submitted estimates indicated that they spent approximately 14 percent of the total time of the year in rest and diversion at home and 6 percent in trips away from home (Table 5). Of the 606 hours a year (7 percent of the total) estimated as spent in daily rest (excluding sleep at night) and recreation, more time was spent at play, an activity in which several members of the family joined, than in any other manner. Practices for community or group functions required the least time. In other words, more time was spent in family social activities than was spent in preparation for outside group diversions. FIG. 5. ESTIMATED TIME DIVISION OF A FARM OPERATOR'S AVERAGE WORK DAY From estimates submitted by 247 farm operators of their typical work day in the summer season and in the winter, and from other data gathered in this study, it is estimated that the operator's day is spent about as shown in the above graph, Sundays and holidays excluded. TRADE HABITS Farm and home influences are doubtless the most important forces icting upon the farmer to determine his manner of living, his partici- pation in various forms of community activities, and his attitudes. Contacts provided by trips away from home are, however, becoming lore numerous and to some extent supplement or counteract the farm r home influences. Trips made by the various members of the farm family primarily )r trading that is, to obtain groceries, furniture, or clothing, to sell 92 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, grain or livestock, for banking, and for other similar purposes naturally include various types of social contacts also, such as street- corner visits, movies, attendance at meetings, or calls upon relatives. Road Conditions and Nearness to Market Road conditions have, of course, much to do with the distances farm people go to obtain various types of economic services. Of the 250 families interviewed, three- fourths were ten or more miles from a city (Decatur in Macon county and Champaign-Urbana in Cham- paign county). Slightly less than 6 percent lived within five miles of a city. Ninety percent, however, had to travel less than two miles of unsurfaced roads in getting to surfaced roads leading to the city, whereas but 10 percent had two or more miles of dirt roads (Fig. 6). 100 TO TOWN 3 TO CITY SMILES OR LESS MORE THAN S MILK Z MILES OR LESS MORE THAN 2 MILK DISTANCE TO TOWN OR CITY I DISTANCE TO SURFACED ROADS FIG. 6. PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES LIVING AT SPECIFIED DISTANCES FROM TOWN AND CITY AND FROM SURFACED ROADS TO TOWN AND CITY More than four-fifths of these 250 families lived within five miles of a small town. Ninety-two percent lived less than two miles from a surfaced road leading to a small town or city. Of the 250 families studied, more than four-fifths lived within five miles, and about one-third lived within two miles, of a small town. Ninety-two percent lived less than two miles from a surfaced road leading to a small town or city. Nearness of most of these people to surfaced roads, therefore, made the small town and the city almost equally accessible. Altho the city was a little farther away, the surfaced roads served to bring it into close competition with the small town for the trade of these farmers. Time Spent in Trading Trading, visiting, and attending meetings of voluntary group or- ganizations were indicated as occupying more than two-thirds of the 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 93 off -the- farm time of the members of these farm families, the operators themselves spending, according to their estimates, 82 percent of their off-the-farm time in these ways (Table 7). One-third of the off-the- TABLE 7. DISTRIBUTION OF TIME OFF THE FARM BY FAMILY MEMBERS Group Time per person Proportion of time spent in Trading* Visiting Organi- zation 11 Extended trips Com- munity affairs Indi- vidual recrea- tion 247 fathers hrs. 513 423 405 471 perct. 35.2 29.0 28.3 24.8 percl. 23.7 22.8 14.7 21.3 perct. 23.1 24.8 29.8 28.7 perct. 9.4 13.3 9.5 9.3 perct. 7.5 7.6 15.6 15.5 perct. 1.1 .3 2.1 .4 236 mothers 114 sons 105 daughters To obtain groceries, furniture, or clothing; to sell grain or livestock, for banking, and for other similar purposes. "Calculated on basis of those belonging to one or more organizations. farm time of the farm operators was indicated as spent in trips for trading (Table 7 and Fig. 7). Most of the trading trips were made to the small towns, but the time indicated as consumed in city trips was equal to that spent in the small-town trips because more time was used in getting to the cities. Farm operators in Philo and Illini townships spent almost twice as much time trading in the city as in small towns ; whereas the operators in Milam and Harwood townships spent a greater proportion of their trading time in the smaller towns. FOR TRADING 35 2 FOR VISITING 23.7 FOR ORGANIZATIONS 23.1 FOR EXTENDED TRIPS 9.4 FOR AMUSEMENT & CULTURE- 7.5 -OR INDIVIDUAL RECREATION 1.1 :^ OTHERS 10.8^ r '4m///////7/////y//4erators; trips in the interest of organizations, about one- fourth. While most the trading trips were made to the small towns, the time consumed in the y trips was just as great. 94 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, Centers for Purchasing Most of the farmers of Illini and Philo townships purchased their groceries in Decatur and Champaign-Urbana respectively, as each city was approximately six miles away (Table 8 and Fig. 8). A fourth of the farmers in Milam township went to Decatur for their groceries, even tho Decatur was 16 miles away. Others went to Macon (4 miles) ; to Dalton City (i/ mile) ; to Bethany (approximately 3 miles) ; and a few to Moweaqua (7 miles). Most of the farmers in Harwood town- ship traded in Rantoul, Ludlow, and Gifford, all of which are within three miles of the township, Rantoul securing most of this trade. Most of the farmers in these townships also purchased their furni- ture and clothes in the city (Table 8). A" number of farmers in Har- wood township went to Champaign-Urbana, 16 miles away, for their furniture, and a small percentage patronized the mail-order houses. Rantoul held the Harwood township trade in furniture and clothes better than did any local trade centers in or near the other three townships. TABLE 8. How PURCHASES BY 250 FARM HOUSEHOLDS WERE DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN TOWN AND CITY BUYING POINTS Products and places at which purchased Proportions of products purchased in city and town By Illini families By Philo families By Milam families By Harwood families By families in all 4 townships Groceries City perct. 57.1 20.0 22.9 24.6 67.2 8.2 86.2 4.6 9.2 98.5 1.5 92.6 4.5 2.9 95.6 4.4 30.8 69.2 perct. 39.3 32.1 28.6 44.4 48.9 6.7 91.1 1.8 7.1 96.4 3.6 73.2 19.6 7.2 83.6 7.3 9.1 15.1 84.9 perct. 26.0 46.6 27.4 46.3 51.9 1.8 84.8 9.1 6.1 81.7 12.7 1.5 70.8 26.2 3.0 83.8 11.8 4.4 7.0 93.0 perct. 2.0 95.9 2.1 12.5 65.0 22.5 36.7 53.1 10.2 51.0 46.9 2.1 18.4 77.6 4.0 51.0 42.9 6.1 100.0 perct. 33.1 45.6 21.3 32.5 58.5 9.0 76.7 15.3 8.0 83.6 13.1 3.3 66.8 29.0 4.2 80.5 13.7 5.8 13.9 86.1 Town . . . Both Machinery City... Town Both Furniture City Town Both Men's suits City Town . . Both Men's work clothes City. .. Town Both Women's clothes City Town Both Banking City Town 1936} FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 95 FIG. 8. WHERE GROCERIES WERE USUALLY PURCHASED BY THE FARM FAMILIES INCLUDED IN THIS STUDY The larger business centers drew the greatest part of the grocery pur- chases of the 248 families represented in this graph. The small and nearest town, on the other hand, was usually the place where farmers purchased machinery (Fig. 9). Thus a majority of the farmers in Illini, Philo, and Harwood townships bought their machinery in the local trade centers of Warrensburg, Philo, Ludlow, and Gifford. Many farmers in Philo township, however, purchased machinery in Champaign-Urbana, and a majority of those in Milam went to Decatur to buy machinery. Centers for Selling Grain and livestock sales were the chief sources of income for these farmers. The towns were the centers for the shipment of four- ifths of the grain but of only two-fifths of the livestock. More than me-third of the livestock was shipped by truck to the city; one-fifth 96 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, FIG. 9. WHERE FARM MACHINERY WAS USUALLY PURCHASED The small and nearest town was usually the place where farmers pur- chased machinery. Data supplied by 200 farm operators. was shipped thru farmers' livestock shipping associations, and less than one-twentieth was purchased by country buyers. Most of the farmers in Philo township shipped livestock to packers or to terminal markets either directly or thru the shipping association at Champaign-Urbana (Fig. 10). Illini township is on the border line between such market centers as Springfield, St. Louis, Decatur, and Chicago, most farmers of this township shipping by truck direct to these points. Less than half as many farmers in Illini used farmers' shipping associations in Decatur and Harristown as marketed livestock direct to St. Louis, Chicago, or Indianapolis. A large percentage of farmers in Harwood township trucked to Chicago, but some patron- ized the shipping associations at Ludlow, Urbana, and St. Joseph. 1936} FORCES AFFCTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 97 FIG. 10. POINTS TO WHICH LIVESTOCK WAS USUALLY SHIPPED In livestock marketing the nearness of the local service center is a matter of minor importance. Data supplied by 204 farm operators. Trucks and improved roads have made it possible for most of these farmers to seek the most advantageous markets for livestock, many going as far as 200 miles to secure what they consider the best market, the nearness of the local service center being a matter of minor importance to them. The local center did hold prominence, however, as a grain market (Fig. 11). Over 80 percent of the farmers in the four townships marketed their grain thru the town center .and almost 14 percent thru :ountry elevators (Fig. 12). To avoid long hauls of grain, farmers generally use the nearest shipping point. 98 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, HOUMflUA CNUftCM 7 KlLEi I MIL* LCCC tt "M M .". _-__ *?'' * LOC.T.ON .1 1CHOOL FIG. 11. POINTS TO WHICH GRAIN WAS USUALLY SHIPPED More than 80 percent of the 206 farm operators represented in this graph marketed their grain thru the town center and almost 14 percent thru country elevators. Centers for Banking Town and village banks were patronized by 86 percent of the 250 farm households studied, city banks securing only 14 percent of their business. Decatur and Champaign-Urbana banks were patronized by a minority of farmers from Illini and Philo townships and by very few farmers from Milam and Harwood townships. With the closing of some of the smaller banks, however, farmers have turned to city banks. This trend is observable in Illini township, in which the one bank closed soon after this study was made. 1936} FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 99 FIG. 12. HEMAN ELEVATOR IN ILLINI TOWNSHIP This open-country elevator, situated less than three miles west of War- rensburg, the local trade center, is typical of many open-country elevators in Illinois. It serves the farmers living within a three- to five-mile radius. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Organized community activities consisted of the religious and social activities of the churches; the business, educational, and social activities sponsored by the farm bureau, home bureau, 4-H clubs, and economic cooperatives ; and the social activities of the social clubs, lodges and card clubs. These were the types of groups mentioned most frequently. Practically all the individuals interviewed, or members of their families, participated in one way or another in some form of community activity. Community Centers The small town served religious interests of more families than did any other type of center, tho many people in Illini and Philo townships attended church in the city (Fig. 13). In Harwood township church attendance was about equally apportioned among the churches in Ludlow, Gifford, and Rantoul. In Milam township about half the farmers attended church in Dalton City. In Illini and Milam town- ships, Illini Church and Sanner Chapel, both open-country churches, were attended by most of the people in the church neighborhoods. The small towns having high schools were the centers for secondary education for the rural territory within a radius of six or eight miles (Fig. 14). The Warrensburg high school was attended by practically all the children in Illini township who attended high school. In Philo 100 BULLETIN No. 423 Way, FIG. 13. LOCATION OF CHURCHES USUALLY ATTENDED The small town was the principal center for the church interests of the 226 families represented in this graph. Open-country churches also were important. township many, but not a majority, of the high-school children at- tended the Champaign-Urbana schools, probably because Philo has only a three-year high school. Only a few children in Milam town- ship attended high school, and most of those who did attend went to the Macon school. In Harwood township the high-school enrollment was about equally apportioned among the schools in Paxton, Ludlow, Rantoul, and Gifford. The church and the school buildings were the focal points for many of the community social activities in all four townships. In Illini and Philo townships the schools were the centers for many of the social 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 101 FIG. 14. LOCATION OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS ATTENDED BY THE CHILDREN Small-town high schools were the centers for secondary education for most of these 250 families. functions; whereas in the other townships the church was the chief center as, for example, at Sanner Chapel in Milam township (Fig. 15) and Illini Church in Illini township. Illini, Philo, and Milam townships had one community center each for local meetings of the farm bureau; whereas the few farm bureau members who lived in Harwood township attended meetings at three different points. The three former townships also provided meetings places for the home bureau, 4-H club, and farm cooperatives in centers most available to all members. This was especially noticeable in Illini township, where the Illini Church was the chief meeting place for 102 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, FIG. 15. SANNER CHAPEL AND PARISH HOUSE NEAR MILAM TOWNSHIP This is an open-country church just across the county line south from Milam township. It serves as a social center for the people of the south half of Milam township as well as the northern part of Penn township in Shelby county. these organizations, and in Philo township, where the community hall (Fig. 16) was used for such purposes. Social clubs and lodges, altho contributing to social enjoyment, divided the population of the localities into small groups with special interests, such as good-times clubs, card clubs, scout clubs, musical organizations, and three or four types of lodges, which held meetings in homes, churches, and lodge halls located in the towns and villages. FIG. 16. PHILO COMMUNITY HALL Numerous groups in the community make use of this hall, including the school, the churches, farm bureau, home bureau, and village organizations of various types. 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 103 The service center of a community was not always located within the community. In Fig. 17, for example, is shown a farmers' service center located at the county seat and housing organizations with mem- bers both in Milam and in Illini townships. Membership in Voluntary Organizations Of the 821 members of these 250 families who were ten years old or older, 55 percent (including almost three- fourths of the fathers and two-thirds of the mothers) belonged to some voluntary organization (Table 9). As a rule, members of the families that owned their farms belonged to more organizations than members of tenant families. Like- wise members of tenant families belonged to more organizations than did members of families of farm laborers (Fig. 18). The difference in percentage of membership was greater, however, between tenant and farm-laborer families than between owner and tenant families. FIG. 17. THE FARM BUREAU BUILDING FOR MACON COUNTY Located in Decatur, a city of 57,500 and the county seat of Macon county, this building is the center for about six buying and selling organizations of farmers. It includes also the office of the farm bureau and the farm adviser (county agricultural agent). Of the four townships, Illini ranked highest and Philo lowest in percentage of heads of households (operators and homemakers) who were members of voluntary organizations. Of the heads of families in all four townships, about half were church members, about one- fourth were members of farm and home bureaus, one-fifth were members of lodges, and one-tenth were members of social clubs (Table 10). About two thirds of the heads of households in Illini, one-half in Milam and Harwood, and one-third in Philo were members of churches. Farm-bureau membership was strongest in Illini and Philo townships, which had the highest percentage of owner-operated farms and in which farm-bureau units were functioning, and weakes Milam and Harwood townships. Home-bureau membership was weak- 104 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, ]c3.a f ^ t- -^ ^< 1 1" r-^HN'O^' t^ ti 2 -"(S>C<^ O> . . . . o (S^fr^fM ^> f3 ^H ^^ ndicated =? = ^TJ roo -" OO -O IOI. tN rganizations i educational Coopera- tive* ^ " - 000 e^ members of o Business and 3 ES 11 o^o^o *. in * ge who were g| <2J ^o'oo i IO <*5 O WJ - Percenta a o '& Church society err 00 'Coo'O^ ^ i bureau. 8 y ^.^OOO> IO tis a JS U QWOk&O IOIOCSCS 'C rs of th l\ k .2 2 -.c = r c H 1 B 18 &s 111 s r Wi^MOOlO 10 ^O^"^< IO E o c V Number of i ! i A ^ 4 OO -"O T* Tt< m "> r* t^t>0 >0 pM S o aj O I s * ^* ^ ^H > O CM -* a B B S i.2 N^^-0 ? S 3 B 11 oo^^o 2 ^5 s Q S BC j: U H tn m H O "ft 2 3 H J rt m t~OOO >0 hi J ftj b 'S a !JSrj(N ^ | 0. B O a < E O 3 a H in icmbers of 4) aj o.> U*" 22 S3 ::^ : not include Q a ^ . J i J '-^ B O B U in 1 o og C 0> II ^O^O ^" ^ V p 5 M c S 1 O ffi S 3 00 cu % j m >o as o w oroiOlO * E B 5 u V B i 1 I 09 E S t-iOOOO O j: w "o O i > i si 1 H Id 1 3 fc 3 a F 2 S t^ lOt^- IO O E u E H ^ w fs| 1 H nil' i 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 105 est in Harwood, where only 4 percent of the homemakers in this study belonged to this organization. In the other three townships one-sixth to one-fifth of these homemakers belonged to the home bureau. Illini and Philo townships each had an organized unit of the home bureau, and there were units at Mt. Zion and Bethany within a few miles of Milam township. Lodges and social clubs together attracted more than half the farm operators and almost a third of the homemakers in 50 o z o 240 UJ CO a D30 O a. O u. 20 10 I OWNERS TENANTS ~ LABORERS I I I 1 I m m \\ FIVE FOUR THREE TWO ONE NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS TO WHICH EACH PERSON NONE BELONGED FIG. 18. NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS TO WHICH 473 MEMBERS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS BELONGED Members of families who owned their farms in whole or in part belonged to more organizations than did tenant families. Seventy-two percent of the farm laborers did not belong to any organization. Illini, and in the other townships approximately a third of the oper- ators and a tenth of the homemakers. Church activities interested more people than the activities of any other voluntary organization. In Illini and Philo organizations based on occupational interests were, however, nearly as important as church interests in attracting the support of the heads of households. Time Spent in Voluntary Organizations Approximately one-fourth of the total time spent in off-the-farm activities by members of 247 farm families was spent in activities of voluntary organizations (Table 7, page 93). Sons and daughters spent i little more time in them than did fathers and mothers. Individuals who belonged to voluntary organizations in the areas /here there were fewer organizations and fewer members actually evoted about as much time to them, per person, as did people in the igh organization areas (Table 11). Operator and homemaker mem- 106 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, TABLE 11. HOURS PER YEAR SPENT AWAY FROM HOME IN CONNECTION WITH ACTIVITIES OF VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS BY HEADS OF FAMILIES IN HIGH AND Low ORGANIZATION AREAS Operators ] iomemaken 1 Organization and type of area Number Total hours Hours per person Number Total hours Hours per person Church High* 65 4 141 62.7 61 3 624 59.4 Low b 58 3 630 62.1 55 3 453 62.8 Business and education High* 70 1 020 14.6 5 84 16.8 Low b 25 324 13.0 1 12 12.0 Cooperative High* 17 269 15.8 Low b 4 420 105.0 Lodge High* 24 201 8.4 13 182 14.0 Low b 29 172 5.9 4 43 10.7 Social Club High* 6 80 13.3 28 598 21.3 Low b 7 174 25.0 16 703 43.9 High organization area: Illini and Philo. ''Low organization area: Milam and Harwood. bers in Milam and Harwood townships spent twice as much actual time, per person, in the activities of social clubs as did operator and homemaker members in Philo and Illini townships. More time per individual was devoted to the church than to any other organization (Table 12). This may have been because church services were held weekly ; whereas meetings of the farm bureau, home bureau, and other organizations were held once or, at most, twice a month. The fathers in these farm families spent almost one- fourth of the TABLE 12. How TOTAL TIME SPENT IN VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS BY VARIOUS MEMBERS OF 250 FARM HOUSEHOLDS WAS DISTRIBUTED AMONG DIFFERENT TYPES OF VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS" Group Total hours spent per person Proportion of time devoted to Church Business and edu- cational 11 Coopera- tive Lodge Social club Fathers 118 109 121 135 perct. 53.4 57.6 55.1 61.0 perct. 11.8 11.1 16.6 20.2 perct. 12.5 perct. 16.4 11.1 9.7 perct. 5.9 20.2 18.6 18.8 Mothers Sons Daughters See Table 9 for percentage distribution of individuals among different types of voluntary organizations. b lncludes farm bureau, home bureau and 4-H clubs. 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 107 time which they devoted to voluntary organizations in activities of the farm bureau and cooperatives. Home-bureau activities absorbed more than one-tenth of the time which the mothers devoted to voluntary organizations. Four-H clubs and the farm or home bureau claimed one-sixth of the time of the sons and one-fifth of the time of the daughters. The fathers spent more than one-fifth of the time which they devoted to voluntary organizations in lodges and social clubs ; whereas the mothers spent almost one-third of their time, sons some- what more than one- fourth, and daughters somewhat less than one- fifth, in this manner. High-school and church social functions, movies, and parties, with a slight preponderance of time given to parties, were the chief social affairs to which fathers and mothers devoted their time (Table 13). Movies received, especially from the mothers, nearly as much time as high-school and church social functions. Sons and daughters spent more time at movies than in any other form of social activity. Mem- bers of families in Philo and Illini townships devoted considerably more time to social affairs than did members of families in Harwood and Milam townships, a difference which was especially noticeable in the son and daughter groups. Time Spent in Unorganized Activities Extended trips lasting several days, especially those taken for pleasure, absorbed about as much total time of members of these farm families as was devoted to social affairs. In considering the data on such trips, two observations should be kept in mind: (1) various members of most families do take trips of a day or more duration to visit relatives or for other purposes; and (2) the average amount of time shown as spent in this way is likely to be relatively high because a few families usually take trips lasting a week or two or even longer, and thus bring up the general average. In general, more time was given to these trips by farm families in Philo and Illini than by those in Milam and Harwood townships. Thus in Philo and Illini, fathers, mothers, and sons gave more time to touring trips and fathers, sons, and daughters gave more time to conventions than did the respective family members in Milam and Harwood townships. An average of less than 10 hours a year was spent per person in trips for individual recreation, such as hunting, fishing, camping, base- ball, and practices for group or community functions. Sons and fathers in Philo and Illini spent approximately 9 hours a year in these pur- suits ; whereas sons and fathers in Harwood and Milam spent less than 6.6 hours a year in individual recreation. Very little time was spent in this way by mothers and daughters. 108 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, 1 e s wf 4t^tO^V) 00 X 1 " > 2' 010 3 5 5 1 s 1 " 2 2 1 1 s s E V t2 "^ !?-S E V S m 1 jj OO^^^OOC^ 00* S >'J ** a Is S o SS^^S S"K 1 1 1 a " i _ _ .r .r' 5 - -* -> ^ 8 : : : : : : : : o ... 1 "o si ... J3 I '. '. '. '. '.'.'. j. . . . . ... Stu 8 H " w a S 5 E '"S ' "(3 fli|2 fill 8 >ct "SSc r- M " rt T3 O O -5 SQCU cHU .2 ** t2 (3 Individual recreat 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 109 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INDIVIDUAL'S PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Assuming the responsibilities of an officer, a committeeman, or a board member, paying dues, and devoting time to programs are all significant forms of participation in an organization. They are to a considerable degree a measure of an individual's regard for the organization. In analyzing the data to determine whether certain circumstances in a member's surroundings might influence or be associated with his participation in organization activities, three factors proved important: his relation to the land he farmed (land tenure) ; his tendency to stay on one farm or to move from farm to farm (location stability) ; and his schooling. Voluntary organizations were supported best by owners, in contrast with part owners or tenants; by those who had lived longest in the community ; and by those who had advanced farthest in school. Type of Land Tenure The percentages of owners, of tenants, and of farm laborers who served as officers, committeemen, or board members in organizations, or who paid dues, took part on programs, or took no part in organiza- tion activities, are shown in Table 14. The percentage of tenants related to owners, of part owners, and of full-owner operators who took part on programs was significantly higher than the percentage of unrelated-to-owner tenants who took part. Almost 70 percent of the laborer members took no part in the activities of organizations, not even paying dues; whereas only 30 percent of the tenant members and 24 percent of the owner and part-owner members failed to take some part. Two-thirds of the owners and 50 percent of the tenants unrelated to owners paid annual dues to organizations. A slightly larger percent- TABLE 14. TYPE OF LAND TENURE AND EXTENT OF PARTICIPATION IN ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES BY FARMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES* Group Number of persons Persons participating Not partici- pating As officers As committee or board members By paying dues By taking part in program Full owner-operators 89 14 7 18 251 72 perct. 22.5 28.6 14.3 33.3 25.1 5.6 perct. 22.5 7.1 14.3 72.2 46.6 perct. 67.4 71.4 42.9 77.8 49.8 4.2 perct. 22. 5 57.1 14.3 83.3 8.0 6.9 Perct. 24.7 14.3 42.9 16.7 31.5 69.4 Part owners Retired owners Tenants related to owners. . . Tenants unrelated to owners. . Farm laborers The adults and older children, so far as information could be secured. 110 BULLETIN No. 423 {.May, age of unrelated tenants than of full-owner operators, however, were officers ; and the percentage of unrelated tenants who were committee- men and board members was twice as great as the percentage of full- owner operators who participated in this manner. Almost three- fourths of the related tenants, on the other hand, were chosen as com- mittee or board members and one-third served as officers. The fact that tenants in general are somewhat younger than owners and may consequently be more willing to accept official responsibility perhaps explains why a larger percentage of tenants than of owners were chosen for official positions in organizations. Location Stability A tenure of ten years was set up as a dividing line between persons who may be said to be relatively stable residents of a community and those relatively unstable. Comparison of the two resulting groups re- vealed that the "stable" farmers supplied to organizations approxi- mately three times as many officers (54.4 percent compared with 19.2 percent), twice as many committeemen and board members (17.2 per- cent compared with 9.4 percent), six times as many dues-paying mem- bers (60.1 percent compared with 10.6 percent), and a greater number, tho less than twice as many, of those who took p%rt on programs (26.2 percent compared with 17.8 percent). Thus it is clear that those persons who remain in a community over a period of years show, on the whole, much greater interest in and participate more freely in community organizations than do those who move about more. Extent of Formal Schooling That the extent to which farm people participate in community activities is directly related to the extent of their formal schooling is shown by a comparison of the activities of the high-school graduates with the activities of those who dropped out of school before attaining the eighth grade (Table 15). Ninety percent of the high-school grad- uates took an active part in the organizations of which they were members ; whereas only 60 percent of those with less than an eighth- grade education participated. Similarly, by percentages, approximately twice as many high-school graduates took part on programs and paid dues, nearly four times as many served as committeemen and board members, and nearly six times as many were officers of their organi- zations. A similar variation, tho less marked, was found in comparing the group that had had one to three years of high-school training with those who had secured less than an eighth-grade education. In general, members who took the greatest interest in their or- ganizations were those with the longer schooling. 1936'] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 111 TABLE 15. AMOUNT OF FORMAL EDUCATION AND EXTENT OF PARTICIPATION IN ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES Group Number of persons Persons participating Persons not partici- pating As officers As committee or board members By paying dues By taking part in program Less than 8th grade 238 85 Perct. 5.9 16.5 Perct. 4.6 15.3 perct. 44.1 61.2 perct. 12.6 29.4 Perct. 40.8 27.0 Eighth grade but less than high-school graduation .... High-school graduation or better 83 30.1 15.6 77.1 42.1 10.8 Trips Taken The popular notion that participation in organizations increases materially the number of trips that individuals take away from home was not borne out by this study. While many of the trips taken by persons who are officers or members of organizations may be taken in the interest of such organizations, or in order to participate in the activities of such organizations, the evidence seems to be that such trips probably substitute for trips that might have been taken for other purposes had they not been taken for organization purposes. At least reference to Table 16 will show that as high a percentage of those who took no part in organization activities took large numbers of trips away from home as did those who were active in organization interests. For instance, 40.9 percent of those who were officers, committeemen, or board members took 100 to 200 trips away from home yearly, whereas 47 percent of those who took no part in organization activities took that number. TABLE 16. NUMBER OF TRIPS TAKEN AWAY FROM HOME YEARLY BY THOSE PARTICIPATING TO DIFFERENT DEGREES IN VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS Group Number of persons Persons taking number of trips indicated 50 to 99 trips 100 to 199 trips 200 to 299 trips 300 trips or more Officers, committeemen, or 88 222 89 167 perct. 21.6 18.0 12.4 22.8 perct. 40.9 50.0 46.3 47.3 perct. 23.8 23.9 25.8 19.2 perct. 13.6 8.1 13.5 10.7 Those paying annual dues Those taking some part in program Those taking no part in organization activities 112 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, REASONS FOR MEMBERSHIP IN VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS Altho the extent to which members of a voluntary organization take part in its activities is a measure of their interest in the organiza- tion, it does not explain why this interest is taken. Members in ex- pressing reasons for belonging to voluntary organizations gave some indication as to why they belonged or had active interests, tho probably they did not reveal all of the reasons. Some reason was given for being a member of a church by more than 95 percent of the 341 who were members; for being a member of a business or educational organization, by 60 percent of the 145 who were members; and for being members of social clubs or lodges, by 90 percent of the 184 who were members. Only 31 persons gave rea- sons for not being a member of some one of these organizations. Reasons Given for Membership in Churches Over half (58.3 percent) of the church members who gave reasons for belonging to their church said they belonged because they were brought up to feel that they should. Fourteen percent recognized as a reason a desire for religious teaching, and about the same number in- dicated that they belonged in order to obtain moral stimulation to bear their economic or social burdens with greater fortitude. Other reasons given were: to help the church; because others do; for social enjoy- ment (Table 17). Some differences were noticeable between the reasons given by owners, tenants, and farm laborers for belonging to a church. A greater percentage of owners and of tenants than of farm laborers said they were brought up to feel they ought to belong to a church, and in the same order, that they belonged in order to obtain religious teaching. On the other hand, a greater percentage of farm laborers than of tenants or owners said they belonged because others did or TABLE 17. REASONS GIVEN FOR BEING A MEMBER OF A CHURCH Group Number answering Brought up to feel one should To secure religious teaching Need it for good of self and family For social activities and because others do To help the church Owners* 95 perct. 56 8 perct. 17.9 perct. 7.4 Perct. 9.5 Perct. 8.4 TenanU b 204 61.2 13.2 14.2 7.8 3.4 Laborers 22 50.0 4.5 36.4 45.5 45.5 Others* 5 20.0 60.0 20.0 Total 326 58.3 14.1 14.4 11.3 4.9 Includes part owners and retired farmers. b lncludes those related to owners. "Includes professional people. 1936} FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 113 because the church gave them courage and strength to bear the burdens of everyday life. So few laborers gave reasons, however, that the figures pertaining to them cannot be considered particularly significant. Reasons Given for Membership in Business and Educational Organizations The nature of the services normally provided by the farm bureau, home bureau, 4-H clubs and cooperatives was reflected in the reasons given by members for belonging to these organizations. More than half the members said they belonged for the information, benefits, and services which these organizations provide (Table 18). Somewhat more than one-third said they were members because they thought that TABLE 18. REASONS GIVEN FOR AND AGAINST MEMBERSHIP IN FARM BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS* Group Reasons for membership Reasons against membership Number answer- ing 1 " Percentage giving reasons indicated Number giving reasons indicated 11 For infor- mation, benefits and services To ad- vance cause of organi- zation To help others See no good in organi- zation No more organi- zations needed Prac- tices are unfair Wrong leader- ship used Owners" 36 49 1 1 87 perct. 69.4 46.9 100.0 56.3 perct. 27.8 42.8 100.0 36.8 perct. 2.8 '6' '4 4 '2 2 '2 2 'i 2 Tenants 6 Laborers Others Total Includes farm bureau, home bureau, 4-H clubs, and cooperatives. b This is the total number of persons, members and nonmembers of such organizations, replyms to this question. 'See footnotes to Table 17. farmers should learn of the importance of organization and that they should help the cause of farmers' organizations. Only a small per- centage, less than one-tenth, stated that they were members so that they might help others. Information, benefits, and services of farm bureau, home bureau, cooperatives, and 4-H clubs bear both on the improvement of the busi- ness of farming and homemaking and on the improvement of the social and cultural aspects of farm life. By meeting these needs such organizations find a real place in and become a real force for the up- building of the agricultural community. Reasons Given for Membership in Social Clubs and Lodges Social enjoyment the opportunity to visit with neighbors, friends, and intimate companions, and to meet new people was the chief rea- 114 BULLETIN No. 423 [A/ay, son given for belonging to social clubs and lodges (Table 19). Other reasons were the opportunities afforded for recreation and amusement, property protection and life and property insurance, opportunity to ex- press one's ideas in public or before a group. TABLE 19. REASONS GIVEN FOR AND AGAINST MEMBERSHIP IN SOCIAL CLUBS AND LODGES Group Reasons for membership Reasons against membership Num- ber an- swer- ing Percentage giving reasons indicated Num- ber an- swer- ing Number giving reasons indicated For social enjoyment For expres- sion of ideas or talent For protec- tion and insurance Make for neighbor- hood factions Do not need so many; take too much time Owners 57 102 3 3 165 perct. 89.4 81.4 66.6 83.7 perct. 5.3 9.8 33.3 8.4 perct. 5.3 8.8 33.3 7.9 6 11 3 20 5 10 3 18 1 1 2 Tenants Farm laborers . . Others Total Altho three farm laborers answered, only one gave reasons for membership. Reasons Given for Not Belonging to Organizations The various types of organizations studied appeared to overlap somewhat in their functions ; but such criticism as was leveled against them was based not so much on any interference one with another as on poor management or wrong leadership, unfair practices, failure to fulfill ordinarily expected useful functions, or, in a few instances, on inferior quality of members. Only a few of those who made criticisms suggested that there are already too many organiza- tions. A few stated that lodges and social clubs caused factions in the community; some that lodges, particularly, had outlived their usefulness. ATTITUDES TOWARD BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS The attitude of any person toward an organization is largely de- termined by his experience with it. In the present study the organiza- tions toward which attitudes were determined were those of business and educational character (cooperatives, farm bureau, home bureau, and 4-H clubs), for these organizations are the ones toward which the 1936} FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 115 most clearly defined attitudes were displayed, since they bear most directly upon the special interests of the farm family. 1 Of 250 farm operators whose attitudes toward business and edu- cational organizations were recorded, 98 had unfavorable attitudes, 77 had favorable, and 75 neutral. Practically all (more than 97 percent) of those having favorable attitudes belonged to one or more organiza- tions. On the other hand, over half (58 percent) of those having un- favorable attitudes belonged to no organization (Fig. 19). FAVORABLE ATTITUDE ^UNFAVORABLE ATTITUDE FIVE FOUR THREE TWO ONE NONE NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS TO WHICH EACH FARMER BELONGED FIG. 19. ATTITUDES OF MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS OF ORGANIZATIONS TOWARD BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS The group represented by the above graph consisted of 175 farm operators. One hundred sixteen of these operators belonged to one or more organizations of some type. Fifty-nine belonged to no organization of any kind. Most of those who were unfavorable to business and educational organizations belonged to no organization or to only one organization, and that one most frequently was the church. Attitudes of Owners, Tenants, and Farm Laborers Approximately half the members of families of owner-operators, two-fifths of the tenant group, and one-twentieth of the farm labor group interviewed held favorable attitudes toward business and educa- tional organizations; and about one-fourth of the owner group, twe- lfths of the tenant group, and six-sevenths of the farm labor group icld unfavorable attitudes (Table 20). In general these proportions >f unfavorable responses correspond fairly closely to the percentages *Not only did each field worker ask each person interviewed to express rally his attitude toward organizations, but the worker also passed judgment oon the validity of the response by means of general impressions received iring the interview. 116 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, of owners (24 percent), tenants (31 percent), and farm laborers (69.4 percent) who did not participate in organizations (Table 14, page 109). Evidently those who did not participate comprise the bulk of those with nonfavorable attitudes; whereas the participating mem- bers of business and educational organizations are, in general, favor- ably disposed toward them. TABLE 20. ATTITUDES OF DIFFERENT GROUPS TOWARD BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Group Number of persons Persons expressing Persons partici- pating in organization activities" Favorable attitude Neutral attitude Unfavorable attitude Land tenure Owners 103 276 82 461 82 80 227 389 . . 164 perct. 52.5 40.6 5.0 36.9 69.5 50.0 30.4 42.6 53.0 33.5 41.6 perct. 22.3 21.0 8.5 19.1 22.0 18.8 19.8 20.1 18.9 20.0 19.6 perct. 25.2 38.4 86.5 44.1 8.5 31.2 49.8 37.3 28.1 46.5 38.8 perct. 75.5 69.9 31.0 89.2 73.0 59.2 73.3 62.2 Tenants Farm laborers Total Educational High-school graduation or better 8th grade but less than high-school graduation. . . Less than 8th grade Total Location stability Ten years or more on present farm Less than ten years on present farm 230 394 Total These percentages are calculated on bases slightly larger than the number of persons listed in the first column, because a few persons in each group gave no answers regarding attitudes. Evidently, too, the status of a farmer with respect to land tenure bears directly upon his attitude toward organizations, owners being slightly more favorably disposed than tenants, and both owners and tenants far more interested than farm laborers. Attitudes of Farmers on Different Educational Levels A large proportion more than two-thirds of those with a high school education or better had favorable attitudes toward business and educational organizations; only 8.5 percent of the high-school graduates had unfavorable attitudes (Table 20). Half of those not finishing the eighth grade, on the other hand, had unfavorable atti- tudes toward these organizations. Quite clearly, then, increased educational attainments by members of a community result in greater interest in or more favorable atti- tudes toward educational and business organizations. 1936} FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 117 Attitudes of "Established" and of "Transient" Farmers Members of farm families who had demonstrated stability of tenure by living on the same farm for ten or more years were, as a rule, more favorably disposed toward business and educational organizations than were members of more mobile farm families (Table 20). Thus, of the 164 persons interviewed who had lived ten years or more on the farm on which they were then located, slightly more than half held favorable attitudes and only about one- fourth held unfavorable atti- tudes toward such organizations ; whereas of the 230 persons who had been ten years or less on the farm on which they were then living, only one-third were favorably and nearly one-half were unfavorably disposed toward organizations. Increased interest on the part of those displaying greater perman- ence of tenure would naturally be expected as a result of a wider, and at the same time a more intimate, acquaintance with neighbors and a stronger attachment to the community. This finding is in keeping with the favorable attitudes of the "stable" members of the community as determined by type of tenure and cultural attainments. The farmers of demonstrated stability are the ones who support the organizations. DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERSHIP Officers and committees in an organization are largely responsible for initiating and promoting its activities, tho sometimes the real in- spiration for leadership comes from such other sources as the oldest members or the professional workers. The various social, economic, and educational organizations functioning in the average rural com- munity provide numerous opportunities for its citizens to gain experi- ence in some form of leadership. Yet one frequently hears that local leaders are scarce and hard to find. How, then, have present leaders been found and developed? Persons interviewed were asked to select from one to four people in their township who had served in nonsalaried places of leadership in local organizations. Those interviewed selected 224 people who had filled 470 places of leadership. Positions Filled by Leaders Of the 470 positions of leadership mentioned, more than half were in the church, over a third were in business and educational organiza- :ions, and a tenth in social clubs and lodges. Each type of organization seemed to develop its own leaders. < welve persons listed as leaders most frequently (Table 21), one was icntioned as a leader in all five types of organizations, one was men- oned in four types, two were mentioned in three types, and six in two 118 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, TABLE 21. NUMBER OF TIMES PERSONS MENTIONED MOST FREQUENTLY AS LEADERS WERE MENTIONED AS LEADERS IN TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS INDICATED Township* Leader Church Business and edu- cational Social dub Lodge Other Total lllini A 1 26 4 31 Philo B C D A 5 1 9 2 11 16 13 1 3 4 2 3 1 24 17 15 15 Harwood B C D A 3 6 6 4 8 6 3 2 12 10 8 8 B C D 1 1 3 6 4 2 7 5 5 Milam township is omitted because of faulty talcing of data. types. Only six of the persons mentioned as leaders were mentioned by more than 10 people. Thus a man who was considered a leader in one type of activity was not necessarily thought of as a leader in some other activity. He might not participate in the other activity; or he might participate without participating as a leader. Occupation of Leaders Farmers filled approximately 80 percent of the places of leader- ship mentioned in churches, farm bureaus, cooperatives, social clubs, and lodges (Table 22). This preponderance of farmers is largely ex- plained by the fact that only farmers were questioned and, moreover, by the fact that leaders were usually selected from the organizations of which these farmers were members. Business and professional men, who occupied about one-sixth of the places of leadership in these organizations, were mentioned as leaders to a larger extent in churches and in social clubs and lodges (especially the latter), than in business and educational organizations pertaining especially to farmers. Approximately one out of every four men mentioned as leaders in social clubs and lodges was a business or professional man. Only one out of seven of the men mentioned as leaders in the church was a business or professional man ; which fact is partly explained by two of the churches being in the open country. One out of every ten leaders in the farm bureau and one out of every seven in cooperatives were business or professional men probably men who owned or had financial interest in farm property. 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 119 Tenure of Leaders Most of those assuming leadership in an organization had been affiliated with it for a number of years (Table 22). Social clubs and lodges had more frequent changes of leaders than the other types of organizations, probably because the by-laws of such organizations often required periodic changes in leaders. With the exception of leaders of social clubs and lodges, approxi- mately one-sixth of the leaders mentioned had been organizers of the groups with which they were affiliated. Less than 5 percent had joined recently, except in lodges and social clubs, in which there were 11 percent; the majority had been in the organization for a long time. TABLE 22. LEADERSHIP DISTRIBUTION, DEVELOPMENT, AND DURATION IN FOUR TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS Group Number of leadership positions mentioned Leadership positions in Church Farm bureau Cooperatives Social dub or lodge Filled by persons from different occupational groups Farming 313 perct. 84 8 perct. 90 7 perct. 84 9 perct. 70 6 Business 46 13.1 9.3 10.6 19.6 Professional 3 2.1 4.5 7.8 Labor 1 2.0 Filled by persons with different membership tenures Always a member* 223 80. S 77.7 77.6 46.7 62 16.8 17.6 15.5 42.2 Joined recently 16 2.7 4.7 6.9 11.1 Filled by persons with different leadership experience Participating member 220 78.7 81.6 83.6 84.4 Elected to an office 35 16.0 11.8 9.1 13.4 Solicitor for members 15 5.3 6.6 7.3 2.2 Filled by persons whose subsequent interest has been evidenced in ways indicated As an officer 214 75.7 62.4 73.7 69.6 As a participating member. . . As a committee member In giving moral support Has lost interest 43 35 8 3 13.9 8.7 1.7 18.7 16.5 1.2 1.2 8.8 12.3 1.8 3.4 13.0 8.7 8.7 Meaning that the person was a church or lodge member ever since becoming eligible, or a farm- home-bureau member or member of a cooperative since such groups were organized. Experience of Leaders Only one-sixth of those mentioned as leaders of organizations be- an their leadership as officers ; less than one-tenth began as solicitors 120 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, for new members (Table 22). The responsibility mentioned as having been first accepted by 80 percent of the leaders of organizations came after they had participated willingly in some other capacity than as an officer of the organization or a solicitor for new members. After assuming their first responsibilities, more than two-thirds of the leaders mentioned became officers of one kind or another. One- eighth became committee members. One-fifth supported the activities of the organization either by active participation or by approval and encouragement. Less than 2 percent lost interest entirely. Lack of provision for adequate training is doubtless one reason for the difficulty which organizations have in securing leaders, especially organizations that have functioned only a short time. The fact that a man has had experience as a leader in one organization does not neces- sarily mean that he is qualified to assume full-fledged leadership in another (especially if the purposes of the two organizations are rad- ically different), altho the experience may enable him to develop more rapidly than otherwise into a capable leader in the second organization. Because of this failure of the benefits of leadership experience to carry over thoroly from organization to organization, every organiza- tion should attempt to provide leadership training of some type, es- pecially training that will acquaint a new leader with the purposes and aims of the organization and the methods whereby these purposes and aims are to be carried out. QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP Members of voluntary groups when selecting their leaders usually do the selecting by popular choice ; the qualifications for positions of leadership are not definitely prescribed, and indeed, tho usually recog- nized, often lie unformulated in the minds of the choosers. What, then, are the qualities which people look for in leaders of their voluntary organizations? This is a question frequently left unanswered when problems of rural leadership are considered. To determine what qualities were sought most frequently by the people of these communities in their leaders, those interviewed were asked to rate certain leaders, whom they considered in general in good standing or in poor standing, as to 30 specific qualities 1 related to lead- ership. They were not asked to name the leaders, but merely to bring them to mind one good and one poor and indicate in what degree each possessed each of the listed qualities, that is, whether positively, 'The list of thirty qualities was compiled mainly from the following sources: "What constitutes leadership," a paper by H. W. Mumford delivered at conferences at the University of Illinois, 1926; "Some aspects of a study of leadership," by H. C. Ramsower, Land Grant College Association meeting, 1925. Also consultations were held with members of the Agricultural Extension staff and the Department of Psychology, University of Illinois. 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 121 moderately, or only negatively. Only a very few of those interviewed showed any reluctance to name the leaders they were rating, tho some preferred not to pass judgment on leaders in poor standing. In all, 255 judgments (total ratings) were obtained from 250 indi- viduals concerning approximately 230 different leaders in the four communities Champaign, Philo, Milam, and Harwood. One hundred fifty judgments concerned leaders who, in the minds of some one or more of the individuals questioned, were in good standing. One hundred five judgments concerned leaders, who in the minds of some one or more individuals, were not in good standing. According to the positive responses of the persons interviewed, the leaders, both good and poor, of these communities possessed the thirty qualities to the following extent: Percentage of ratings indi- cating quality Rank Quality present 1. Friendliness 88 2. Honesty 80 3. Courage 78 4. Industry 77 5. Perseverance 77 6. Faithfulness 76 7. Ability to plan 75 8. Ability to carry things thru 75 9. Willingness to take responsibility 74 10. Well informed 73 11. Resourcefulness 73 12. Energy 73 13. Cooperation 73 14. Ability to get others to work . . 72 Percentage of ratings indi- cating quality Rank Quality present 15. Sympathy 69 16. Considerateness 69 17. Willingness to learn 69 18. Success in business 69 19. Public spiritedness 68 20. Influence 66 21. Tolerance 65 22. Vision 65 23. Tact 65 24. Unselfishness 63 25. Broadmindedness 62 26. Patience 61 27. Ability to speak in public 59 28. Conservativeness 52 29. Unprejudice 51 30. Firmness in opinions. ... 22 Thus 88 percent of the replies indicated that leaders were friendly; 80 percent that they were honest; 78 percent that they were courageous (met difficulties with firmness) ; etc. This would indicate the qualities that were found most frequently in leaders ; it does not show the dis- tinguishing characteristics of good leaders. One way to isolate the distinguishing qualities of good leaders is to compare the percentage of times a quality was said to be positively present in them with the percentage of times it was said to be positively present in poor leaders. With respect to seven qualities broadminded- ness, influence in the community (tho influence is more a measure of leadership than a quality of it), willingness to learn, cooperativeness, public spiritedness, considerateness, and patience the good leaders stood 50 percentage points or more above the poor leaders. In qualities of tolerance, of being well informed, unselfish, willing to take respon- sibility, able to carry things thru, and resourcefulness, the good lead- 122 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, ers stood 40 percentage points or more above the poor leaders (Table 23). The six qualities almost invariably present in a positive degree in the good leaders were honesty, faithfulness, willingness to take re- sponsibility, ability to carry things thru, friendliness, courage, and co- operativeness. The ten qualities most markedly distinguishing the good leaders from the poor leaders, when both positive and moderately positive responses 1 were considered together, were broadmindedness, influence in the community, willingness to learn, conservatism, public spiritedness, cooperativeness, patience, tolerance, unselfishness, and TABLE 23. POSITIVE RESPONSES IN REGARD TO QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP Quality Instances in which quality was said to be present In good leaders In poor leaders Difference in frequency with which quality was said to be present Rank of quality as a distinguishing characteristic of good leaders pertt. Broadmindedness 88. 7 Influence* 90.7 Willingness to learn more 93 . 3 Cooperation 96 . Q*> Public spiritedness 90. Considerate 91 .3 Patience 82 .0 Tolerance 86.0 Well informed 94.0 Unselfishness 82 . Willingness to take responsibility 97. 3 b Ability to carry things thru 97 . 3 Resourcefulness 90 . 7 Faithfulness 98.0 b Unprejudiced 66.7 Ability to get others to work 87.3 Conservativeness 66 . Tact 79.3 Ability to plan 95 . 3 Firm in opinions 44.7 Success in business 83 . 3 Ability to speak in public 72 . Energy 92 .0 Honesty 98. 7> Courage 96 . 7 b Sympathy 83 . 3 Vision 76. 7 Industry 92 . 7 Friendliness 97 . 3 b Perseverance 90. 7 perct. 25.7 31.4 35.2 41.9 37.1 39.0 30.5 36.2 44.8 36.2 52.4 54.3 49.5 57.1 27.6 51.4 31.4 44.8 60.9 10.5 49.5 39.0 59.0 65.7 63.8 50.5 48.6 67.6 73.3 74.5 perct. 63.0 59.3 58.1 54.1 52.9 52.3 51.5 49.8 49.2 45.8 44.9 43.0 41.2 40.9 39.1 35.9 34.6 34.5 34.4 34.2 33.8 33.0 33.0 33.0 32.9 32.8 28.1 25.1 24.0 16.2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 In the community. "Qualities almost invariably present (in 96 percent or more of the instances cited). 'Firmness with which difficulty is faced. ability to speak in public. Analysis of the negative responses gave prominence to one other quality distinguishing the good leaders namely, the tendency to be firm in opinions (Table 24). 'No separate analysis is given of the responses classified as moderately positive, for the reason that such separate analyses as were made showed very few differences. 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 123 The quality of being unprejudiced was indicated by 13.3 percent of the replies to be lacking in the good leaders (Table 24) ; yet this same quality was lacking much more frequently in the poor leaders, 49.5 percent of the replies indicating that the poor leaders were not un- prejudiced. Friendliness and industry were the only qualities in which leaders in good standing did not significantly excel leaders in poor standing. Honesty was a quality in which poor leaders rated high, tho not nearly so high as good leaders, for in 15 percent of the ratings of poor leaders this quality was said to be definitely lacking, whereas it was not in any of the ratings of good leaders said to be completely lacking. TABLE 24. NEGATIVE RESPONSES IN REGARD TO LEADERSHIP QUALITIES Quality Instances in which quality was said to be lacking In good leaders In poor leaders Difference in frequency with which quality was said to be lacking Rank of quality as a distinguishing characteristic of good leaders perct. Broad mindedness 1 . 33 Influence .66 Firmness in opinions 28 . 67 Willingness to learn more .67 Public spiritedness 2 . 67 Conservativeness 13 . 33 Cooperation 1 . 33 Patience 5 . 33 Tolerance 2 .00 Unselfishness 1 . 33 Ability to speak in public 10.00 Resourcefulness 1 . 33 Considerateness 1 . 33 Tact 5.34 Willingness to take responsibility 1 .34 Well informed .67 Ability to get others to work 1 . 34 Ability to carry things thru Vision Ability to plan 1.34 Energy .67 Unprejudiced 13 . 33 Faithfulness .67 Courage .66 Sympathy 4.00 Perseverance .66 Honesty Success in business 3.34 Industry 2.00 Friendliness .67 perct. 51.43 48.57 74.29 43.81 44.76 55.24 42.86 45.71 41.91 40.95 49.52 36.19 35.24 36.19 30.48 28.57 27.61 22.85 22.85 23.81 21.90 49.52 20.96 20.00 20.95 16.19 15.24 18.10 9.52 4.77 perct. 50.10 47.91 45.62 43.14 42.09 41.96 41.53 40.38 39.91 39.62 39.52 35.86 33.91 30.85 29.14 27.90 26.27 22.85 22.85 22.47 21.23 21.19 20.29 19.34 16.95 15.33 15.24 14.76 7.52 4.10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 181 18/ 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 124 BULLETIN No. 423 {.May, SUMMARY The present study was undertaken in an endeavor to gain an ac- curate estimate of the social forces affecting the participation of farm people in rural organization in four rural townships in central Illinois where the farm people bought their supplies, sold their products, attended church, sent their children to school; how long they had lived on their farms ; whether they were owners or renters ; how much time they spent in various activities; to what extent and in what manner they participated in voluntary organizations, and their reasons for membership in and their attitudes toward various organizations. The statistical materials assembled in this bulletin show certain rural social and economic conditions that have been matters of rather general observation by those living in or close to such areas as those studied. While the figures are all compilations of estimates, and so must not be viewed too literally, they are believed to be a fairly reliable index to the conditions which they attempt to measure. The results show, in summary, the following significant facts. 1. The 250 households studied in the four townships included 975 individuals an average of 3.9 persons per household. Eighty-seven percent of the total persons were of native parentage. Slightly more than half had less than an eighth-grade education; a higher percentage of children than of parents had attended high school or high school and college. About one- fourth of the heads of households were owners or part owners of farms, two-thirds were tenants, and one-sixth were farm laborers. Less than one-third had lived more than five years on the present farm. The farms averaged 194.5 acres (including 162.9 acres in crops and 22 acres in pasture), and $142 an acre in value of land alone or $166 an acre in value of land and buildings. The farms were mostly on upland prairie soil, dark colored and rich in organic matter. 2. The average farm operator spent more than 90 percent of his time on the farm, and he and all other members of his family who were of productive age were normally at work on the farm more than a third of the time. They spent one-fourth of their time in rest and recreation, which left slightly over one-third of the time for sleep. Farmers in Illini and Philo townships, where social organizations were more prevalent, took more time for community activities than did farmers in Milam and Harwood. 3. Since hard-surfaced roads to the city were within two miles of 90 percent of the farm homes included in the study, most of the people purchased necessities in the cities and larger towns, and inci- dentals and things needed on the spur of the moment in the nearest town center. Tho this tendency was noticeable in the two areas with 1936} FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 125 town centers, it was more pronounced in the areas without trade centers. 4. The farmers in this study normally shipped their livestock via farmer-owned associations or by way of truck to large marketing centers such as Chicago or St. Louis. Grain, on the other hand, was delivered to village or, when available, to country elevators. 5. Most of the farmers patronized small local banks. (Changes in the banking system made subsequent to the time covered by this study, may have altered the banking situation in these rural communities.) 6. More off-the-farm time was spent in trading obtaining supplies for home and farm, selling, banking, etc. than for any other one pur- pose. An average of one-third of the time spent in making trips away from home was spent in trading. Next in importance, in point of time spent, were trips to attend meetings of the church, farm bureau, home bureau, 4-H clubs, and farm cooperatives. Young people who were members of these organizations spent more time in them than did adult members. Young people also spent more time in commercial amusements than did their parents, who turned for entertainment rather to such community affairs as high-school entertainments and contests, band concerts, and church societies. 7. Voluntary organizations the church, farm bureau, home bu- reau, 4-H clubs, cooperatives, social clubs, and lodges drew their support chiefly from the most stable members of these communities, stability being measured in terms of farm ownership, lack of mobility, and extent of formal education. 8. The reasons given for membership in organizations indicated that members laid more emphasis on the distinctive functions of such organizations than on their overlapping functions. The reasons given for being a member of a church, for example, were preponderantly those of spiritual benefit, the strengthening of morale, and the oppor- tunity to help others, not those of social opportunities or prestige. The reasons for belonging to business and educational organizations were indicated as the opportunities to gain business and educational informa- tion and services ; the reasons for belonging to social clubs and lodges, the social contacts and entertainment offered. 9. Most of those having experience in voluntary organizations held favorable attitudes toward them. This group, in general, coincided with the group that had attended the higher grades in school, had stayed on the same farms for a period of years, and had acquired ownership of their farms. 10. Participation in voluntary group organizations went hand in land with the development of leaders. Each type of organization de- sloped its own leaders to a large extent. A leader in one type of ac- ivity was not necessarily selected for leadership in another. The 126 BULLETIN No. 423 [May, pyramiding of leadership on some one or few persons was not appar- ent in this study. 11. Effective leaders in these communities were, or at least gave others the appearance of being, broadminded, willing to learn, public spirited, and cooperative qualities that are developed by social con- tacts and the experience of working with people. All leaders were expected to have such personal qualities as friendliness, honesty, cour- age, industry, perseverance, faithfulness, and ability to plan. These latter qualities were sought more frequently than the former in indi- viduals considered for places of leadership in these rural communities. SOME IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY This study indicates to some extent the way in which the pattern of rural family life and of rural community life is being altered by mod- ern forces of transportation and communication; and suggests that if the desirable qualities of rural life are to be retained it will be only by analyzing and wisely differentiating between the desirable and the undesirable effects of present forces and making aggressive effort to counteract the undesirable and foster the desirable. The problems facing leaders in rural communities are complex and perplexing. The business of farming, while less individualistic than it once was, still fosters a definitely individualistic point of view; and while this attitude of mind and the qualities associated with it are not undesirable in all their aspects, it is a force that rural leaders need to understand and reckon with. The farm family, even with the advent of better roads and communication, still retains much of its independ- ence as a social and economic unit. Furthermore, when the farmer leaves his farm to do his trading or visiting, he often goes entirely out of what was once regarded as the bounds of the community in which his farm is located. As a result community interests particularly local trade enterprises and interests of a religious and social character suffer from lack of support. When farmers do a large part of their trading, attend church and send their children to school outside the community, it is difficult to enlist their interest in local organizations. Other factors affecting interest and participation in community affairs are determined not so much by the habits of farmers as by the structure of the communities themselves: the proportion of tenants to owner-operators, the level of educational attainments, the stability or instability of the people as residents of the community, and the number and types of organizations functioning in the community. For the study indicates some correlation between ownership of farms and interest in organizations, and very decided correlation between "sta- bility" and higher amounts of schooling and interest in organizations. 1936] FORCES AFFECTING RURAL ORGANIZATION 127 To work toward the reduction of tenancy, the improvement of educa- tion, and the encouragement of more permanency of location or longer leases, longer terms of years on the same farms is to work for greater interest in community organizations and community affairs in general. Finally, altho the study indicates that churches, schools, and voluntary organizations touched most of the people of the four com- munities in one way or another, there was no indication that the organizations adequately supplemented each other, nor that their pro- grams were so correlated as to permit each to perform its own peculiar functions properly and without encroaching unduly upon the proper activities of other organizations. The organizations themselves their aims and their effectiveness in accomplishing those aims also of course determine to a considerable extent the attitudes of people toward them. Rural communities must be provided with three basic services if the needs of the people of these communities are to be adequately met: education definitely directed toward the enhancement of rural living; the advancement of the business and professional interests of farmers and farm homemakers ; and the fostering of religious interests. Pro- vision for other phases of a satisfying community life must also obvi- ously be made provision for good government, for social welfare, for sociability and recreation, and for health. Perhaps, for leaders of rural communities, the most encouraging indication from this study is the emphasis by the people themselves on what may be called the "functional approach" to rural organization. In other words, organizations must be means to definite ends if farm- ers are to take interest in and support them. High schools, for exam- ple, which adhere solely to what has commonly been known as the "college preparatory course" can hardly expect farmers to be enthu- siastic about the school program. And rural churches that neglect or do not make their religious functions vital to rural welfare need not wonder when farmers, or others, stay at home on Sunday morning. This suggests that farmers will probably give more and better support to those school programs which train their children adequately for rural living; to those church activities which promote better human relationships in the everyday life of the people they aim to serve and at the same time provide spiritual uplift and moral encouragement ; and to those business and educational organizations which bring the people together in harmonious working groups and supply information ind services that will most effectively promote the welfare of farming nd farm life. In short, farmers will support those organizations which they are invinced will enable them to operate their farms more profitably and ill bring to them and their families the cultural, recreational, and her opportunities which they desire. 80505-36 9218