Introduction to rural sociology

459 Pages·1917·16.88 MB·English

by  Paul Leroy Vogt

INTRODUCTION TO
RURAL SOCIOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO
RURAL SOCIOLOGY

BY

PAUL L. VOGT, PH.D.

HUPKKINTKND&ftT, DKPAHTMKNT OF UURAL WOKK, BOARD OK HOUR MISSIONS AND HOMB

EXTENSION, METHODIST KPINCOPAL CHUHCH.
FORMKHLY PHOKE8SOR Of HUUAL

ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY IN THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.
AUTHOR OK

"A HtlRAL 811HVKY IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO," "A RUKAL SUHVEY

OF GHEKNK AND C'LKKMONT COUNTIES,
OHIO,"
S1TC.

Editor of The Church and Country Life.

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
NEW YORK
LONDON

1917

COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY

- APPLETON AND COMPANY

Printed in the United States of America

PREFACE

The following pages have been written in the hope that they

might contribute something toward the effort now being made

by humanity, particularly in the Western world, to gain con-

trol of the conditions of existence
in the interest of the com-

mon
welfare.
Thejaj^Hcj^kui~ef~

science during th""past fifty years to specific problems of hu-
man
relationships
has
demonstrated
that
it
is
possible
for

humanity, through
a
better understanding
of
the
conditions

of

vhuman
existence and
of
the
forces
operating
irt human

relationships,
to control
those conditions and
forces
in such

a manner
as
to
yield
a
larger measure of human
welfare.

That there are principles of efficiency in personal conduct has

long been recognized.
That the
efficiency of
limited groups,

such as business organizations,
is dependent upon the opera-

tion of well-defined principles, which may be discovered and

applied,
is no longer questioned.
It has been a
logical
step

to accept the belief that the efficiency of the life of the group
at
large
is
also
subject
to the presence or absence of
well-

defined principles.
This
last step
is the basis for the earnest

effort now being made by students
of
social phenomena
to

develop a science which will enable human beings to so order

their social relationships as to secure a maximum of common

welfare with a minimum of waste of
social energy through

maladjustment of their organized
life to community needs.

The widely increased interest in the sociology of the small

community during the past few years
is the expression of a

definitely
felt need of a better understanding of the problems

of efficient living in those communities.
The drift to the cities

.from both
rural and
village groups, which
is
characteristic

of
all
the Western
world,
is
based upon
conditions which

must be understood
if they are to be adequately
controlled.

Community organization which will prove of most permanent

vi
PREFACE

value must be based upon a knowledge of the factors of social

change, such as movements of population, tendencies
in
size

of
families,
and
methods
of
production
or
distribution
of

wealth, which tend
to
destroy
established
social equilibrium

or
to
introduce new
conditions.
The
relation
of
the
small

community to the growth and ideals of the urban community
also makes an understanding of rural
life and
ideals impera-

tive to the one responsible for leadership in urban
life.
More-

over,
the
fact
that over
half
of
the population
of America

lives
in communities of
less than
2,500 population
indicates

the significance of the entire problem from the point of view

of
social
life.

It has been assumed by many students of social phenomena

that the relations to be found
in rural
life are relatively sim-

ple; and that urban
life presents much more serious problems

for solution as well as a much richer field for the study of the

play of
social
forces.
Those most
familiar with
the
social

reactions in rural life agree that, while the problems they pre-
sent may be of a somewhat different type, they are no less rich

in the contribution they promise to the solution of some of the

greatest practical questions of
social theory.
They also pre-

sent a strong appeal to the student of
social science because

the
small community,
well-organized, promises
to become
a

very
important
factor
in
future
social
organization because

of
its firm foundation
in the inherited
instincts of the
race.

No problems
of
social
relationships present a
better source

for study than do the associations to be found in village and

rural
life.

The
field chosen has been that of rural
life
in the United

States and
particularly those
conditions
to be
found
in
the

great agricultural sections of the Central Valley.
The
selec-

tion of this field has been made because in this area are to be
found both the system of
diversified agriculture and the
in-

tensive culture which
students of
the
science of
agriculture

agree must come to practically every section as population in-

creases and pressure upon
the means of
subsistence grows.

It
also
presents
the
variety
of
relationships
resulting from

proximity to large urban centers not to be found in pioneer or

PREFACE
vii

highly
specialized
areas.
This
area
is
also
far enough
ad-

vanced
in
its general
social
evolution
to
afford
a
basis
for

determining what phases of
rural
life
are
likely
to be of
a

great degree of permanence, what ones are of passing impor-

tance, and what form rural organization should take to meet

permanent needs.

The village has been included in this study because
it is evi-

dent, from tendencies discovered
in surveys made, that those

responsible for the formulation of policies of rural social or-

ganization must reckon with the
village as the natural center

of rural
life.
Failure to recognize the place of the village
in

relation to the rural community has,
it is feared, already led, in

many instances, to erroneous and costly policies of organization
of educational, social and religious life in unnatural and pass-

ing rural centers.

The present text
is intended to be, as
its
title indicates, an

introduction to the subject of rural sociology.
It is recognized

that in the limited time
in which problems of rural
life have

been made the
basis of
research, comparatively
little of
the

field could have been explored.
Enough has been done, how-

ever, to justify definite conclusions as to certain phases of the

subject and
the attempt has been made
to present the more

important of the conclusions reached.
While many of the data

are necessarily limited in scope, they are presented as a basis

for further study in wider areas.
It is believed they are drawn

from sources which are typical of the entire agricultural area
which has been made
the
topic of
special
investigation.
It

is hoped
that
their presentation
will
lead
to more
intensive

study of
similar problems
in
their
respective
fields by those

using the book as a
text.

As an
aid
to such
special study questions and
references

have been added
at the close of each chapter.
The
first
set

of Questions
is intended
specifically
to
call
attention
to
the

more important topics presented in the text.
The Topics for

Research are not intended to be exhaustive, nor can they be

used in every community.
It has been impossible, within the

space
available
in
a
text,
to
give
detailed
directions
as
to

methods of conducting these special studies.
They have been

viii
PREFACE

added to emphasize the desirability of laboratory methods
in

the study of social science and to indicate the direction such

laboratory work may take.

Acknowledgment
is due
to
the many
farmers,
public
offi-

cials and others throughout the country who have aided the

author by courteously giving information through personal in-

terview or by correspondence
;
to other students of rural
life

whose
work
has
been
consulted
and
utilized
;
and
to
the

author's own
students, who have, by stimulating criticism
in

class discussion and by studies of special problems, aided
in

working out many of
the conclusions
reached.
The author

wishes
to
acknowledge
particularly
the
assistance
of
Pro-

fessor John
Phelan,
of
Massachusetts
Agricultural
College,

who
carefully
read
the
entire
manuscript
and made many

valuable
criticisms.
It
is hoped that the text may lead
to
a

much wider research into
rural problems
in
all parts of the

country and that the
full understanding of the conditions and

forces of rural life necessary to bring about and maintain the

fullest, richest rural civilization may result.

PAUL L. VOGT.

Ohio State University.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER
PACH3

I.
RURAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
i

Reasons for increased interest in rural sociology
Pres-

ent Status
Reasons
for the study of
social
science
in

general
Characteristics
of
ideal
rural
community

Definition of rural sociology
Sociological principles to

be used
in social analysis
Limitations to the study of

rural
life.

II.
THE PHYSICAL SETTING FOR RURAL LIFE
.
26

Social
organization largely dependent on
physical en-

vironment
Influence
of
various
physical
conditions

Physical influences modified by psychological
factors.

III.
THE
IMPROVEMENT
OF
AGRICULTURAL

METHODS
35

The
effort
to reduce manual
labor
Improvements of

machinery
The
social
effects
of
improvements
in

methods of production.

IV.
MEANS
OF COMMUNICATION AND RURAL

WELFARE
45

Reasons for delay of road improvement
Present incen-

tives
to
road
improvement
The
economic
effects
of

good roads
The
social
effects of good roads
Social

effects
of
the
automobile
Social
effects
of
the
tele-

phone
Social effects of rural free delivery.

V.
THE LAND QUESTION AND RURAL WELFARE
.
61

Importance of land problems
Tendencies as to size of

farms
Evidence as to permanence of these tendencies

Social effects of size of farms
Special land problems

Increase in tenantry
Effects of increase in tenantry

English experience
Remedies.

ix

x
CONTENTS

CHAPTEB
PAGE

VI.
THE FARMER'S LABOR INCOME
.
101

Rural and urban wealth compared
Statistics of farm-

ers' incomes
Why incomes apparently do not increase

Comparison of incomes with other groups
The advan-

tages of the farmer
Outlook for the tenant.

VII. MOVEMENTS OF POPULATION ....
120

Conditions as to homogeneity of type
Homogeneity as

to economic status
The drift
to the
cities
Causes of

decrease in rural population
Shift to older agricultural

areas
Local
shift
Causes of
shift
Corrective agen-

cies.

VIII.
RURAL HEALTH
PHYSICAL
.
.
.
.150

Rural and urban death
rates compared
Health condi-

tions among children
Special
rural health problems

Causes
of
poor
health
in
the
country
Rural
health

work
of
state
and
federal
agencies
Rural
nurses

County
hospitals.

IX.
RURAL HEALTHMENTAL
169

Feeble-mindedness,
rural and urban
Social
effects of

feeble-mindedness
Methods of control
Insanity in the

open country
Methods of control of insanity.

X;
THE RURAL SOCIAL MIND
183

Factors
determining mental
reactions
Characteristics

of the
rural mind
Tendencies toward urbanizing
the

rural mind
Influence of the country on the city
Rural

ideals that should prevail
in national
life.

XL
RURAL MORALITY
203

Source of urban vice not rural
Extent of venereal dis-

ease in rural communities
Rural interest in control of

urban moral
conditions
Illegitimacy
in the country

Crime in the country
Divorce as an evidence of moral

conditions.

XII.
THE FARMER IN POLITICS
220

Farmers not represented by their own group
Farmers

control through exercise of voting power
Progressive

CONTENTS
xi

CHAPTER
PAGE

attitude
of
farmers'
organizations
Stability
of
rural

vote.

XIII.
FARMERS' ECONOMIC ORGANIZATIONS
.
.
228

Types
of
economic
organization
The
cooperative

movement
Cooperation a principle antagonistic to com-

petition
Factors essential to success of the movement

Social effects of cooperation
Cooperation a permanent

and growing factor
in agriculture.

XIV.
FARMERS' SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
.
.
244

Types
of
rural
social
organizations
The
Patrons
of

Husbandry
The
Farmers' Union
The Farmers' Na-

tional Congress
The National Chamber of Agriculture

Commission
The Ancient Order of Gleaners
The Na-

tional Agricultural Society and the Agricultural Organ-

ization Society
Principles of efficiency in organization.

XV.
THE SCHOOL AS A FACTOR IN RURAL LIFE
.
264

Changing
ideals
in education
Social
functions of the

school
Social
activities
The
village
school
and
the

rural community
The school or the church as the social

center
Adjustment of the school to community needs.

XVI.
OTHER RURAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES
.
286

The development of agricultural education
The work

of
the
United
States
Department
of
Agriculture

County farm bureaus and county agents
Office of Mar-

kets and rural organization
United
States Bureau of

Education
Other
agencies.

XVII.
THE CHURCH AND COUNTRY LIFE
.
.
.
297

The
social
function
of
the
church
Church member-

ship
Changes in
religiotis
life in the country
Handi-

caps to rural church progress
Summary.

XVIII. THE RURAL CHURCH
MEASURES FOR IM-

PROVEMENT
319

The village as the center of religious life
Equipment

Beliefs
Finances
Vision
of
service
Interdenomina-

tional situation.

xii
CONTENTS

CHAPTER
PAGE

XIX.
THE COUNTY FAIR
331

The history of the
fair
Weaknesses
in
fair manage-

ment
Types of exhibits
The social possibilities of the

fair.

XX.
THE VILLAGE IN RELATION TO RURAL LIFE
.
341

The place of the
village
in American
social organiza-

tion
The relation of the village to the rural community.

XXI.
THE VILLAGE IN HISTORY
347

The
village
the natural human group
Characteristics

of
the
primitive
village
Contrast
of
modern
village

with primitive group
Tendencies toward communal life

in modern village.

XXII.
VILLAGE GROWTH AND DECLINE
.
.
.
356

Causes of growth or decline
Economic reasons for in-

terest in village growth
Social reasons for interest in

the
small community
Village
contributions
to
social

welfare.

XXIII.
SOCIALIZATION OF THE VILLAGE
.
.
374

Objects
to
be
attained
Unsettled
questions
of
village

organization
Types and
characteristics of
village
or-

ganizations.

XXIV.
HEALTH AND SANITATION IN VILLAGES
.
386

Some problems of sanitation
Constructive health meas-

ures.

XXV.
VILLAGE POLITICAL LIFE
.
399

Village attitude toward local government
Vagrancy in

villages
Relief
in
villages
Constructive program
of

municipal government needed.

XXVI.
THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE RURAL PROB-
LEM
405

Popular belief in superiority of country bred boys and

girls
Changes
in source
of urban
leadership
Where

most of the rural immigration to the cities must find a

place
The
retired
farmer
The
social
significance of

the farm element
in villages and
cities.

CONTENTS
xiii

CHAPTER
PAGE

XXVII.
METHODS OF APPROACH TO THE RURAL
PROBLEM
419

The
survey
The
program
Cooperation
between
or-

ganizations
Qualities
of
leadership
Over and
under

organization
Social
progress
versus
maintenance
of

standards.

XXVIII.
CONCLUSION
43*

INDEX
435

LIST OF CHARTS AND MAPS

CHARTS

PAGE

I.
Typical
Distribution of Interest Centers
in Average

Community

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.18

II.
Interests
Centralized,
Social Bond Strengthened

.
19

III.
Decrease
in
Rural
and Urban Death
Rate,
United

States, 1800-1915
152

IV.
Admissions to Michigan State Hospitals, 1913-1914

.
179

V.
Forms of Insanity Admitted to Michigan State Hos-

pitals from Urban and Rural Communities,
1913-

1914
1 80

VI.
Membership and Population Distribution, 1900
.
.
305

VII.
Where Are the Young People?
Age, Record, Etc.
.
306

VIII.
Ministerial Vivisection and the Growth of Churches
.
314

IX.
The
Failure of Absent Treatment
.
.
.
.315

X.
The Survival of the Fittest
315

MAPS

1.
Per Cent. Farmers, Native White, 1910 ....
122

2.
Per Cent. Farmers, Foreign-born, 1910 ....
122

3.
Area in Which Foreign-born Farmers Less Than 10 Per

Cent,
1910
123

4.
Per Cent. Farmers, Negroes or Other Color, 1910
.
.124

5.
Area in Which Negro Farmers Constitute Less Than 10

Per Cent., 1910
124

6.
Per Cent. Farm Laborers (Working Out), Foreign-born,

White,
1910
125

7.
Per Cent. Farm Laborers (Working Out), Negro, 1910
126

xvi
LIST OF CHARTS AND MAPS

PAGE

8.
Percentage
Farm
Laborers
(Working
Out),
Native

White, 1910
126

9.
Per Cent. Farmers in Total Farmers and Farm Laborers,

1910
.
127

10.
Maximum Open Country Population, Ohio
.
.
.
131