Jasper Countu ClU .) Com- munitu Council. Wartirae Influences on Jasper counti3, Illinois. ^Jmm mm^i WARTIME INFLUENCES ON JASPER COUNTY ILLINOIS aiK A Study by the JASPER COUNTY COMMUNITY COUNCIL Assisted by College of Agriculture, University of Illinois and Bureau of Agricultural Economics U. S. Department of Agriculture April, 1946 RSM— 18 JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS WARTIME INFLUENCES AND COMMUNITY ^ f PROGRAMS FOLLOWING THE WAR f^5 A— How Many People? „ , As this territory was in the North- ^ South border there was also a steady PEOPLE IN JASPER COUNTY Yankee and Scotch-Irish migration ^ 1865— about 10 000 ^'^ northern gateways Ul^e Terre 1905-about 20.000 ^^"^^ ^"^^ ^- ^- ^^^ '° ^^^^ ^^ ^^^° 1945-about 10 000 ^^^'^ "^^'^ ^''^^^ P^°P^^ '" Effing'ham 1965-HowmanY ? ?' ? ^"""^"^y- ^''^^^ ''' Cumberland and 3,220 in Jasper. This territory was, however, still thinly settled as com- AK^ nv,«^iv, pared to the rest of Illinois. In 1850 Abe Lincoln, as a young man mov- ., , . . . TIT ■ t T^ ^ 1 • Jasper was the nmety-fifth county m mg mto Illmois from Kentucky via . . , ., J ,. . .,o„^ , population, only 7 containing less southern Indiana in 1830, went across , ' ,„„^ , ^ ■ , iir u u T,- TT- people. By 1860 Jasper contained the Wabash River at Vincennes ' „, ^^.^. , , „„,- v, ^ j- TT o t.n^ ^ • , . , , 8,364 to Effingham's 7,816, but di- (now U. S. 50), but circled north and ^, ,^ ,, „. ., ,,, ^■^, r>^ ^ , .^ X. , ^. rectly after the Civil War there was ^ west to cross the Embarrass River .^ .. • 4.^ -c^ff , ^ ., , a more rapid movement into tti- _ forty miles above the pioneer .^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ .^ ^g^^ .^ eontained r settlement at Newton However. ^^ g^g ^^ j^^p^^,^ ^^234. Many of ^. many settlers coming by these south- ^j^^^^ ^^^^ Germans via Chicago, . ern gateways, looking for timbered cincinnnati and St. Louis who spilled ' < lands rather than for the black . ^, -.ota. • <- ^u^ ,^^rt>,,Tr,^<::t f\ over in the 1870 s into the northwest ^ prairies farther north, stoppv^r". off in ^ , . ^ t„^ ^ \, *^^ tov.nship of Jasper. Crawford County so that in 1831 the westcn end of that county was es- p_ tablished as a separate county A few Bavarians and Rhineland ' (Jasper^ with a population of about Germans came directly from the old "^ 1,000. In 1834 a group of 50 families country in the following decades, but a\ from Alsace-Lorraine settled around in 1890 out of a total population of , Ste. Marie, 10 miles down the river 18,188 only 354 had been born in Ger- — from Newton. many, although people with German WAR TIME INFLUENCES and Alasalian names owned a con- siderable proportion of the land in 6 of the 11 townships. The crossing of two railroads (now ICRR) at Newton stimulated its growth from a county seat village to a town of 1630 by 1900, while Wade township surrounding it had 4,283 or over one-fifth of the county popula- tion. Meantime the high pioneer birth rate and continued immigration had so filled up other townships that Crooked Creek had 2,756, Grandville 1,956, South Muddy 1,477, mostly liv- ing on small farms. The peak popula- tion ever reached by the county, 20,- 160, was in 1900, making it 62nd in size in the state, with 40 Illinois coun- ties less thickly populated. From this peak in poulation there has been a steady decline since 1900. People have moved out of Jasper County or have died in numbers so much in excecs of the births and the in-movers that the county in 1945 contained only about half as many persons as in 1900. The proportion who were children and youth was much smaller than in 1900, while the proportion of aged was much larger. Population of Townships and Vi 1940 JASPER COUNTY 13.431 Townships CROOKED CREEK 1,434 (Hidalgo Village 191 Rose Hill Village 157 FOX 813 Grandville 840 (Yale Village 176 GROVE 884 HUNT CITY 686 NORTH MUDDY 1,059 Wheeler Village 174 STE. MARIE 1,031 (Ste. Marie Village 293 SMALLWOOD 762 SOUTH MUDDY 759 WADE 4,006 (Newton 2,347 WILLOW HILL 1,157 Willow Hill Village 372 * Estimate llages, 1900/O 1940 1930 1920 1910 1900 12,809 16,064 18.157 20,160 1,449 1,949 2,190 2,756 153 193 190) 179 202 229) 855 996 973 1,101 755 1,169 1,355 1,956 157) 862 1,031 1,199 1,418 680 980 1,144 * 928 1,041 1,313 1,517 1,777 189 214 255) 1,051 1,247 1,460 1,643 304 351 450) 749 1,041 1,075 1,221 726 1,052 1,310 1,477 3,567 3,888 4,283 4,283 2,076 2,083 2,108 1,630 1,074 1,398 1,651 *1,800 351 397 444) JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS The Growth of Newton Compared to the Rest of the County 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 10-^0 1940 1943 POP JLATIO] ^ - u. S. CEKSU3 NV7. 1 / / y RU lAL OU' :SIDE DF NEVf ;0N \_ '^ \ 2086 7219 10078 13347 16760 18530 16049 13981 10733 11084 8372 / : TEViTON 2500 1134 1145 1156 1168 1428 1630 2108 2083 2076 2347 JASPER COUNTY 3220 8364 11234 14515 18188 20160 18157 16064 12809 134 31 lOP'^'' Jasper Population, Compared with That of Bordering Counties COUNTY 1943 1940 1920 1910 1900 1890 1870 1850 Jasper 10,872 13,431 16,061 18,157 20,160 18,188 11,234 3,220 Crawford 18,652 21,294 22,771 26,281 19,240 17,283 13,889 7,135 Cumberland 9,466 11,698 12,858 14,281 16,124 15,443 12,223 3.718 Effingham 18,058 22,034 19,556 20,005 20,465 19,358 15,653 3,799 Richland 14,409 17,137 14,044 15,970 16,391 15,019 12,803 4,012 Suggested Topics For Discussion, (For Groups or Oiganization Meetings) 1. Why did so many people move in- and living more happily than did to Jasper and neighboring counties twice their number in 1900? between 1850 and 1900? 4. Can twenty thousand people live 2. Why have Jasper and Cumberland in the county in the future as lost population since 1900, while prosperously and happily as about the ot'her three have gained in ten thousand do now, population? 5 Stiould Jasper strive for about the 3. Are the people in Jasper County, same population in the future as as a whole, now more prosperous now, or more? Or less? WAR TIME INFLUENCES B— WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? The People in Horse and Buggy Days Jasper, being in tiie soutliern fringe of the corn belt, along the North- South border, is still in the process of bringing together into a common "culture" the descendants of the early Kentuckians and other south- erners with the Yankees and Ger- mans and others whose forebears came with northern sentiments. It is interesting to note that prior to 1850 in spite of immigration from the north and east by way of the Great Lakes and the National Road the economic and political sympath- ies of the agricultural midwest had been with the agricultural south. There were many differences between these two farming sections, especial- ly over slavery, but they had been so bound together by the steamboats of he Mississippi, Ohio and Wabash and had such common grievances against the money lenders in the east that they had stood together on major matters of politics through many campaigns. The development of railroads changed things. By the time the Civ- il War between the states was be- gun, a third of the railroad mileage of I'lie entire country was in the mid- dle western states, tending to tie them up closely with the expanding commercial activities and markets of the north and east. There was a migration of boom proportions from the north and east from 1860 to 1930. A considerable eddy of this current reached Jasper without, however, shitting its political allegiance away from the Democratic party until very recent years and then only partially. County Seat Community Influenced by the War Facing north, standing in front of the court house in Newton, the white marble memorial "erected by Jaseper County in memory of veterans of all wars" is a striking feature in an otherwise typical midwest county seat square, All the other public and private structures in the town and villages, as seen from the outside, fit without special distinction into the generally flat counryside. The good taste of the veterans' organiza- tions responsible for this m'earis of making "patriotic service forever re- membered" may symbolize the in- herent patriotism of the people of this county which sent its quota of youth into the armed services of World War I and World War II. One hundred and one families out- side of Newton, a five percent sample geographically selected to represent all townships and all classes of the population, were interviewed in the summer of 1944 by well qualified lo- cal school teachers (Miss Katherine Kerich and Miss Ruby Milner) under the supervision of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics and the Uni- veisity of Illinois. In the summer of 1945, 52 additional families were in- terviewed (by Mrs. Jane Smith) to JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS "round out the sample." Sixty-one percent were full-time farm owners, 19% full time farm tenants and 16% villagers and part- time farmers in both 1940 and '44 while only 4% reported any change in "tenure status." Nearly fhree- fourths of the families had not mov- ed in 10 years and one-third of the movers had moved in from oufside the county. The 26 village jobs in 1944 were about the same as in 1940: — mail car- riers 3, truckers 3 (1 less than '410), teachers 2, storekeepers 4 (1 more t'han '40), factory workers 1 (2 less than '40), hatchery operators 2, mis- cellaneous 11. As to the number of crop acres farmed, 27% of the fam- ilies had less than 50 acres, 13% had 50 to 99 acres and 60%, farmed over 100 crop acres. The Old American stock which came to the county from Kentucky and southern Indiana and from the northeast was represented by 270 grandparents (fathers and mothers of husbands and wives), 185 of the grandparents were reported as of Germanic stock, 55 Irish, 50 English, 19 Scotch, 14 French, 12 others. Some comparisons between the families with different nationality backgrounds may be significant: — The Germanic families were larg- est. Aveage size. Germanic, 4.6; Old American, 4.1; Others, 3.8. Proportionately more Old Ameri- can families had heads under 44 years Percentages. Old American, 49; Germanic, 41; Others 32. Proportionately more Old Ameri- can families represented in high s^'.iool. Percentages. Old American, 64; Others, 53; Germanic, 51. Proportionately more Germanic families represented in the armed service . Percentages. Germanic, 23, Others, 19; Old American, 16. Families with Germanic names tend more steadily to increase their holdings of the better farm lands than do the Old Americans or others. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:— 1. Are any families in Jasper County still living about as in the 'hors3 and buggy days? Is this good or bad? Why? 2. When is it better to own a farm and when to rent? 3. Is it better for Jasper County to be a "melting pot" of nationaliti3S or a "mosaic" of culture living in neighborly harmony? 4. What more non-farm services (carpentering, nursing, etc.) does your neighborhood need? Who will be available for sucti services in the future? 5. What is happening to the veterans who joined the armed services? What jobs are they taking? How many are locating in Jasper County? WAR TIME INFLUENCES GRANDPARENTS OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE FAMILIES Each symbol represents 25 grandpirents C— HOW THEY LIVE Jasper County is one of eig"!!! corn belt counties statistically selected by the Bureau of Agricultural Economics as a composite sample of the rural cul- ture of the corn belt. Together with 63 other counties in other regions, this national sample of .71 counties represents American Rural Culure as a whole. The Embarrass River and tributar- ies, with t'heir first bottoms, meander through more than a hundred miles of Jasper County. The lands, except where protected by levees, are freq- uently flooded in the spring but generally dry out for an annual corn crop. This accounts in part for the inclusion of this county in the corn belt, while it is also one of the Red Top Counties of southern Illinois. Ag- riculture has been the leading indus- try in Jasper County. Corn, as the most important crop, occupied about 60,000 acres a year before the war. Tame 'hay, largely red top, much of it threshed for seed, averaged about 34,000 acres. The soybean acreage had increased to about 20,000 acres in 1940, over 5,000 of which were thresh- ed. In the latter half of the nine- teenth century livestock production showed a gradual increase that seem- ed to follow the growth in popula- tion. After 1900 the general increase cc-i-sed, and in some cases, as in swine production, dropped back mate- rially. Poultry and poultry products are an important source of farm in- come. In 1940 there were more than 250,000 chickens over three months old and over 2 million dozen eggs were sold. Tenure of farm families is usually stable averaging 22 years of res- idence in their respective communi- ties. Thirty percent are tenants. Near- JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS THE CORN BELT ly half he farms are less than 100 acres, and only one-tenth are 260 and over. In 1939, one-seventh of *he farms produced products valued at less than $250, and almost two-thirds at less than $1,000. Practically all farmers rely on family labor, with many of the womenfolk and children as isting in field work during the harvest seasons. Powered farm ma- chinery is commonly used on the bet- ter farms, but many of the less pro- ductive and even smaller farms al.so use powered equipment, some of it second handed and uneconomical. Sawmills, a box factory, scattered oil wells and other private and public works afforded off-farm work over 100 days in 1939 to nearly one-eighth of the farm operators. Agricultural census Cattle & calves. No. Hogs & pigs. No..... Milk produced, gal. Eggs produced, doz. Soybeans harvested, bu. Corn harvested, bu. showed: Jan. 1, 1945 20,109 26,534 April 1 1940 17,074 17,275 2,989,666 2,882,481 2,207,069 1,935,294 441,511 74,223 1.639,382 2,012,351 Wartime Incomes. 1944 Compared With 1940 Full-tir'e farm owners, income, more 63 percent, same 35 percent, 2 percent less. Full-time farm tenants, income, more 50 percent, same 43 percent, 7 percent less. Villagers and part-time farmers, income, more 50 percent, same 42 per- cent, 8 percent less. WAR TIME INFLUENCES Corn Belt Black Prairies KENTUCKr CORN BELT COUNTIES IN THE EMBARRASS-WABASH-OHIO LOWER VALLEY In unfavorable years discouraged farmers have at times use a phrase, borrowed from the county historians, "Blue Jasper", referring to the blue clay hard-pan under so much of the top soil, keeping it wet until late in the spring and making it generally less productive per acre than fhe black land farther north. The muddy Em- barrass River wanders diagonally across the county with flood plains that are often covered with dismal looking water for a part of each year. There is, however, a time during some years when Jasper is definitely not blue. In early summer the land- JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS scape is esspecially colorful — thoa- sands of acres of fields which earlier have loolced thin and unproductive suddenly bloom into soft brick color- ed red-top meadows. This uniquely colorful hay crop is a feature of about a dozen counties in south central Illi- nois. In Jasper the red top is general- ly allowed to ripen for the seed, in an unusually good red-top year the sale of this seed may bring a quarter million dollars into the county. Rural Level of Living Indexes — B. A. E., October 1943 Rural Rural Com- Farm Non-Farm po.site Jasper 110 104 lOS Crawford 108 105 106 Cumberland ..112 100 107 Effingham ....111 110 111 Richland 107 86 102 Average 8 corn belt sample counties ....124 113 121 Housing — 1940 Census Needing No Number major electric reporting repairs lighting JASPER Co. ILL 2513 987 2211 Crooked Creek 320 67 272 Fox 142 88 121 Grandville .. 172 147 159 Grove 226 108 163 Hunt City 186 114 163 North Muddy 246 92 216 Ste. Marie .. 190 26 171 Smallwood .. 200 9 206 South Muddy 203 103 199 Wade 387 143 333 Willow Hill.. 241 90 211 Topics For Discussion: — 1. Are the farm lands of your neigh borhood getting less productive? If so, what specifically can be done about it? 2. How big should a farm be in your neighborhood? Who will be the operators of the "big enough" farms in your neighborhood ten years from now? 3. How many farmers work part time off tlieir farms? Do they live as well as full-time farmers? 4. Why do elderly farmers like to re- tire to a village? Is this tendency good or bad for them, for the younger people left on the farm, for the other people in • the vil- lage? 5. Does Jasper County generally make you feel "blue" or do you think it is a pretty good county? Why? 10 WAR TIME INFLUENCES D— THE NEWTON TRADE AREA The political community of New- ton, as the county seat, coincides with the boundaries of Jasper Coun- ty. The Newton High School com- munity, and the trade territory that looks to Newton for most of its ser- vices include most of the county, but there are scallops of territory around the edges where the children go to grade schools in adjoining counties and parents tend to trade in other centers than Newton. The more im- portant of these are shown on the map. Several are larger than New- ton. Within fhe Jasper County com- munity are about two dozen neigh- borhoods and rural parishes, some village centered and some entirely in the open country. Effingha' ingraham OIney JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS U Community Services and Utilities Newton 1935 Telegraph Office 1 Telephone Exchange 1 Post Office, stamp sales $25,000 Passenger trains daily Freight trains daily - 10 Busses daily stop 5 Freight truclis daily 6 1943 Library book circulation 1,150 Hospital Doctors 8 Dentists 5 Registered nurses 6 Ten Villages and Hamlets 1945 1935 1945 1 2 2 1 5 5 $50,000 $30,020* $15,464 10 Stop at 5 villages 10 Stop at 5 villages 10 Stop at 8 villages 1945 1,350 5 4 3 NEWSPAPERS MOST OFTEN READ 1940-5 In Newton — Mentor-Democrat, Newton Pres3, Terre Haute Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Chicaeo Sun, De- catur Herald. In the Villages — Mentor-Democrat, Newton Press, Chicago Tribune, Terre Haute Tribune. Chicago Sun, Decatur Herald. *Insurance company at Willow Hill large purchaser of stamps later mov- ed away. Commercial Services — Factories, Stores, Ban\s, Etc. stores and Newton, the county seat, has grown in population and services since 1900 although the population of the county has decreased. The peak in kinds and number of services in the county was reached in 1940 al- though there were more establish- ments in 1910. The drop in services between 1940 and 1945 is due princi- pally to rationing. This is more noticeable in the reduction of som^ clothing, shoe stores and filling sta- tions than in the food other auto services. An indication of trade carried on in towns outside the county is given by the banking towns by Dun and Bradstreet for some of the places in the county. In 1945 the following were lissted: Willow Hill, banking town Newton or Oblong (Crawford County); Hidalgo, banking town Newton or Greenup (Cumberland County); Yale, banking town Casey 12 WAR TIME INFLUENCES (Clark County); Gila, banking town Montrose (Effingham County). All other places, except Ste. Marie, gave Newton as the banking town. Re- flecting the financial depression, 1930-1935, the banks in six smaller towns, went out of business and did not reopen. The National Bank and the State Bank in Newton and the State Bank in Ste. Marie, the three banks in the county which weathered the depression of the 30's, have stead- ily increased their deposits especial- ly since 1940. Their combined de- posits at the end of 1945 exceed $6,- OOO.OCO. Places Grouped According To Their Population Group 1. Newton — a city with a wide variety of services. — population 2,347, is centrally located at the in- tersection of paved roads and rail- roads and accessible to all parts of t'ae county. In 1940, there were only 10 kinds of services listed in the county which were not found in New- ton. Kinds of services — 77 enterprises. commercial Number of services — 167 groceries, dry goods, gas and oil, etc. Number of establishments — 107 stores, garages, warehouses, etc. Group 2. Seven towns and commun- ities with the most essential services and a few specialty services: Willow Hille, Ste. Marie, Hidalgo, Yale, West Liberty, Wheeler, and Rose Hill. Group 3. Nine places with very limited services: Hunt, Bogota, Fal- mouth, Gila, Boos, Lis, Shamrock, Ad- vance, and Point Pleasant. Between 1935 and 1945 the follow- ing new services are listed for one or more periods indicating growth in manufactures and farming enter- prises. The manufacture of bever- ages, butter and cheese; dairy pro- ducts, hatcheries, florist, green- house; the manufacture of boxes and baskets, sheet metal works, ma- chine shop, dyeing, furniture repair, sewing machines, trucking and some other auto services. Farm machinery is listed for the first time in 1945 but the numerous listings of hardware and implements reflect extensive farming operations throughout the periods studied. The manufacture of 'nardwood lumber is an important 'n- dustry in this county. What Are The Local Resources? Land to produce farm products, a certain amount of timber and petro- leum, and most important of all, people. In 1940 manufacutring in- dustries were meager. The chief ones were related to wood and the possi- bilities of expanding these are be- ing considered. The timber base is to be explored and steps taken to get good timber growing on land best adapted to forestry. The pro- cessing of food and kindred pro- ducts is a very minor enterprise. Local products are chiefly live animals which are marketed outside of the area, JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 13 milk and cream w'hich largely go Lo plants outside the county, and poul- try and eggs. Any opportunities for food processing are chiefly in con- nection with these products. But food industries based on using the raw producs of the county would not employ many people. How jasper County People Earn Their Living In 1940 the labor forces in Uie county according to the census con- sisted of 4,852 people, 4,302 male and 550 female. These were 81 per- cent and 11 prcent respectively of the males and females 14 years and over in age in t'he county. This is how these 4,852 people were divided by occupations: C.assification -^^^ iigr.cullure 2,765 R>.tainng: 41C Food (.inciudmg restaurants) (147) Motor vehiC.es & gasoline (including storage & service) (107) Other retailing (162) On Public emergency work 375 In professions 219 Manufacturing and related work: 215 Wood (including logging and sawmills) (109) Leather textiles ( 30) Mineral & metal products (including petroleum ( 25) Food and kindred products ( 19) Printing and publishing ( 9) Other ( 23) Domestic service and hotels 151 Construction 138 Transportation, communication and utilities 134 Gcvrnment 99 Seeking work 93 Miscellaneous services 83 Wholesale trade 45 Fin-'nce, insurance and real estate 44 Amusements 15 O her work 60 Total 4,852 57.00 8.57 (3.03) (2.21) (3.34' 7.73 4.51 4.43 (2.25) ; .62) : .52) : .39) : ,19) : .47) 3.11 2.84 2.76 2.04 1.92 1.71 .92 .91 .31 1.24 100.00 With 2,980 primary producers in farming, drilling, logging and manu- facturing we find 1,414 in supporting jobs and 468 in public emergency work or unemployed Thus for each 100 primary jobs about 50 are in sup- porting work and about 15 unemploy- ed or on emergency public work. To develop the economic base of the county more productive primary work must be found. More primary jobs would mean increased jobs in other lines. With more goods to haul more people will be employed in transportation; with more people em- ployed more mercliants will have op- 14 WAR TIME INFLUENCES portunities to furnish them with goods and services. If employment is founa tor ihe people within the county, it must lie in manufacturing of some products using outside sources of raw material. It should be in industries which util- ize considerable labor, such as textile, leather, wood, or metal products. Two branches of the Illinois Central railroad cross the county. These and hard roads provide transporta- tion; a river is available for a wats. supply; power is available; the county is close to the geographic center of the United States, so mark- ets are not far away; finally, there is a surplus of workers — the best re- source of the county. Either jobs must be provided; t'he people will leave as population trends indicate they have done in the past; or large numbers will go on relief. CUMBERL AND COUNT Y CLARK ca IDA^C GROUP 1 WMEELtR GROUP 3 ROSE. MILL GROUP 2 GROUP 4 GROUP 7 GROUP 8 GROUP 9 GROUP 5 CLAY COUNTY R I C JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 15 Cornmuniiy and Neighboring Relationships Ine consensus oi opinions and de- winter of 1945-6 are shown by the sires of the people relative to their neighborhood and community rela- tionships as expressed at the inform- al meetings called by the Sc'nool Sur- vey Committee during the fall and map on the preceding page. This will be the basis for recommendations as lo school district reorganization to be submitted to a referendum by the voters. Village and Parish Communities At Island GrOve, bte. ?.Iarie, the Bend and Wendelin strong rural caurch paris'nes help determine the boundaries. Around Gila, Wheeler, West Liberty, Yale, Rose Hill and Hidalgo the boundaries are also in- tluenced by the area witnin which the viDage trade and services are considered "local". The immediate territoric.3 served by Newton and Willow Hill are partly determined by the high school attendance at the respective sc'hools. County meetings of civic, educational, religious and social organization and movements are almost always held in Newton. In the county outside of Newton, local meetings "have not however gen- erally been successful if held in the village centers. Certain open-country school houses have been the neign- borhood centers to which the local people would come for education and recreation. Tne proposed reorgani- zation of the county school system will reorganize the changing com- munity and neighborhood relations throughout t'he county, being brought about by improved roads, population shifts and other factors. Topics For Discussions 1. Are there more friendly ties be- tween Newton and the rural peo- ple than there are conflicts and antagonisms? - .':.i--. s^-" 2. Where antagonisms exists, what seems to be at fault, and wtiat can be done to remedy the situ- ation? 3. Will the number of people who work in Newton but live on small farms increase or decrease? A good trend or bad? 4. What are the prospects of contin- ued growth of Newton, with more and more job oportunities. T). What has the postwar future in store for the little villages? 16 WAR TIME INFLUENCES -EDUCATION— HOW LONG THEY HAVE ATTENDED SCHOOL Years of School Completed — Census Population 940— Rural Farm Jasper Seward 111- Neb. Persons 25 years old and over 5,048 4,286 Completed grade school, 7 or 8 years 3,738 2,362 High School— 1 to 3 years 289 507 Hig-h School— 4 years 184 449 College— 1 to 3 years 122 123 College — 4 years or more 26 31 Median years completed 8.0 8.1 Attended high school — farm population 12.3% 25.9% Attended high school — non- farm population 32.6% 39.5% Randolph Henry Mo. Ind. 4,542 6,137 2,330 2,843 624 729 524 910 180 235 55 97 8.3 8.4 30.8% 27.7% 39.3% 43.3% HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. BASED ON 153 FAMILIES INTERVIEWED. 1944-5 Number Number with Member Percent Visited in High School in 1945 of Families 57% Full-time farm families 125 Village or part-time families .... 28 Number with Member in High School in 1945 or Previous Years 71 15 54% Jasper County Schools In the horse and buggy days there were established in Jasper coun- 124 school districts. As the popula- decreased, 12 of these disappeared by absorption into other districts so that in 1945 there were 112 districts. 1 Non-High School District 2 High Schools Newton, with an enrollment of 450 pupils. Willow Hill, with an enrollment of less than 50 pupils. 1 City Elementary School. 1 Three-room Elementary School. (This school is in Non-High Ter- ritory and two years of high school work is given at this school). 3 Two-room Schools. 104 One-room Schools. JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 17 Trend in Pupil Enrollment in the Schools of Jasper County for 1920 and each 5-year Period thereafter includ- :.ng 1945-46. Grade 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 '45-6 1 453 450 372 329 288 183 2 383 379 293 245 302 205 3 359 388 314 334 277 189 4 526 369 365 265 260 226 5 168 521 227 391 240 172 6 681 164 453 187 331 181 7 957 710 157 574 139 186 8 735 91 450 100 359 242 9 93 180 155 191 138 154 10 75 99 108 66 156 127 11 39 108 67 138 102 97 12 32 61 61 59 133 113 otal 4501 3520 3022 2879 2725 2075 During the 1945-1946 School Year Jasper County Has 128 Active Teachers 3 Teachers have Life Supervisory Certificates 3 Teachers have Limited Supervisory Certificates. 1 Teacher has a Life High School Certificate. 17 Teachers have Limited High School Certificates. 65 Teachers have Limited Elementary Certificates. 1 Teacher has an Emergency Certi- ficate (Higli School) 1 Elementary Teacher has an Emer- gency Certificate. 37 Rural Teachers have Eemergency Certificates. TRAINING OF TEACHERS: 22 Teachers have four or more years of College Training. 5 Teachers have between three and four yars of College Training. 22 Teachers 1 ave between two and three >ears of College training. 26 Teachers have between one and two years of College Training. 53 Teachers have less than one year of College Training. A Survey of the 1945-1946 School En- rollment in Jasper County Shows The Following: 28 districts have only the First Grade. 21 districts have only one the Second Grade. 24 districts have only one the Third Grade. 22 districts have only one the Fourth Grade. 21 districts have only one the Fifth Grade. 15 districts have only one the Sixth Grade. 13 districts have only the Seventh Grade. 18 districts have only the Eighth Grade. By adding we find the sum of 162 which means that there are 162 pupils in the schools of Jasper County who are alone in their classes and so have no classmates to offer them competi- tion, either in their classroom studies or play activities. one pupil in one pupil in one pupil in pupil in one pupil in one pupil in one pupil in one pupil in The Data Listed Below is Figured on the 1944-1945 School Year: There were 31 schools in Jasper County that had an average daily at- tendance of less than 7. je WAR TIME INFLUENCES There were 56 schools in Jasper County that had an average daily at- tendance of less than 10. In the 31 schools that had an aver- age daily attendance of less than 7, the cost for educating 166 children with an average daily attendance of 143.53, was $28,027.17. Based on the average daily attendance, this makes a cost of $195.27 per capita or per pupil. In the 56 schools that had an aver- age daily attendance of less than 10, the cost of educating 410 children with an average daily attendance of 351.09, was $56,721.42. Based on aver- age daily attendance, this makes a cost of $161.55 per capita or per pupil. Newton Community High School CUMBERLAND COUNTY CLARK CO. s < X o z h. U. U HI0AL60 NEWTON ROSE HtUU CASEV HIGH SCHOOL NO. 202 WHESieR COMMUNITY NEWTON MiGU SCHOOL WILLOW HiLL HIGH NO. 125 STE MARIE NQQ? B L N 6 H. S NO. 203 CLAY COUNTY R I C H L U N JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 19 The one educational institution which influences nearly all parts of the county is the Newton High School with 25 teachers and over 500 stu- dents. The Vocational Agriculture Deparment has developed a group of 96 Future Farmers of America who put their information into practice in all parts of the county. In 1943-4, the Vocational Agriculture Deparment sponsored a series of Farm Folk> N.ght schools at 22 neighborhood centers distributed through the vari- ous townships. Fifty of the 153 farm and village families interviewed in 1944-5 reported that some member at- tended one of the Farm Folks N.ght Schools. Fifty sevent percent of the full-time farm families also reported t'hat in 1943-4, or in past years, at least one member of the .family had attended a high school. In the village and part-time families the percentage was 54. Among the families who said they were at least three-fourt'hs Old American stock 64 percent had had a member in high school, while 51 per- cent of the families who were at least three-fourths Germanic stock reported any member with high school experi- ence. The Influence of the Newton High School Has Steadily Expanded. In 1920 the higli school district in- cluded 89 sections of land In 1945 the high school district in- cluded 315 sections of land. In 1929-30 the high school attend- ance was 242 pupils. In 1945-46 the high school attend- ance was 457 pupils. In 1928-29 the high school faculty included 11 teachers. In 1933-4 the high school faculty included 12 teachers. In 1945-6 the high school faculty included 18 teachers. In 1929 the graduating class num- bered 37 graduates. In 1939 the graduating class num- bered 77 graduates. In 1940 the graduating class num- bered 110 (the largest class). In 1945 the graduating class num- bered 57 graduates. These graduates came from: New- ton 22, villages 4, farms 31. In 1945-6 seven bus routes were operated. Three buses wer owned and operated by the school, two were owned privately and contracted by ('strict. One bus makes two routes daily. One bus is for the Dundas High School District and Non-High District around Ste. Marie. Newton High School Adult Education An Adult Education Program has been carried on very extensively for the past five years, 1940 to 1944. More than 50 adult evening schools have been conducted in centers throughout the county with some 800 to 1,000 adults in attendance. More recently programs have been held ctv the high school as a center. At pres- ent there are three such classes: 1. Dairy farmers and wives. 2. Young married farm folks and 3. Un- married farm boys and girls who are out of school and generally graduates of the school. The men and boys are under an agricultural instructor, Paul Walker. The women and girls are under a home economic insructor, Mrs. Mary L. Miller. To meet the demands made by an enrollment of seventy-five vet- erans, Kenneth Jones became agricul- tural instructor to devote full time to the Veterans Program. 20 WAR TIME INFLUENCES Wilhw Hill High School District ESTABLISHED IN 1915. NOW INCLUDES 30 SECTIONS OF LAND. High School 1945-6 Attendance— 36 Pupils. Higli School 1945-6 Faculty— 3 Teachers. High School 1945 Graduates — 7 Graduates. F— RELIGION— WHERE THEY WORSHIP 1^40 CUECKUP OF CUURCU ATTENDANCE P0PULATI0N-IB,43l-^360*=373 PEOPLE PEIl DEGREE NON-CMUR.CU 10,218 00/ 091 0L\ JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 21 The Churches of Jasper County In 1940 most of the ministers in Jasper County, Protestant and Cath olic, cooperated in a county-wide Campaign for Christ. In preparation for this campaign 2,928 families were interviewed in the towns and open country. The approximately 600 fam- ilies which were missed, according to the 1940 census, were allocated pro- portionally in accordance with the answers received from those inter- viewed. This census indicated thai about 55 percent of the people were affiliated with some church but that 24 percent attended church with any regularity. Even after adjustment to ttie total population it showed only 5,584 persons as active in the churches, out of a population given by the 194i) census as 13,341. The challenge to the local minist- ers and congregations and to the dis- trict, state and national leadership of the various denominations was dis- cussed in several denominational and interdenominational conferences held in ttie county following this cam- paign. Several high officials of sonie of the denominations visited Jasper County, studied the local situation and participated in these local con- ferences. These efforts culminated in the organization January 29, 1945 of a church committee under the sponsor- ship of ttie Jasper County Community Council, with Rev. Clifford Smith, Pas- tor of the Newton Grace Methodist Church, chairman and Rev. George NpU. Pastor of St. Joseph's Catholic C'liurch, Island Grove, Secretary. The Church Committee voted to underake two definite jobs: (1) To take another Religious Census of the families in Jasper County in 1945; (2) to cooperate v/ith the University of Ill- inois and Bureau of Agriculural Ecori- omics in a survey of all the churchts in t'ne county. Tha Religious Census — 1945 In 1945, under the auspices of the Church Committee of the Jasper Coun- ty Council, active and locally well ac- quainted laymen in each township se cured information from nearly ail families in the county, in both town and country. T'he questions asked were not identical with those asked in 1940 so that comparisons must be con- s.dered as approximate only. In 1945 about 63 percent of the fam- ilies reported church membership or affiliation. About 33 percent of all the families in the county were con- siderer" o be active in church attend- ance. Jasper County Church Survey— ]945 Under the auspices of the church Committee of the County Council, field staff members of the University of Illinois and the U. S. Department of Agriculture gathered information to supplement the churcTi census. 22 WAR TIME INFLUENCES 940 Religious Census ,. 3!>0 Q . 10 'i^\>.,.^-— t — I — t— -p^ mm^^ In the summer of 1945 the church buiiamgs located in the county total- ed 668 but 15 of them were not being used. Seven of the 53 in use were in Newton and ten in villages. Thirty- six were in the open country. By denominations 14 were Methodists, 12 Congregational-Christian, 7 Church of Christ, 7 Baptist, 4 Catholic, 3 United Brethren, 3 Presbyterian, 1 Lutheran. The Newton and village churches had seating capacity of 3,770, but report- ed only 2,667 members and only 3 felt that church attendance was ex- cellent. The seating capacity in the 35 open-country churches was 6,260, with 2,126 members and 5 with ex- cellent attendance. Eleven had ser- vices every Sunday, 16 twice a month, and 20 once a month. The church re- ports for 1944 did not significantly dif- fer from those for 1940. Based on in- formation obtained from 153 farm and village families interviewed in 1944-5 for every 100 famiUes who at- tended a local neighbor'hood church, 23 went to one outside, probably to a town or village church; whereas in JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 23 1940 for every 100 who attended local- ly, 18 went outside. The proportion of owners, farm and non-farm, who were church members was nearly two- 1545 O WNERS 8. RENTE RS CtiURCU' STATUS 2.798 FAMILIES -^360 • 7.77-FAMlLIES PER DEGREE Ofll 081 0L> lQ4LCHyUCM_MEMBERS yyiNGlN_COyNTRVLVUtMEJQWN_ 09/ OST OL' °'*^ TOTAL MEMBERSHIP RtIiORTll*(^1518FMi(IL\ES-1002f-4;^>EiS«KS TOTAL IN COUNTY -3.0W FAMILIES* 3.411 = 9.911 PERSONS 4.1tf AMILIES* I* fhirds as against a little over half of the tenants being members. The estimated value of all the church properties in use except one small one was reported in 1945 as $293,800. Thirty-two of the congre- gations contributed less than $300.uJ per year to pastor's salary, 12 contrib- uted $300 to $1,100 and 6 contributed $1,200 or niore, 4 being Catholic, 2 2 Protestant. The total churc'h budg- ets for all the 50 churches in he county reporting totaled in 1944 some- thing under $50,000. The budgets for the four Catholic parishes totaled $23,350; for the forty-six Protestant churches $26,650. INFORMATION SECURED IN SUMMER OF 1945 BY REV. HUDSON McNAIR. Number of Churches operating ....53 Number of churches not operating ..15 Churches reporting 50 Village: 15 Churches Grace Methodist, Newton. First Christian, Newton. First Baptist of Newton. Church of Christ, Newton. First Presbyterian, Newton. St. Thomas, Newton. Salem Baptist, Willow HilL North Forli Primitive Baptist, Wil- low Hill. Willow Hill Methodist. First Bogota Baptist. Rose Hill Mehodist. Crool^ed Creelc Congregational- Christian, Hidalgo. St. Mary Catholic, Ste. Marie. Wheeler Church of Christ. West Liberty Methodist. Open Country — 35 Churches Cummins United Brethern. Plainfield U.B., Rose Hill Hidalgo Baptist Church, Hidalgo. 24 WAR TIME INFLUENCES Blair Methodist Church, Blair. Asbury Methodist Church, Asbury. Bogota Christian Church, Bogota. South Muddy Baptist, South Mud- dy township. Headyville Church of Christ, Sou^h Muddy township. Oak Hill Met-hodist, Oak Hill. Falmouth Methodist, Falmouth. Chapel Church of Christ, Chapel. Kedron Methodist Church, Kedron. Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Yale. St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Island Grove. St. Valentine's Catholic ChurcJi, Bend (Oblong.) Pleasant Valley Congregational Christian. Sand Creek, Congregational Christ- ian, Kedron. CUURCU PROPERTY VALUE JASPER COUNTY TOTAL VALUE 4293,800.00 r- 1816.00 Hopewell, Congregational Christian Long Swamp. S'hiloh, Congregational Christian. South Bend, Congregational Christ- ian. Bethany, Congregational Christian, The Mound. Conner Chapel Church of Christ. Fairview Congregational Christian, Newton, (Fairview). Harmon Chapel Methodist, Harmon. Hunt City Congregational Christian. Hunt. Wheeler Methodist Church, Wheelei Latona Christian (Church of Christ). Latona. New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Hickory. United Lutheran, Gila. Hays Methodist Church. Kerns U. B. Mounds Methodist. Bethel Methodist. Yale Methodist Church. Yale Church of Christ. Bethany Baptist, Advance. Churches Not Reporting Three The Cong. Brockvillc; Christian Pilgrim Holiness, Ste. Marie. Free Methodist New- ton. 081 JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 25 Village Centered Chucrhes — 15 1935 1940 '44-' 15 Total membership ..2,555 2,543 2,667 Total seat, capacity 3,770 3,770 3,770 Attendance — Churches Reporting: .\. Village Member. 1,167 1,126 1,2^9 E.xcellent 3 3 3 Good 9 11 11 Poor 3 11 Attendance — Churches Reporting: B. Open-Country Membership 1,388 1,417 1,458 E.xcellent 2 2 2 Good 9 10 10 Poor 4 3 3 Open-Country Churches — 35 Total Membership ..2,129 2,110 2,126 Total Seat. Capacity 6,260 6,260 6,260 Attendance — Churches Reporting Excellent 4 4 5 Good 29 28 26 Poor 2 3 4 Number of Churches by Denomina tions (1944-5) Methodist 14 Congregational-Christian 12 (One not reporting.) Church of Christ 7 Baptist 7 Catholic 4 United Brethren 3 Presbyterian 3 (Cumberland Presbyterian at Bethel Methodist) Lutheran 1 Total 51 Number with resi- dent pastor 14 15 14 Worship Services Held: — 4 Sundays per mo. 10 3 Number of Churches 4 Sundays per mo. 2 Sundays per mo. 1 Sunday per mo. O Sundays per mo. Value of Church Property: 11 10 11 18 19 16 20 21 20 Total, 53 Churcties Under $2000 $2,C00 to $10,000 $10,000 and over 282,525 $284,925 $293,800 26 25 25 18 19 19 Amounts Contributed Yearly To Pastor's Salary 1935 1940 1944-5 Under $300, number of churches 37 36 32 $300 to $1,100, num- ber of churches 7 8 12 $1,200 or over, num- ber of churches — - 6 6 6 Church budgets, total for 1944-5, 50 churches— $48,285. Sunday School Attendance, '44-5 Compared to '40 More in '44-5 than in'40 — 18. Les3 in '44-5 than in '40 — 11. Same in '44-5 than in '40^ — 11. Number not reporting Sunday School— 10. Number of churches reporting spec- ial participation in youth religious organizations and activities, 1944-5 — 17. Number of churches sponsoring act- ivities or events which were for thi entire community, 1944-'5 (13 revivau only) — 36. 26 WAR TIME INFLUENCES Topics For Discussion: — 1. America is called a christian na- tion. Do you think that Jasper County is a Christian County? If yes, what facts support such ans- wer? If no, on what do you base such an opinion? 2. Why are not more people active in church attendance and work? 3. Would the churches be stronger and influence more people if, — small congregations would join forces to make larger congrega- tions? More recognition and re- sponsibilities were given to youth'!' Better salaries were paid to past- ors? Pastors were full-time resi- dents in the church community? 4. Why do churCh people not make larger contributions for the support of their churches? 5. Would the financial contributions be larger if, — Several small con- gregations should combine into a few larger ones? All pastors were full-time residents in the church neighborhoods? The church build- ings and grounds were more beau- tiful and better equipped? Church debts, voted by the congregations after full discussion, needed to be paid off? C— VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS To better cooperate in tackling problems growing out of conditions described or suggesed in the preced- ing pages, the people of Jasper Coun- ty have from time to time in the past voluntarily banded themselves together in many different member- ship organizations. Some of these are strictly local, and some are affil- iated with similar organizations in other communities, or are units in state, national or international move- ments. In addition to the Sunday Schools, Sodalities and other organi- zations closely identified with the several churches, the lodges of Ma- sons, Knights of Columbus and Odd Fellows, there are several dynamic youth organizations sponsored by the schools, churches and Extension Ser- vice which are important factors in the community. The 24 voluntary or- ganizations in the Jasper County Com- munity Council, April 1946, are listed below, with the date when organiz- ed and the present chief officers. 1895 — Jasper County Medical Soci- ety — Dr. C. O. Absher, Secretary. 19G5 — Jasper County Bar Associa- tion — Albert E. Isley, President. 1915 — Newton Boy Scouts— Earl Du- frain, Scout Master. 1917— Jasper County Red Cross — Earl Reese, President. 1917 — Newton Women's Federated Club— Mrs. J. C. Thormahlen, Presi- dent. 1917 — Newton Junior Woman's Club — Norma Huddleston, President. 1919— Jasper Post American Legion — Ray Everly, Adjutant. 1925— Newton Rotary Club— M. B. Platz, President. 1925— Newton Ministerial Associa- tion—Rev. R. R. Finlayson, President. 1925— Newton Thursday Book Club —Mrs. Ollie Arnold, President. JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 27 1928— Co-op Parish Activities Ser- vice — Fr. George Nell, Director. 1930— Newton Civic Club— Dale Wil- son, President. 1933 — Production Credit Association — Emerson Raines, Secy's., Treas. 1934 — Parent Teachers' Association — Mrs. Lawrence Jourdan, President. 1936 — Jasper County Farm Bureau- - Geo. Reigle, President. 1936— Four-H Clubs— R. E. Apple, Marion Simon, Advisors. 1937 — Norris Electric Cooperative — Merle D. Yost, Manager. 1939— Jasper County Tuberculosis Association — Mrs. C. O. Absher, Pre,. 1939 — Jasper County Sportsman's Club — Ernest Benefiel, President. 1940 — Future Farmers of America- - Paul Walker, Voc.-Agr. Teacher. 1943— Business and Professional Women's Club — Mrs. Norma Eaton, President. 1944 — Newton Girl Scouts — Mrs. Catherine Dufrain, Scout Mistress. 1945 — Agricultural-Industrial Com - mittee — Merritt Clark, Chairman. 1945 — Jasper County Home Bureau — Mrs. Earl Heady, President. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:— 1. Why 'have voluntary organizations, why not let the government do it? 2 Are voluntary organizations and government agencies most often m conflict or teaming up together? 3. Does your neighborhood have ade- quate membership in the active voluntary organizations in thi^ county? If not, w'hy not? 4. Does the county need things done by voluntary organization in addi- tion to what is being done? 5. V/hat things to be done by what organization? H— GOVERNMENT AGENCIES The principal government officials and agencies with responsibilities for public programs in Jasper County are listed below with their current local responsible 'heads. Agricultural Production and Mark- eting Administration (AAA) — Jasper County Committee — Howard L. New- lin„ Chairman; G. F. Kinsel; O. P. Turnipseed. Cooperative Extension Service in Agriculture and Home Economics — R. E. Apple, Farm Advisor; Marion S!- mon. Home Advisor. Farms Home Administration — W. E. Joseph, Supervisor. Newton Soil Experiment Field — F. C Bauer, P. E. Johnson. Illinois Veterans' Commission — E. R. Warren, County Service Officer. State Road Commission — John A. Hardwick, County Superintendent Highways. Public Aid Commission — Warford E. Baker, Superintendent; Marie Kissing- er. Jasper County Commissioners — Roy Shull, E. J. Kepley, Dewey Grove, Ralph Cunningham, A. B. Isley, Ernest Short, C. E. Lewis, Alfred Griffith, Al- den Leggett, Floyd B Biggs, Leo B. Bergbower, Burton Acklin. County School Superintendent — Rolla B. Cramer. County Healtli Council— Rolla B. Cramer, President; C. O. Absher, Vice 28 WAR TIME INFLUENCES President; Mrs. Earl Heady, Secretary; D. L. Sims, Teasurer. Newton Mayor and Council — C. G. Batman, Mayor. Newton Public Library— Mrs. Hallie Hubbard, Librarian. County School Districts Survey Com- mittee— C. E. Urfer, Cliairman; Lewis Reis, E D. Dalton, R. P. Matheny, C. C. Fuson, A. .B. Isley, G. D. Reigle, Everett Price, Orran Keach. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:— 1. State five problems that are wor- rying many of the people of your neighborhood as they face the fu- ture. 2. What specific things might any one or all of the above agencies do to help you folks solve some of the^e problems? 3. If they are not making any plans to help, why not? 4. Whose business is it to present your needs to agencies that might give you t'he desired services? 5. How sure can the neig'hborhood spokeman be that the neighbors will all back him up and do their part in any constructive program that mig'ht be started. I. PRODUCTION AND MARKETING POSTWAR PROGRAMS Going programs of organizations and agencies that will help to de- termine the number of people that can be supported by Jasper County and how they will live in the post- war period art- summarized below. Agriculture The 2,230 farms in Jasper County, 129 fewer than in 1940, have been steadily increasing in size and will probably continue to do so, if fhey are to yield satisfactory incomes to the operators under such postwar conditions as are being generally fore- casted. To stimulate and guide this development and to encourage the expenditure of reasonable amounts from such incomes in better rural living, several organizations and agencies have very definite programs. The AAA goals and plans for 1946 to assist farmers in restoring and im- proving soil fertility and in growing crops suited to the capacity of the land aim to reduce corn somewhat but increase soybeans considerably and oats a little, to reduce tame hay but increase pastures, to 'hold the milk supply but increase chickens. The Extension Service, cooperatively supported by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the University of Illinois and the Jasper County Farm and Home Bureaus will continue its com- prehensive program of advice to farmers and farm women based on the latest research and on successful local practices, with special emphasis in 1946 on soil fertility, improved methods in marketing livestock, rur- al youtli and Four-H Club activitie.-? and clothing, food and room improve- ment projects, with a party-a-month for home bureau local groups. Newton Chapter Future Farmers of America includes a voluntary mem- bership of all high school boys enroll- ed in vocational agriculture. In addi- JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 29 tion to their regular classroom work, these boys on t'neir home farms car- ry on a program of improved farm practices. The high school vocation- al agriculture department also con- ducts adult evening schools in vari- ous community centers over the county Out of these meetings has de veloped a method of monthly cow testing and record keeping wtierein the dairymen mail in their sampler and meet monthly in meetings to discuss their production problems. A major challenge to all farmers and their organizations and the agen- at 10, five of the Jasper soils are ^cted lu. .ive at 9, two at 8 and sev- en at 4 to T. Since 1912 the Depart- ment of Agronomy has maintained a Soil Experiment Field near Newton. Their experiments sliow not only how 10 increase yields on two of the ma- jor soil types but also how to make the treatment profitable. The Farme.'s Home Administration, formed by the merger of the Farm Security Administration and tho Emergency Crop and Feed Loan Di- vision of the Farm Credit Administra- tion, will continue to make loans for NEWTON SOIL EXPERIMENT FIELDS TREND OF BEHAVIOR S20 §10 1915 1920 1925 cies that work with them is to re- store and maintain soil fertility. In Soil Report No. 68, 1940, the Illinois Experiment Station names 19 aoil types in Jasper County. Practically all t'hese soils are acid and there is no local outcrops for making agricultur- al lime. Fourteen of them are low in available phosphorus, 17 low in or ganic matter. In a productivity index where the most productive soils in the state are rated at 1 and the least productive 1930 1935 1940 operating funds and equipment and to give guidance to qualified farmers and farm laborers to whom adequate credit from other sources is not avail- able. Loans and guidance will also bo available for fhe purchase and de- velopment of family size farms and for the enlargement of small farms to family size units where adquate credit is not available from other sources. Veterans of World War I and World War II are given prefer- ential consideration. 30 WAR TIME INFLUENCES Industry and Trade The Agricultural-Industrial Commit- tee of twelve farmers, one from each township and the farm advisor and of twelve businessmen will continue to meet from time to time to discuss their mutual problems and will en- deavor to bring town and country closer together. The Civic Club has permanent com- mittees on finance, merchants, in- dustry, membership. Its major em- phasis in 1946 will be in support of the movement for a hospital. With the Pure, Texas and Ohio Oil Companies already having about 300 producing wells in Jasper, 100 brought in since 1940, the field is expanding toward the northeast and the south- west townships of the county. The Pure Oil Company will likely main- tain a force of 25-50 men in Jasper in 1946 The shoe factory, a branch of the International Shoe Company, will have 100 people on their roll, the box factory 40, the broom factory 40, the poultry packing plant 40 and some express the hope that the U. S. Department of Commerce, Office of Small Business of which L. F. Arnold of Newton is now director, may be 'able to assist other small enterprises to expand their payrolls. Several re- tail and service establishments closed during the war are reopening, as vet- erans and others return to former em- ployment. There is however no ag- gressive program by any organization or agency to push industrialization in Jasper County. While there are many competent, aggressive individual merchants and service establishments in the coun- ty, the cooperatives, sponsored by the Farm Bureau, appear to set the pace. The cooperatives active during 1946: 1. Rich-Law Service Co. — Petroleum, feed, fertilizer, farm supplies 2. Dairy Marketing Comm. — Prairie farms, Olney creamery. 3. Jasper County Producers Supply Co. — Wool marketing. 4. Livestock Marketing Comm. — Illi- nois Livestock Marketing Asso- ciation, Producers' Commission Association. 5. Co-op Credit — Wabash Produc- tion Credit Association, Casey National Farm Loan Association. 6. Illinois Agricultural Association Insurance Service — Life, auto, fire, wind, crop, hail, farmers' li- ability, truck, tractor, cargo, accident. Roads and Electricity The bus lines that pass through the county are improving their ser- vices and promise still further im- provements. Pressure, legal as well as moral, is being brought on the Illinois Central Railroad to restore passenger trains through the county. The State Road Commission plans considerable road and bridge con- struction in Jasper County in 1946. The funds allocated by the Commis- sion to Jasper County exceed 1945 figures. How rapidly this can be used to advantage will depend on avail- able materials and men as well as weather, but the plans being develop- ed for reorganizing the school dis- tricts are predicated on confidence in the continuing construction and JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 31 C O tf 11 T V h maintenance of all-weather roads throughout the county. The Norris Electric Cooperative, an REA cooperative, was named after the late Senator George W. Norris, who championed the cause of rural electrification, Act of 1936. The first lines of 256 miles were energized in December 1939. Today it has 997 miles and a proposed construction of an additional 1,1D0 miles. Counties served are Jasper, Clark, Effingham, Cumberland, Crawford, Lawrence, Wabash, and Richland. The Coopera- live is yet in the development stage with 3,028 members served and 3,498 applicants to be served. The ulti- mate system will approximate 2,500 miles of lino with over 7,500 consum- ers. The Power Corporations are also making active plans for extension of their rural hnes, and the Bell Tele- phone Company is especially anxious lor larger coverage in villages and on farms. Jasper may see results along these lines in the postwar period. 32 WAR TIME INFLUENCES II. EDUCATION, RECREATION AND CIVIC AFFAIRS Schools In October 1945 Jasper School Board members, 222 of them, met and adopted the Illinois School Survey Plan. The committee of 9 was ap- pointed as provided in the law. Meet- ings are being held in all parts of the county to secure local viewpoints relative to readjustments in school district lines. Based on the informa- tion secured a county map indicating the concensus of judgments is to be shown at official hearings throughout the county, after which the commit- tee's final recommendations are sub- jected to a referendum of the voters. Some facts relating to the schools, which are influencing the people in their consideration of school district reorganization, seem to be: 1. Jasper County's population is a- bout half of what it was in 1900. The greatest decreases are in the open-country areas. 2. The population on the best land areas and in towns and villages is not reproducing itself. 3. The number of school-age chil- dren has decreased and prob- ably will continue to decrease, especially in the good land areas and in the towns. This is reflected in a decrease in the sizes of households. Tenant households are larger than own- er. 4. Farms in the county are increas- ing in size and decreasing in numbers; this trend will doubt- less continue in the postwar period. 5. Two-thirds of the one-room schools are too small if to have a good school there must be at least 15 pupils per teacher; only 6 percent of tne country schools have 25 or more pupils per teacher. 6. Though most children finish grade or elementary school, less than one-twentieth finish high school. Among the adults less than one-sixth attended high school, according to the 1949 census. 7. Assessed valuations and tax rates vary widely. Valuations are low and tax rates high on poor land. 8. The people should consider (1) t'he organization of larger ad- ministrative districts to spread the tax load over a wider ter- ritory or (2) the organization of a county finance unit to pro- vide one tax levy for all school purposes. 9. When reorganization plans are considered the elementary and •high school situation must be studied together. There could be one administrative district in the county with one senior high school, several junior high schools and as many elementary school attendance units as nec- essary to have good schools. The JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 33 senior high school could be tliO one at Newton, junior tiigh schools could be located at the laiger village centers; and each larger neighborhood, coun- ty and town, could have its elementary attendance unit. Adult Education and Civic Affairs The meetings and discussions in connection with the School Survey are providing some very worthwhile education for the adults who parti- cipate The numerous meetings for instruction and discussion sponsored by the Farm and Home Bureaus, New- ton High School, Civic Club and oth- er organizations and agencies provide adults with many opportunities for education along useful lines. There are some organizations that make a regular practice of providing educational materials to their mem- bers on selected topics with speakers especially chosen. The Newton-Par- ent-Teachers Association, with a membership of 84, has as its theme for 1946 "Security for Every Child." The Newton Woman's Club, which is the oldest civic organization in con- tinuous operation in Jasper County, has as its object the intellectual and civic improvement, social enjoyment and united effort for the welfare of the community. The Newton Junior Woman's Club donates time, help and money to sev- eral definite projects for intellectual improvement, social enjoyment and philanthropy, including not only civic project in Jasper County but will give aid in 1946 to eight projects outside the county. The Thursday Book Clul), limited to 25 members, meets two Thursday each month, September to June, for book reviews, study of poet- ry, biograp'hy, drama, or history. Books have also been given to the library. The Business and Professional Wo- men's Club of Newton, with 48 mem- bers, seeks to become more articulate on social, economic and political ques- tions in line with the objective "We seek to visualize the processes of de- mocracy that all people may enjoy tile basic satisfactions of life in a world at peace." It meets on the fourth Tuesday of eac'h month. Ne^'- ton Rotary Club with about 50 mem- he s d nes together every Thursday evening for fellowship and education. Twenty-minute talks are made by selected members or frequently by outside speakers. The watchword of Rotary is "Service." The Masonic lodges in Newton, Willow Hill, and Wheeler, the Knights of Columbus and Odd Fellows at New- ton exert potent influences for good in civic affairs. T'he American Legion Post No. 20 and the Legion Auxiliary are the headquarters in the county for edu- cational and civic programs by and for veterans and the whole commun- ity. The Post has purchased a lot and will campaign in 1946 for the construction of a $20,000 Memorial Community Building. • Newspapers and Library The Mentor-Democrat, M. C. Page, S. B. Page, Editors, in its 64th year, is published each Thursday. The Newton Press, Lawrence E 34 WAR TIME INFLUENCES S'hup, Editor and Publisher, in its 84th year, is published every Tuesday and Friday. Both papers circulate to all parts of the county, are well edited to in- form the people about international and national as well as local mat- ters and neither are violently parti- san. All advertising seems to be carefully checked against obnoxious matter. The Newton PubUc Library, located over the city hall and fire station, with a somewhat hmited stock of books, is opened part time only. Recreation Sociability and recreation are im- portant elements in the programs of many of the men's and women's or- ganizations, as well as of the schools and of the church youth groups, but some groups seem to stress recreation more than others. The Legion Post makes features of its annual fish fry bazaars and birth- day parties. Boy Scout Troop 56, sponsored by the Rotary Club, has 35 members, aims to teach boys to be better citi- zens, to build character and especial- ly to learn to take care of themselves in the open. Their weekly meetings are held in a log cabin. They go on hikes and have a summer camp every year. Newton Girl Scouts, sponsored by the Woman's Club, meet weekly In the grade school basement. The pro- gram of the Girl Scout Movement is planned on broad educational lines to give girls an experience and love of the outdoor life, and a practical knowledge of health, homemaking and arts and crafts. There are 2.3 registered girls in the Lone Troop, an intermediate troop contains girls from ten to fourteen years of age. A Brownie Scout Troop for girls from seven through nine years was organ- ized in January 1946, with sponsor- ship by the Business and Professional Women's Club. Jasper County Sportsman's Club, with over 300 members, both towns- men and farmers, holds dinner meet- ings in the winter and stresses the conservation of wild life, feeds and distributes quail, promotes a Coon Hunters' Association. The Sports- man's Club is in process of incorpora- tion. It will hold an interest in Lake Jasper, Incorporated, the organization that owns the site of Lake Jasper. A club house will be built, or the farm house on the site will be remodeled for use as a club house. Recreation, both winter and sum- mer, is an important element in the programs of the several active youth groups. The Christian Youth Council is composed of young people from all the Protestant youth groups. The Catholic Youth Organization and the CYC carry on many joint programs. Recreation also enters into the pro- grams of the Rural Youth, sponsored by the Extension Service and of the Future Farmers of America, identified with the Vocational Agriculture De- partment of the Newton Community High School. JASPER COUNTY, ILLINOIS 35 III. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND THE CHURCH CtiURCM DENOK/ilNATlON GROUPS IN JASPER CO. LLUNQIS 1945 CounTi^RcligioiiS Census Si U.S.D. A. County/ Survey METHODISTS 14 Active Churches 1,355 Members CATHOLIC 4 Active Churches I- Seminary 1,513 Members C0NG.CHR1STIAN 11 Active Churches SC6-Members CHURCH OF CHRIST 7 Active Churches 1,316 Members I PRESBYTERIAN 3-Activ8 Churches 214 Members FREE METHODISTS hActive Church ? Members CHURCHES SURVEY 1 IN NEWTON 10 IN VILLAGES 36 IN OPEN COUNTRY 53 IS NOT OPERATING UNITFD BRETHREN 3- Active Churches 198 Members BAPTIST 7-Active Churches 646 Members UNITED LUTHERAN 1- Active Church 139 Membans PILGRIM HOLINESS 1-Active Church ? Members WORSHIP SERVICES 4SUNDAVSPER WO.- II isUNOAYS PER M0.-I6 1 SUNDAY PERMO.-2OI 6 NOT REPORTED SEATING ' CHURCH CHURCH CAPACITY .MEMBERSHIP JatTENOANCE (SURVEY) IS^ff VfK' ~j(a^ ii/j^^ i^'t^SUSl 4,no 6,160 10,430 l.«Btoui 2.667 a, 116 "\ ATTEND 4,793 6,184! 3.158 -2,916 llB.1926C(RS)isMtfflb(rslloNotAtt«iKl Chui'ch VALUE OF CHURCH fROPERTY Total ^339,800.00 Under n.OOO 00 2.5 *2.000no4IO.OOO*» 19 Over