Vj@, Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924073871463 CORMELL. iJWiVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 073 871 463 Production Note Cornell University Library produced this volume to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. It was scanned at 600 dots per inch resolution and compressed prior to storage using CClir/rrU Group 4 compression. The digital data were used to create ComcU's replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992. The production of this volume was supported by the United States Department of Education, Higher Education Act, Tide U-C. Scanned as part of the A. R. Mann Library project to preserve and enhance access to the Core Historical Literature of the Agricultural Sciences. Titles included in this collection are listed in the volumes published by the Cornell University Press in the series The Literature of the Agricultural Sciences, 1991-1996, Wallace C. Olsen, series editor. "BttXiu in #t)ui" DIRECTED BY The Department of Church and Country Life BOARD OF HOME MISSIONS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U. S. A. Warren H. Wilson, Director Ralph A. Felton, Field Director 156 Fifth Avenue, New York 9lti\ji£(or? Council W. O. Thompson, Chauman, President, Ohio State Unlverdty Prealdent, Ohio Church Federation Oolumbug, Ohio J. O. Ashenhurst, Secretary, Oommlttee on Bural Churches, United Presbyterian Church George F. Bareis, Chairman, Board of Truatees, Heidelberg College Edward Brers, A.M., Sc. D. School of Education, DeOance College I. J. CahiU, Sec'r, Ohio Christian Missionary Society H. J. Christman, President, Central Theological Seminary W. G. CUppinger, President, Otterbeln University Charles Wm. Dabney, President, University of Cindnnatl G. Walter Fiske, Junior Dean, Oberlln Theological Seminary L. H. Goddard, Chief, Dept. CooperaUon, Ohio Experiment Station A. B. Graham, Superintendent of Agricultural Extension, Ohio State Univ. George J. Henderson, Supt. Central District, American S.S. Union Walter H. Houston, Supt. Presbyterian Home Missions. Synod of Ohio C. W. Kurtz, Presiding Elder, United Brethren Church Frederick C. Landsittel, State Normal College, Ohio University Charles Marston, Pastor, Presbyterian Church, Millersburg, Ohio E. A. Miller, Oberlln College T. Knox Montgomery, President, Muskingum College S. K. Mosiman, President, Central Mennonlte College J. O. Notestein, University of Wooster W. W. Mills, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Marietta College H. C. Price, Dean, College of Agriculture, Ohio State Unly. O. W. Powers, Home Mission Sec'y, Christian Church President, Ohio State Christian Association C. J. Rose, Secretary, Ohio Baptist Convention E. S. Rothrock, State Superintendent, Congregational Conference of Ohio B. R. RyaU, Secretary. Y. M. O. A. of Ohio, County Work Dept. A. C. Shuman, Pastor, Reformed Church, Tiffin, O. T. K. Shellenberger, Sec'y Christ Sec'y of the Bro( •ger. therh< lood, DisdpleB of Worthington B. Slutz, District Bupt., Methodist Episcopal Church J. Warren Smith, Director, U. S. Weather Bureau George F. Smythe, Kenyon College George Stibitz, Central Seminary N. W. Stroup, District Supt., Methodist Church Episcopal Omer S. Thomas. Secretary of Miami Christian Conference Samuel Tyler. Chairman, Social Service Oonunlailon. Diocese of Southern Ohio Protestant Episcopal Church Selby H. Vance, Lane Seminary Paul L. Vogt, Professor of Sociology, Miami University Ralph J. White, Missionary Superintendent of East Ohio Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church G. P. VTilliams, Superintendent of Missions American Sunday School Union Warren H. Wilson, Sunt., Presbyterian Department of Church and Country Life "Ct)urcl) (S^rototl) anli Becltne in ©|)to" President W. O. Thompson Ohio State Univeinty, Columbus, Ohio Chairman Mr. B. R. RyaU State Y. M. C A., Columbus, Ohio Secretary Warren H. Wilson, Director Ralph A. Felton, Field Director Hermann N. Morse, Historian PRESBYTERIAN DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH AND COUNTRY LIFE 1 56 Fifth Avenue, New York City MAP OF OHIO. THE COUNTIES SURVEYED ARE INDICATED BY A STAR. C|)urcj) (^rototi) anti Becltne in ui, ministEr 3 out of 10 farms have absentee Landlords, 9 .. .10 churches have absentee Mirristers or none at all Is a church easier to work than a farm? 19 Counties Ohio Rural Life Survey Presbyterian Depl of ChixreH and Coualry Life vastly more service to it than a whole host who live elsewhere and merely preach there. One obvious result of this system of farming out churches on circuits and giving to each church a small piece of a minister, and that, too, usually an absentee minister, is the great difficulty of supplying these churches with the ordinary pastoral ministrations. The public preach- ing service is an instance of this. A minister who has four or five churches cannot be expected to preach in each of them on every Sunday. It will be accepted without argument that the life of a church is vitally 17 Where the Ministers Live and Where iliey Preach. Vinton 60.. Ohio. «■ C/iurch. e . Wd/toiU CPustor □ Obiv/L or kl/lc^cf^^^^/'o-fo/'^ mdu - ^J>istn/U. front. i^csufc>u:C toC/ui/c/4. Ohio Rural LifeSurv^ related to the frequency of its public preaching services. Such public services are an important part of the work of any church. A large part of the "town" and "town-country" churches have service every Sunday; 65% in one instance, and 48% in the other. 25% of the re- maining number of "town" churches and 37% of the "town-country" churches have two services a month. A very small proportion are without any regular service. In the country churches, however, only extreme. For example: in Adams, Lawrence, Athens, Washington and Vinton counties there are but twelve country churches which -have a public service every Sunday and there are ninety-two which have services not oftener than once a month. The frequency and regularity of service while perhaps not in itself so evident a cause of church growth, is nevertheless a rather clear index of it. Of all churches which have four services per month 47% are growing. Of those which have but two services 27% are growing. Of the one service a month churches 21% are growing, while of all those which have no regular service less than 4% are growing. There 21% have services every Sunday, more than one-half have but two 18 Where the Ministers Live and where they preach. Harrison Co. Ohio. O ^oiun. or ItCla^e • Ch.u-r"ch. © Chiu.rch. Lutlhaut Vajtor* • jftin-Lster-j ^Jlesuiertce CoiLTiects yftuiisler-^ restdsnce with Omrch. he serues Where the MinistersLiveii Where lliey Preach. Defiance Co. — Ohio. ♦ Ch.Lt.rch. ^_^ • Att-n^star'^ JCtiJtd.eru:e Q,n.ruid:aMuujter3^^uUru:e ivUh0Ui^^orC/uirches h^ 3erue3 /H4.US truiUaU dula/ux hx mu^t irat^t/Jrvm^^idefu:ei^CAiirch. Churches of Hicksvi lie* Defiance not included 19 services monthly, 14% have but one, while 7% have no regular service. Of course the situation is the least favorable, as regards public services, in those counties which have carried the circuit system to the greatest is more of effect than cause here and yet this is important, for the opportunity to publicly assemble the people together is an opportunity whose importance to the church can hardly be over-estimated. Another instance of the difficulty of supplying circuit churches with pastoral ministrations comes to light when dealing with the problem of how to induce people who are not church members to attach them- selves to the church. Obviously the church which is not winning for itself new members is digging its own grave. This is particularly true in neighborhoods where there is very much shifting of the population. The lack of ministers residing in the country has caused a general reli- ance upon one single method of recruiting the church roll. This is the annual revival. The town and village churches use the revival as extensively as the country churches, but our present concern is with its efficiency for the country church. The figures are available for but sixteen of the nineteen counties which we have been considering. 645 country churches in these sixteen counties during the last church year added to their rolls 3,672 names. 454 of these churches sometime dur- ing the year held protracted revival services. These 454 churches had altogether 3,059 of the entire 3,672 additions. Of this number 3,011 were converts at revival services. These churches added but 48 to their rolls by other means. The average additions per church for these churches were 6.7. There were 191 churches in the country which did not have protracted meetings. 127 of these had no additions on confession. The whole number of churches had altogether 613 addi- tions, an average of 3.2 per church. Most of these, however, came to a small number of churches, exceptionally well equipped. The few churches which had resident pastors doing a great amount of pastoral work showed a much larger average number of additions than the churches which depended upon the revival service. This condition prevails generally throughout the State, but is seen at its extreme in those sections where the circuit system is carried to the extreme. It may also be said that in these counties the type of re- ligious experience most common contains a greater element of emo- tionalism than is to be found in other sections. This emotionalism, of course, lends itself very readily to the revival system. As a result in many churches in these counties it is necessary in ascertaining the size of the membership to go over the roll carefully and discover how many times the same name is found thereon, placed there periodically after the annual gathering in. 20 We are not here contending for or against the revival as a method of church work. We simply desire to make certain facts clear. First, it is seen that the country churches, as a rule, are relying almost entirely upon the revival to increase their membership. Second, for more than three-fourths of the churches this reliance is proving quite inadequate, since it will be recalled that just 24% of the "country" churches are growing. The "town" and "town-country" churches show better re- sults. The point of this seems very clear. The revival in those churches comes to supplement the work of a resident pastor. We are comparing here the revival as a supplement to the pastor's work, with the revival as a substitute for the pastor's work. As a supplement it is pro- ducing good results ; as a substitute it is failing signally. SIZE AND EFFICIENCY The size of the membership of a church has a bearing upon its working efficiency too direct and important to permit us to neglect it here. There has been a great tendency in the country to multiply churches and denominations far beyond the number needed. This tendency is seen in the towns and villages, but its effects are not so clearly marked there. There are more churches in the country in pro- portion to the population than there are in the towns and villages, and especially there are more small and weak churches. A study of the chart, "Variations in Size of Membership," will make clear this point. Of the "town" churches only 8.7% have less than 25 members each, while 59.1% have over 100 members each. The "town-country" churches average a little smaller; but 43.1% have over 100 members. 83% of all country churches, however, have less than 100 members each, while 21.2% have each 25 members or less. Here we see in its clearest form the effects of strong denominational feeling upon church work. In the towns the multiplication of denom- inations while often highly criminal from the point of view of church efficiency, is not so easily carried to an extreme. This, of course, is for the very obvious reason that there is a large number of people within an easy church-going radius upon whom these churches may draw. In the country the people are more scattered and multiplication of churches and denominations means the dividing up of a clientele with very definite limits. Many churches were found which had a mere handful of members, sometimes but two or three, who were holding on to the old church long after some other church had come to fill the largest place in the religious life of the neighborhood, a policy which has very serious results. The impact of a small church upon society is 21 %e relation of Public Services to Church GrowtK. 1217 Churches. Churches wtth preaching service on SyeJ-y (S'uJtaUu/ ZiSizmiu/s liSundaif J)^oreffu/ar ^errices per/nonth. pa-monih 47% J^re Growing. JlrwiJur ^obkm^r ihe. tm-/wura.-monih 'minister 19 (Sou-nties- Ohio RtiraL Life Sixrvey. necessarily slight. There is a momentum to large numbers. "He that hath to him shall be given." We may indicate this by dividing the churches up into six groups according to the size of their membership, and giving the statistics of growth for each. These groups will be as follows : churches with a membership of 25 or less, 26 to 50, 51 to 100, 101 to 150, 151 to 200, and 201 and over. In each of these groups there are included from 100 to 400 churches, enough to show clearly the tendencies. The percentages of growing churches, within each of these groups in the order given, are as follows: 2.2%, 16.6%, 33.5%, 48.2%, 58.5%) and 79%>. The regu- larity with which the increase of efficiency and ability to survive par- allels the increase in membership is very striking. Obviously the great over-multiplication of small churches is one of the root causes of the 23 failure of the country churches to meet the conditions which we have previously mentioned as affecting church efficiency. They are unable to provide themselves with resident pastors who shall give them full service. They are unable to hold weekly public meetings. They are unable adequately to equip themselves for the work they must do. The conclusion is unavoidable that the small church is a dying propo- sition. It must be remembered that we are here dealing with a mature population. These are not frontier conditions, where population may be expected to increase rapidly and where all building is done with an eye to an expanded future. In these neighborhoods the population has already begun to decrease. The small church here in those districts which are already adequately churched is not a promising missionary enterprise. Not until a church has at least 100 members does it have an even chance to survive. There are two other serious results of this. The first is the economic waste. There are vastly more churches in the country districts than are needed to minister to all the people who live there and very few of these churches are equipped to bear their just share of the burden of religious work. Nearly every county has townships which furnish examples of this evil at its maximum. Here we have, let us say, a township in which there are five country churches. Two of them have each one-third of a minister and the remaining three have each a fourth. These ministers live from five to twenty miles away from these particu- lar churches. Each minister travels a considerable distance to reach the one of these churches which he serves once or twice a month. He stays perhaps three days at each visit. He cannot be easily reached by his people at other times when he is specially needed. These men are working under very serious handicaps. All of them together do not give to this particular township an amount of time equal to the full time of one resident minister. The result is relative inefficiency. It would not cost as much to put in each of these communities one strong church with a resident pastor serving it on full time, who would be able to do far more than the whole number of ministers who can each spend but a small part of the time with each church. A fourth of each of four ministers does not mean a whole minister in working efficiency, though it means a whole salary. Here is a duplication of effort which from the point of view of parish economy is wasteful in the extreme. This wastefulness, serious as it is when the churches everywhere complain of their poverty, might be overlooked if we could leave out of sight the fact that as a result of this system we' have inefficient churches. But we cannot neglect the fact that this extravagant system does not get results. It can be shown from county after county 23 Ihe Failure of Tlbsent Ireatmeirt 1135 Churches With Resident F*asto-r 51% are gr 26% 11% are ^rowin^ are ^rowin^ 19 Counties. Ohio Rural Life Survey. that those neighborhoods in which there are a large number of small, poorly equipped churches are responding the least readily to the in- fluence of those churches. The religious forces are in those cases so divided that their impact upon society is almost negligible. Communi- ties with a large number of weak churches as a general rule show a smaller proportion of their population in the church membership. In the average Ohio county one church to every 500 or 600 of the popu- lation gives an ample number, provided that those churches are prop- erly equipped and maintained. We may take Ashtabula County as an example. Here there are five townships which have one church to approximately every 175 of the total farming population. These five townships show an average of 17% of their population in the church membership. Six townships have one church to every 250 and show 21% of the population as church members. Eight townships have one church to every 350 and show 24% as church members. Four town- ships have one to every 450 and show 26% members. Then there are four townships which have not churches enough. In these there is one church to from 700 to 1,300 of the population and but 11% of the pop- ulation are church members. These figures could be duplicated for other communities. Over-churching is not only a matter of having more churches than are needed, but of having more than can be so equipped and maintained as to do the work properly and efficiently. Geauga and Defiance counties are the only counties surveyed which do not show clearly the serious effects of over-churching. 24 THE RELATION OF GOOD CHURCHES AND GOOD FARMS The last point to be made by this report, in some respects the most important point of all, is that in the final analysis the prosperity of the church depends upon the prosperity of the community in which it is located. In all the State there was hardly found a strong, flourishing church in a poor and permanently impoverished community. Strong churches do not take root in thin soil, and in those counties where agri- culture has suffered most, churches also have suffered most. In certain extreme instances there are whole areas through which the churches have almost died out. That is to say, those churches which require a Variations in size of Membership. 1-^87 Chixrches. ^o of churxJi£S fuurin^a memirrsfufi of SI lOO M» ISO Town Churches Town Cbuntry Churches Country Churches 28.7 !2.1 83.27oOfall Country Ghurches have membership of 100 or less. 19 Counties- Ohio Rural Life Survey. 25 high standard of living have died out. Throughout the State the health of the country churches varies quite uniformly according to the degree of agricultural prosperity. The two charts, "Where Agricul- ture Prospers" and "Where Agriculture Suffers," illustrate this point clearly. The tendency in the prosperous communities is to maintain fewer churches, but to equip them better, and consequently in those better counties churches have fared better. In this connection we may instance the disappearance from many farming districts in Adams County of the churches of the older denominations and the substitution of churches which are built upon a low standard of living; the extreme development of the circuit system in Lawrence County ; the large num- ber of country churches which are pastorless in Washington County and the general distress of most of the country churches in Vinton and Licking counties. A Vinton County pastor, who had worked there as teacher and preacher throughout a long and active lifetime, gave an eloquent utterance of the proposition that good churches are dependent upon good farming. After describing the vicissitudes of church work in the farming districts of that county, he told of the steady decline of agriculture through the impoverishment of the soil and the rapid de- crease of population. Recently ten miles of pike had been built in the county, the first good road ever made there. This pike was topped with limestone. In the summer the traffic crushed this limestone into a fine dust and the wind blew it out over the barren clay by the side of the road. Shortly after, the road was lined with a good stand of sweet clover. After describing the effects of lime upon that soil, he summed up his position by saying that in the future he would preach both the gospel of Jesus Christ and the gospel of limestone, in the as- surance that unless the farmers accepted his gospel of limestone, his gospel of Jesus Christ would fail of its full effect among them. When the farm suffers, the church suffers with it. When farming prospers, the church will not be the last institution to share in that prosperity. The various points which we have tried to establish are by no means mutually exclusive; they are all inter-related. Which is the funda- mental cause it is not easy to say. Clearly, however, the gravest church problem of these counties at the present time is the problem of making efficient those churches upon which the farming population de- pends. This demands some fundamental reconstruction of the methods of church work and administration ; a recognition of the broad, inclu- sive nature of the problem and a serious and scientific effort to equip the churches to adequately cope with the situation. The scientific farmer has come into all these counties and is teaching the farmers how they can make two grains of wheat grow where but one grew before. 36 Doubtless to his efforts must be added the effort of the scientific and conscientious community builder, who shall labor to make one church prosper where six languished before, and to this end shall attempt to unite the small, inefficient, struggling churches into larger units, so that they may provide themselves with resident pastors who shall live with them, work amongst them, study their needs and build them up by their continual ministry. And, finally, in order that this may be done, these churches must dedicate themselves to the cause of better agriculture, better living and a more evenly distributed prosperity, that there may be in the country an income which will provide for the adequate financ- ing of the church. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1. It is plain from this survey that the religious problem of Ohio is the church which serves the working farmer. The farmers' churches are most difficult to maintain. They are also the most numerous. From them come the American members for city churches, for the country regions of Ohio are thoroughly American. In these churches, too, individual character is regenerated and is trained in the simplest as well as the most lasting traditions of religious life. So that the country church, resting under the detriment which is here described, is the greatest religious concern of all the churches in Ohio. That three- fourths of the farmers' churches have ceased to grow and are losing their hold upon the people is sufficient reason for redirecting the reli- gious policies of the churches of the State to the help of the country church. 2. The tenant farmer, or "renter," constitutes a large prpportion of the people on the farms in the western counties of the State, and in all the State he is a great factor in the rural population. Above all men in Ohio, unless it be the newly arrived immigrant, the tenant farmer is of concern to the church. His lease on the land is but for one year. He actually does move with great frequency. The effect of his weak hold upon the land is reflected in his state of mind. He does not expect to remain long in the community. He, therefore, does not give his allegiance to the church, unless he be sought. Among these tenant farmers the need of evangelism, of an annual, thorough- going, heart to heart preacher's appeal, is very great. Because they shift so often it is obviously necessary for the church, at least once a year, to preach a gospel of decision and of allegiance to the Master and to the Kingdom. This work should be followed up by the organization of a Brother- hood or Farmers' Club in the church. Whatever the name of this 27 organization, it should be a men's society, one of whose purposes should be personal work in soliciting men to come into relations to the church and into obedience to Christ. The minister should use this society as an organ and a tool whereby his men shall win other men to the Kingdom. This farmers' club, however, should have other and sincere purposes. It should frequently hear a good speaker on farm- ing. It should bring into the community the experts upon such topics as Co-operative Manufacture ; Rural Credit Associations ; Good Roads ; Consolidated Schools and other things of concern to the farmer. It should be a cordial, social enterprise. Its meetings should not scorn the cheer of a cup of coffee and a sandwich. On the other hand, its meetings should always be frankly religious. They should be opened with prayer and with song. They should not, however, be prayer meetings in the common acceptance of the term. Their main purpose is to win men to allegiance to the Master and to a productive, sober. Christian life. The church ought to help the tenant to become an owner, for an owner makes a better Christian and Protestant than a tenant. The moral strain upon a family in the process of frequent removals is greater than that upon a family which stays in the com- munity. It is morally and religiously better for a family to own farm land than not to own. All Protestant interests are bound up with personal ownership. The Protestant church is endangered in a terri- tory in which men are passing in large numbers from farm ownership to farm tenancy. The Protestant church will be built up when men pass from tenancy into ownership. The service of the church to- the renter must be much the same as that to young people, especially to young men. It must be evangel- istic, social, expressing in many ways the brotherhood and imparting by many means the diligence of Christian character. For this reason we recommend, especially, the organization of brotherhoods, farmers' clubs, men's guilds or personal work guilds in the country churches where renters are many. 3. It is obvious from this story that preachers have kept alive the churches in Ohio unto this time. Whatever has been done is plainly due to the minister who serves a church, though it be by only one ser- mon a month. But the rural pastor is scarcely to be found. Only six per cent, of the rural churches have a pastor's whole time. Some method must be found by Christian churches in Ohio for placing pastors in the country. We recommend the following: Let the pastor be located and a parsonage for him be erected alongside the consolidated school in the country. 38 In Six (bounties . Where Jl^ri culture Suffers. 378 Country Churches. 4% have Resident Pastors. 65% haveNon-Resident Ministers, 18% are without Ministers, [3% are entirely abandoned. 2l7o are Growing, 19% are Standing Still 60% are Losing Ground. G'ood churches are de/^ndent upon ^oodyarmi/^. ^fhere ihe-yar/n suffers, t/ve GTuu-c/tsu/^ers nil/iii. 6 Counties. Ohio Rural Life Sixrvey. The State of Ohio will, in the early future, consolidate its rural schools in a very extensive way, or at least will pass legislation such as to hasten consolidation. Already Ohio leads other States in consoli- dating its schools. Alongside the consolidated school will grow up a small village or hamlet, frequently far away from the railroad; its residents selected by those influences of which education will be first. The school-going habit will build up the village around the consolidated school. The church that is nearest the consolidated school will reap S9 In Six eounties. Where ^^riculture Prospers. 262 Country Churches 19% have Resident Pastors. 59% have Non-Resident Pastors. 7% are without Ministers. 15% are definitely Jlbandoned. 34% are Growing. 26% are Standing Still 40% are losing Ground. Good e!h.uft/ies are e/ependent upon, ^oodjfarmin^. W/tere ihe/arynprvspers^ the c/uirc/i MMsha/e in i/iaiprosperi^ G Countie-S Ohio Rural Life Su.rvey. a harvest of church-going from the seed sown by the children in going to school. Moreover, this church will have better leaders, more in- telligent teachers for its Sunday school and the benefit of the noblest hopes and of the highest ideals of the community. These will become its assets and its resources. The denomination which places churches systematically alongside consolidated schools and builds parsonages for the homes of its ministers by these schools will grow in the country. For the present this recommendation must be made to whatever church will carry it out. But in time a federation of churches might 30 advise the different communions which of them shall have the duty of invading a particular consolidated district. It is improbable that the number of churches so centered will ever be too many. The day of over-churching is at an end. The rural pastor is the greatest need, and the placing of pastors in the country should be the dominating policy of religious people in Ohio. The pastor can educate his people in the religious life. He can train the children to go to church. He can accustom his flock to the regular processes of worship, of prayer and of Christian living. He can train them in giving to the great interests of the Kingdom. So clear is the message of this Survey as to the power of pastors to build churches and to maintain them, so clearly does it show the decline of the church without a pastor in the country, that there is no escape from the con- clusion that in Ohio the service to be rendered by Dioceses, Conferences and Presbyteries is the locating of pastors with the people and the churches in the country. 4. The church in the open country having less than one hundred members should be inspected carefully by mission boards and Home Mission committees. This church is probably dying. The chances are against its survival. Rural population has ceased to grow in Ohio. Without a pastor the church of less than one hundred members is doomed. When such a church, especially when a church of less than fifty members, applies for Home Mission aid to any Conference or Board or Committee, the granting of such aid should be preceded by careful examination of the field, to discover whether the church is needed in the interest of the Kingdom, whether there are other churches with a larger membership or another denomination maintaining a pastor in the community. Unless the conditions require the small church for the effective supply of gospel ministry to a needy people not otherwise served, the church of less than one hundred members should be re- quired to give exceptional reasons before it is aided out of the Lord's money. If, this church is to be maintained because there is no adequate min- istry to the community, or because there are people without the gospel in numbers, or for any other reason, the maintenance granted should support a settled pastor. His work may result in the building up of a strong church of over two hundred members ; for a membership of less than two hundred in the country is unsatisfactory and unreliable. In a population diminishing in number, as the rural population of Ohio, it is not wise to devote to the maintenance of needless small churches the money which should go to the growing communities in the far 31 West, or to the needy sections in counties of Ohio, where there is in- adequate preaching of the gospel. In the Ohio population the resident pastor alone is the effective Christian minister. 5. We have shown that the country church in Ohio is generally too small in size. We are reminded constantly by all our friends who study the country problem that the country church is also too narrow in its sympathies, — ^too small in the interests it promotes. We know that wherever throughout the land the rural churches thrive and grow in size and strength, they are discovered upon close study to be en- larging and deepening the sjonpathies of their people. They give of their means to the great missionary interests. They cultivate the social life of their communities. They promote better farming. They champion temperance, local option or effectively oppose the saloon. The successful country churches are bearing everywhere those burdens of human sympathy which would seem to weigh them down, but are found to be a universal badge of success. The country church that travels light does not travel far. It is the small church with a mean spirit, that gives to no mission cause and contributes only to its building and its preacher, — as little as possible to the building and less than is decent to the minister, — ^which dies in a short time. We recommend, therefore, to ministers and church officers that the church, of whatever denomination, must be made a center of all the interests of the community. In the language of Henry Wallace, "Unless the country church resolves that it will be a community church rather than a denominational church, it will not make very much progress. In doing community service the country church is getting back to the teachings of the Master. In building barricades from material not quarried out of the Rock of Zion to defend itself against other churches, it is getting away from the teaching of the Master and does not deserve to prosper." 3g Production Note Cornell University Library produced this volume to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. It was scanned at 600 dots per inch resolution and compressed prior to storage using CCri'l/rrU Group 4 compression. The digital data were used to create Cornell's replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992. The production of this volume was supported by the United States Department of Education, Higher Education Act, Tide II-C. Scanned as part of the A. R. Mann Library project to preserve and enhance access to the Core Historical Literature of the Agricultural Sciences. Titles included in this collection are listed in the volumes published by the Cornell University Press in the series The Literature of the Agricultural Sciences, 1991-1996, Wallace C. Olsen, series editor. 0^Ui i^uml Hilt ^ttrtiep "Countrp C|)UMj)es of jBistinttton" DIRECTED BY The Department of Church and Country Life BOARD OF HOME MISSIONS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U. S. A. Warren H. ^^son. Director Ralph A. Felton, Field Director 156 Fifth Avenue, New York Cily #Jjio 36lural %ift ^urtJtp ^4 Countrp Cl)urcl)es! of iBistiiutton'' President W. O. Thompson Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio Chair Iran Wanen H. Wilson, Director Ralph A. Felton, Field Director Compiled by Miss Lois Neff PRESBYTERIAN DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH AND COUNTRY LIFE J 56 Fifth Avenue, New York City i-J o H O w H U w ®bio Country Cbutcbes of S)i8tinction In this story are included sketches of country churches in the State of Ohio which came under observation during the Ohio Rural Life Survey in the summers of 1912 and 1913. These churches impressed the investigators, who visited each community in the counties surveyed, with their distinction and efficiency. A successful church in the country wears no sign of being rural. It does not advertise farming. It has none of the complexion of a country life institute. It is just a church in a high state of efficiency. For while every church, urban, rural or foreign, reflects the social environment with the utmost precision, its own message is in all lands and places the same. The greater its efficiency, the more perfectly does it exhibit the signs of a gospel institution, a religious association, a society of spiritually minded people. The reader must bear in mind that we make no attempt here to furnish a directory or cyclopedia. These are not all the successful churches in Ohio. We have attempted to make a selection, bearing in mind both type and denomination. Many other churches will be found in the state, whose people may recognize in the churches herein described their own work, and some of them are doing it better. It is the purpose of this story to help them see their own problem and to give them cheer and encouragement in work which sometimes seems to be commonplace and valueless. We have attempted to classify the churches solely for the purpose of making the story readable. Our material is too scanty to justify a verdict or a final criticism upon the work of these churches. They are assigned to classes and grouped in a way that to those who know them may seem arbitrary. The attempt is made to single out that distin- guishing mark in each church which is the clue to its success and efficiency. It is interesting to see that the largest class of successful churches among those observed is made up of those which can be described by no eccentric or peculiar mark, but only under the term, "well organized." Evidently symmetry and completeness of work, the well- rounded plan well applied to the task in hand, these are the signs of 3 the church on which the outsider looks with satisfaction and with praise. At the bottom of the Hst, represented by only one church in each instance, are three small classes, each of which has its advocates among country life theorists. These classes are: "Musical," "Evangelistic" and "Agricultural." Among all the churches studied only one was found that seemed to succeed by reason of its atmosphere of music, or evangelism or "rural-mindedness." This story teaches — as the old writers used to say — that the most efficient thing in the country is a working church with a resident pas- tor, diligently developing its own life and ministering to the observed needs of the whole community. So far as this story is a contribution to the literature of country life, it means that what the churches need to do in the country is to develop their true organization according to the Christian tradition and to perfect the type of ministry common to all the Protestant churches. For here are as few sig^s of denomina- tional peculiarity as there are of theoretical and academic eccentricity. The successful churches in rural Ohio are modern, well-developed, Protestant, responsive to the needs of the community, and filled with a conservative, substantial Christian spirit. I. WELL ORGANIZED CHURCHES The ten churches which stand out above others in the symmetry and completeness of their work are distinguished by no one mark of success. They present so many aspects of good church activity that one can only classify them as churches well administered. When one considers the great need of organization among country people he cannot but think that it is well to classify these churches at the top of the list. Probably no greater service can be rendered to the social economy of the country and to the farmer who tills the land than is given in a well-organized, smoothly working, symmetrical country church. It must not be forgotten that the churches which are of value contain many of the marks of distinction mentioned later in the list. The group here described is assembled by its evidence of mature develop- ment of the Protes|:ant type, according to the needs of the country community in Ohio. Kirkersville Baptist Church, Licking County In a little more than two years the enrollment of this Sunday School grew from 35 to 175 members. This came about through the organiza- tion of classes for young people. The school soon attained the rank of "Front Line." An organized class of young men, called the "Emergency Class," has a baseball team that plays matched games with other teams. An organized class of young women, the "Sun- shine Class," leads the singing in the Sunday School. These two classes have contests occasionally and give socials and public enter- tainments. Other classes have been organized. Some of these report 100% attendance almost every Sabbath. With a superintendent, two associate superintendents, superintendents of cradle roll, home and missionary departments, complete organization of the Sunday School has been effected. Rev. O. L. Martin had filled pastorates in cities from 5,000 to 25,000. A special course of study in the University of Chicago directed his interest to the work in small centers. In the spring of 191 1 he accepted the pa.storate of the Baptist Church of Kirkersville, a town of 300. .^t that time the church was at a low ebb. The only organization besides the Sunday School was the Woman's Missionary Society. A TEACHERS' TRAIXI-NC; CLASS, KIRKERSX'! LLE BAPTLST SUNDAY SCHOOL Baptist Young People's Union was organized, Most of its members have joined the church during the past two years. A Junior Baptist L'nion is one of the inspiring features of tliis church. ChiUlren under 15 years of age are taught to conduct their own ser\-ices. to read the Bil)le and lead in prayer. A Baptist Sisterhood was organized for the special object of helping to procure funds to build and equip a modern church Iniilding which is to be erected in l'U4. The Woman's Mis- sionary Society, also interested in securing mone_\- for the ne«" Iniilding. meets evcrv appointment of the denominational missionary societies. Student volunteers, students of differetit nationalities and missionaries often visit this school and make short addresses. New Waterford Methodist Episcopal Church, Columbiana County Of the lo5 members of this church, there arc S5 — 25 women, 40 young men and women and 20 boys and girls — who are engaged in the systematic study of missions. Until three years ago scarcely any attention was paid to missions. Interest was aroused by the Women's Foreign IMissionary Society under the leadership of the pastor's wife. Ever)' member of the church was ]irovided with missionary literature. Monthh' meetings for careful study were held b\ the women; quar- 6 terly teas were given at which a thank-offering was made. The young men and women met twice a month, when a discussion of the assigned lesson was followed by refreshments and a social hour. A missionary library was introduced and missionary addresses were given. Farmers Institutes form a part of this church's program. A lecture course is given under the direction of the Ladies' Aid Societies of this church and the Presbyterian Church. The village of New Water- ford has 580 inhabitants and 3 churches. Rev. J. H. Conkle, former pastor of this church, who is now 75 years of age, has retired from the ministry. He was succeeded October 1, 1913, by Rev. C. M. Kirk. Yellow Creek Presbyterian Church, Columbiana County There is a Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, a mis- sionary society among the young men and women and a mission band for the children. Besides sending a box to the Freedmen, the amount of $425 was sent to mission boards last year. Contributions were also made to objects not in the presbyterial list. The finances of this church are managed by the efficient Treasurer and Trustees with a system much like that of a bank. The matter of funds is always quietly discharged. The amount of $600 was spent on repairs last year. Only those immediately transacting the business knew anything about it. The "Brick Church," as it is popularly known, is situated in the open country in what is known far and wide as "Scotch Settlement." It is the only church edifice within a radius of from two to three miles. For more than eighty years this church has had the unfailing support of the community. No weather has been sufficiently severe or roads so impassable as to effect a marked decline in church attendance. There is a membership of ISO. During the winter time the attendance is from 125 to 150. In the summer it ranges from 150 to 200. The church plant is one of the best in the open country in the eastern part of Ohio. The present structure of red brick was erected in 1878 at a cost of $10,000. It has two stories; the auditorium is in the upper part. Below there is a large lecture room used for prayer meeting besides two smaller rooms. A parsonage valued at $2,000 adjoins the church. Rev. Henry P. Senders gives full time to Yellow Creek Church. He is a young and progressive man, eager to lead his people into making the church a real community center. 7 Jefferson First Congregational Church, Ashtabula County In 1908 a large addition was made to this church. The new part of the church building provides for a dining room, kitchen, parlor, room for primary department and separate class rooms. The trustees make out a budget each year for home expenses and for missions, and pledges are secured for the work of the church. All money is paid into the treasury on the weekly envelope system, and home expenses and the apportionment for missions have been paid. All the ladies' work is done through one organization. There is a well attended men's class which meets every Sunday. The pastor is Scout Master of an enthu- siastic troop of Boy Scouts of the village. The troop includes boys of all denominations. Catholic as well as Protestant. The Rev. J. A. Goodrich is pastor of this church. Methodist Episcopal Church at Croton, Licking County For ten years this church has maintained a steady growth. The interest centers chiefly in the teaching function of the Sunday School and pulpit. The former is equipped with an able corps of teachers who are regular in attendance. The classes are full ; the attendance averages 40 per cent, men and boys. The pastor teaches the Men's Bible Class known as the "Hustlers." There is a Bible history class, also one for mission study. The pastor has organized a troup of Boy Scouts. The Woman's Society have a social session every month. Men's activities are arranged through the Sunday School. A weekly devotional service is one of the growing sources of power. In 1913, 75 persons were added to the church roll. The pastor of this church is Rev. R. G. Bowden. Frazeysburg Methodist Episcopal Church, Muskingum County This church formerly was a two-week appointment. The pastor arranged for services every Sunday. The Sunday school had been accustomed to meet in the afternoon ; it began holding its session in the morning. The attendance rapidly increased from 85 to 140. The time of the meeting of the Epworth League was changed, and marked increase in attendance was the result. A Brotherhood was organized and the men's Bible class was built up. The men were called together for a social hour. Refreshments were served and short talks were given and an address was delivered by a special speaker. This class now numbers 50. Adamsville Methodist Episcopal Church, Muskingum County Each member of this church is sent a Ust of the members of the church, a Hst of the members of the Sunday School, also a list of the members of the Young People's Society. This method has been found invaluable in keeping the members of the church in touch with one another. The budget system is used in managing the finances. A contest in the Sunday School which lasted six months resulted in an increase of 200 per cent, in enrollment and 400 per cent, in average attendance. Cherry Fork United Presbyterian Church, Adams County This church conducts meetings in district school houses. These are either for evangelism, social fellowship, or called for the purpose of discussing questions of special interest to the community. A folding organ has been purchased for use at these school house meetings and a choir recruited from the school district leads the singing at evan- gelistic services. Both Sunday School and prayer meeting are held in a needy district without the assistance of the pastor. There are unorganized meetings for men ; there are general social gatherings for the women of the community ; the Young People's Society has frequent socials. Last spring a music festival was con- ducted for twelve days. As a result of all these activities 112 have joined the church during the past three and a half years — 90% of these were on confession. The contributions to the church boards last year amounted to $1,250; all financial obligations are promptly met. This church organization is now 1 10 years old. It has a membership of 222. The pastor is Rev. Frank Boyd, Cherry Fork. Ohio. Brethren Church, West Alexandria, Preble County In co-operation with a sister church seven miles away, the Brethren Church of West Alexandria published "The Brethren Voice," a parish paper of twelve pages. After a year's experiment the other church withdrew, but the Brethren Church at West Alexandria continue to publish a parish paper under the same name. In this paper there are personal items which make special reference to the young people of the church who are away at college, or have recently entered profes- sional or business life ; there are accounts of any social times included in the church's program ; detailed announcements of special services, such as Rally Day or Communion : brief report of meeting of Official 9 Board: a resume of the activities of the Sunday School and of other organizations. In this way a medium between church and people is provided. P^or years this church was contented with half-time preaching. Beginning with September, 1911, they employed the present pastor, Rev. J. A. Garber, for full time at a salary that increased the yearly budget more than half. The finances of this church are managed by a committee of five men who aim to secure a personal subscription both to current expenses and missions from each member. A carton of envelopes prepared b}' the Duplex Compan}' is provided each con- tributor. Periodical socials are held under the direction of one of the four organized classes or the Qiristian Endeavor. Other social-business meetings are the "All Day" meeting on New Year's Day, when a dinner is prepared at the church, reports of the past year are received and plans for the coming year are formulated ; the men's annual dinner in March and the yearly outing or picnic for Sunday School and Church in August. Cadiz Presbyterian Church, Harrison County The pastor of this church makes the month of October a rally sea- son in all departments of church work. He closes this period with a ArDI1"(lRU-.M, C.MMZ rUESinTERl.W CIU'RC'II 10 roll call communion, at which the roll of the entire congregation is called. The church auditorium has been taxed both times to accom- modate the people. In the month of May the annual congregational meeting is held. On this occasion a church supper follows the busi- ness meeting; then a reception for the new members and a congrega- tional social are held. About 400 people are present on this occasion. Among the organized classes in the Sunday School is a men's Brotherhood. A member of this class leads the prayer meeting the third Wednesday every month. This church has 609 members, 250 of whom live in the country. The parish covers about 100 square miles. Within the past two years 170 members were added to the church roll. The interior of the church was recently beautified and improved architecturally. A modern steam heating plant was installed. An acousticon is to be added in the near future. In addition to con- tributing to funds necessary for the current expenses, last year this church made gifts to benevolences which amounted to almost $2,500. Rev. Rodolph P. Lippincott has been pastor for the last two years. II. FINANCIALLY EFFICIENT CHURCHES All rural observers agree that the farmer is untrained in giving. Everyone who knows the country church appreciates the problem of church finance. In all the denominations efforts are made to bring the country churches to self-support and a financial efficiency. There is no greater or harder problem than this. We give here the list of churches, six in number, which have attained a mature financial sys- tem. The estimate put upon them is their own. They may be trusted to bear witness for themselves as to their greatest claim to distinction. There is a special significance in the financially effective country church. The farmer in the country has not until recently had an income in terms of money. The older men on the farms in Ohio remember the time when money was but little used in the country com- munity. The minister was paid very little in cash and very much in produce and other commodities. Within the lifetime of farmers now living the transformation has had to be made from an economy in which the countryman lived by what he produced to an economy in which he pays at the store for almost all that he consumes. The church has had to share in this change. It has been a hard struggle for the 11 church to secure an income for its minister out of the new income secured by the farmer from the land. The very fact that the farmer has not long had an income himself makes him slow in his contribu- tion to the church. He does not yet feel sure that he belongs to the money-spending classes. The story of those churches which have trained the farmer to give, is, therefore, of brilliant and peculiar interest. Jerusalem English Lutheran Church, Morgan County The Jerusalem church may be considered unique among the country churches of its section because of its success with its finances. Its slogan is, "A ])ledged regular contribution from every member." Bi- monthly envelopes are used. It maintains an annual budget twice as large as some neighboring churches and does it with dignity, vvhile some of the others in equally prosperous communities quibble over finances to a degree humiliating to both minister and church officials. First Baptist Church of Byesville, Guernsey County This church was thoroughly organized under the "Company Plan"' by Rev. ^^'. H. Wilson, the originator of this method, who for nine years was the pastor of this church. According to this plan the church membership is divided into companies of six members each, who in turn solicit the offerings, keeping their own records on cards provided for that purpose. The cards bearing the names of the six members of the company are enclosed in an envelope on which the six names are also written. The first member collects the first offer- ing, the second member the second, etc., until the sixth collects the sixth offering. For the year 1905-1906 the membership of this church was 141 ; the offerings to benevolences amounted to -$328.87, — 140 members contributing to all six of the benevolent societies. For the year 1906-1907. with a membership of 160, the offerings amounted to $547.88 and at least 98% of the members of the church were enlisted in the work. The pastor did not claim that these oflFerings were large. His ])eople were not wealthy. He must, however, be given credit for enlisting the help of almost every member. The Company Plan of organization has been endorsed b}' Secretaries of the State and For- eign Boards. Where this method is followed a member is compelled lo work or fall entirely out of the organization. This method is being widely used throughout Ohio and is being introduced into other states. During Mr. Wilson's pastorate this church grew from a mission station of 15 members to a thoroughly organized church of 350 people. 12 Methodist Episcopal Church of Milford, Clermont County During the past year the Alethodist Episcopal Church of ?\Iilforcl, Ohio, raised a budget of $3,852, all of which was gi\'en through regu- lar subscriptions and pledges. The Woman's Foreign Missionar\' Society made contributions amounting to $289; tlic \^'onKnl'R ilomc Missionary Societ\' contrilnited $247. Collections and "i)a\' socials" are forbidden. This financial system reacts on tlie spiritual life of the church. It has experienced a steady growth, ha\ing now 429 mem- bers, 64 of whom were added during the past year. The societies for young peojjle in this church maintain themselves without "p^y socials." The Junior and Senior Leagues each support a student on the foreign field. The young people of the church give an outing to 100 of the less fortunate people of Cincinnati, have a F'ersonal W'ork'ers' I^eague, furnish the evening choir for the regular chtirch ser\-ice ;ind show a readiness to take part in the devotional meetings. Emanuel Reformed Church, Wayne County There are other churches three miles in e\'er\- direction from Emanuel Reformed Church. To the south is an E\'angelical Church: north, Presbyterian and Methodist; west, Church of (.iod .and United Brethren ; east, Cnited Hrethren and Evangelical churches. There are also two Dunkard churches in the community. In Chester Town- ship, with a population of 1420, there are twelve churches. Six of these have grow n in membership during the past fi\e years. < >f these six churches Emanuel Church, situated at crossroads equi-distant from i:m.\xuel refdrmed church 1,^ three towns, shows next to the largest ])er cent, of increase for the past five years. It now has a membership of 135. There are twenty-two under twenty-one years of age. This church possesses a building valued at $15,000, which provides special rooms for the Sunday school. There are organized classes for men and women. The church manages its finances in this fashion. At the beginning of the year the budget is made out. Later a book con- taining the contributions is printed, and each member receives a copy. In this book every contribution is recorded and every cent is accounted for. And there is always money in the treasury to meet bills when they are due. Rawson United Brethren Church, Hancock County \'arious methods are devised for raising the amount of money neces- sary for church expenses. Rev. W. D. Bishop of the United Brethren Church at Rawson, found the results of the following plan both prompt and adequate : The large membership was divided into four districts and two solicitors were appointed for each district. A day was named for the canvass, but two weeks prior to the making of the canvass the amount of the budget was announced. The sum of $1,200 was re- quired to pay all obligations and every member was informed that he would be called upon to make a pledge toward this amount. A church rally day at which the canvassers would report, was announced. A literary program was prepared and rendered before the 250 members and friends present. The solicitors reported pledges amounting to $1,239, which amount would doubtless have been even larger, but a number of the members could not be seen on that day. The church rally was closed with a banquet. The work of that day has contributed greatly to the church attendance and to the offerings, too. On the Sunda}- following the meeting the regular evening collection amounted to $148. Cedarville United Presbyterian Church, Greene County The Cedarville United Presbyterian Church is distinguished for its excellent financial system. The church publishes a directory and financial statement each year in which are given the names of the mem- bers and the amount contributed by each toward salary and incidentals, alongside of which is the amount contributed to missions and benevo- lences. Contributions as small as five cents from children as young as eight years are fully itemized. This system when installed largely increased the church's income. The receipts for the year ending March 14 31, 1913, amounted to more than $6,500, $1,200 of which was con- tributed to foreign missions, and $1,659 to home missions, making an average of $10.25 per member to mission boards. The total amount contributed to pastor's salary and regular congregational expenses amounted to $2,050, whereas the total amount contributed to missions amounted to $2,859. The members of the Junior Missionary Society, in which children from six to fourteen years are enrolled, are raising $40 to build a mud dried brick church in India. During the past year repairs, including the frescoing of the church, new art windows, cement sidewalks and gutters, were made. The cost of these repairs amounted to more than $1,400, yet no special sub- scription was taken for these extras. Announcement concerning them was made from the pulpit and the members of the church did the rest. The pastor. Rev. James S. M. McMichael, has shown interest in the young people of the village by coaching the college and high school athletic teams. He has also organized a basket-ball team among the young people of the church. Cedarville has a population of 1,000. There are three churches in the village. III. BOYS' WORK The interpreting of the message of God to the boy and the girl has been the prophet's task in our time. To none have we listened more attentively than to those who have understood the heart of the grow- ing boy. We appreciate that his are the days of dreams, of visions and of high resolves. The adolescent boy and girl are coming to a great place in our religious life. The story, therefore, of country churches in Ohio which have attained a distinction in serving the boys of the community and purg- ing the turbulent stream of their emotions with the gospel will be read with lively interest. Bluffton Methodist Episcopal Church, Allen County After a fine new parsonage had been erected the trustees offered the old one for rent, but feeling that this building could be of greater value to the church and community if converted into a Parish House, 15 '\UVS\-T\'KV\ W CAMP ADL'I.LAAf, KXKillTS OF KlXr, ARTHUR, BLUl'I"r(J.\ METJIODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH some of the partitions were removed, a kitchen, pantry and dining room equipped, and a home was made for various organizations. The two rooms upstairs were ecjuijiped for 1jo_\'s' c1u1>s. Ahuost ever)- da\' and evening, excef)t Sundaw some sort of a meeting was held in the Parish House. It was used for pra^-er meeting, for meetings of tlie Ladies' -Vid Societ}-, also for those of the ISrotherhood, for l-!il.)le study and teachers' training classes, for meetings of the various l)0\'s', girls' and young people's clubs, for socials held with the \ari()us or- ganizations, for \\a C. T. U. meetings, for meetings of men held dur- ing the Local < tption Camjjaign, for the Men and Religion Forw.ard jMovemenl, lor union prayer meelings, for dinners and hani|ucts — in short for ,an}- good purpose which would help to build up both chnrch .and comnuuiitv. Besides the Methodist Lrotherhood fur men. the p.'istor organized a iJrotherhood of l)a\'id and Knights of King .\rthur for bo\ s. lloth of these org.anizations have .accomplished almost miracles in character buildin,L;'. The bo\s' chibs borrowed hooks from the Traveling .State Librar}-, built mission;ir\ e\hil>its and gave pirograms, in addition to holding religious and social .gatherings. .V bo\s' choir was formed. L.oth boys and \oung nten attend church 16 services in large numbers and take part in various cliurcli activities. Almost every member of the Sunday school becomes a member of the church and it is not an uncommon sight to see as many as fort_\' boy-' and young men at one comnrunion table to receive the sacrament. In three }'ears there were 109 additions, the male e.xceeding the female by 8^"{. The present membership is 34(J. There are si.x churches in Llluft- ton, a town of 2,000 inhabitants. The Sunday school with an average attendance of 250 has ranked three successive years as a "Front Line" school, furnishing a number of trained teachers, using graded lessons and maintaining three large organized adult classes. The pastor considered the Parish House the cause of the success attained by the .Sunday school. Other organizations of this church are Home (uiards, W'esleyan Guild, Home ]\Iissionarv Societ}", Kpworth and Junior Leagues. A new building costing not less than S15.000 is to be erected. Re\'. John I larding Butler was pastor of this church for three _\ears and during that time was secretary of the Allen County Sunda}- School .Associa- tion. Since Sejitember, 19L\ the P.luftton ]\1. E. Church has had Rev. \\ . R. I'.urton for its pastor. .\ROUND THE r.\MP FIRE 17 MISS IIIKA FRY, TEACHER OF CLASS SIX, jriNERAL METHODIST EPISCOPAL Sl'N'DAV SCHOOL Mineral Methodist Episcopal Church, Athens County Mineral is a mining village of about 200 inhaliitants. In the summer of 1912 a young woman from near Cincinnati who had recently ac- cepted a position in Athens, spent one Sunday in Mineral. She noticed that there was a crowd of }'oung men loafing about the railroad sta- tion. The fact that none of these young men were present at Sunday school attracted her attention. She decided to spend every Sundav in Mineral. ( )n June 30th, 1912, she started a Sunda\- School class with five boys enrolled. On November 2Xth of the same year this group, known as Class Six was organized. The enrollment was then 35 ; by September 2Sth, 1913, it had increased to 70. Last winter under the auspices of Class Six, a lecture course was given. The professors of Ohio University gave their services free. The boys bore all traveling expenses and arranged for the entertain- ment of the speakers over night. The\- attended to every detail. They 18 met their distinguished guests when they arrived and made sure that they were properly introduced. Plans are being made for another lecture course this year. ^Mothers' Day was given special recognition by Class Six, A pro- gram appropriate to the occasion was rendered. In addition to giving a carnation to ever}- mother present at the services, a bunch was sent to every mother in the village who was not able to attend Sunday school. This class has four standing committees : Membership, S)'mpathy, Devotional and Entertainment. A business meeting is held every month at which a program is rendered. The motto of the class is, "Be ve doers of the \'\^ord and not hearers only" : its aim is. "Help some- body to-dav." The splendid record attained by Class Six is all due to the faithfulness and tact of Miss Mina Fry, the young \voman who organized it and is now the teacher. Yellow Springs Presbyterian Church, Greene County This church owns a $25,000 white stone building containing ten rooms, one of which is a reading room. The pastor is attempting to make this church a community center. During the past five years there has been an increase of 125% in church membership. At the _- jaK BOY SCOUTS, STOCKPORT ]JISCIPLES CHURCH 19 last of a scries of socials held during 1911 hy an organized class of boys ranging from fourteen to se\'enteen }ears of age. the pastor 0]ienc(l discussion concerning church nicmliershi]). Later the proposi- tion of joining the church was presented to the 1)0}'S indi\'iflually and ever_\- niemlier of the class allied himself with the church. This class has g\niuasiuni practice twice a week and an organized baseball team coached bv the teacher. The Sunda)' school su])crintendent, a college trained, jiractical business man, alwa\'s has his home open to the }"oung ]:)cople for gfjod social times. ]Mr. P. W . Drake is the sniicrintendent : I\e\'. \\ . 1\. (iraham is pastor. Stockport Church, Disciples of Christ, Morgan County In ccmnection with this church there is maintained b\' the pastor a Roy Scouts Troop, the most successful bo\'s' organization in Morgan County. Idiis troop has a baseball team. Last summer ( 1913 ) these Bo)" Scouts encam])ed for ten days at the Chautauqua at McConnels- \-ille. 'Lhe pastor added seven members to his church in less than a }"ear without s])ecial e\'angelistic effort, dlirough his intimate asso- ciation with his Lov Scouts and his ^■oung people, he is al)le to do con- .'tructive wurk all the \c:it around. jin>Dr,iii-]icr,! Ill < l.l'H H.SSEH.M.I. ^K.\^[ .\.\l( ITS m.\x.\(;er, KEW C. M. Mol i>i\xi-:el 20 ^^ * MIDDLEFIELD BOV SCOUTS IX CAMT Middlefield Methodist Episcopal Church, Geauga County When the ?\Ietliodist Iqjiscopal Churcli at ^liddlefield was planned the ho_\s were not forgotten. IJesides an auditorium, Sunday school room, pastor's study and kitchen, there are a g\mnasiuni and ho\s' club room. The church is kept open se\'era! nights in the week and a competent ]ierson is in charge w hen the )oung ])ec)ple meet in the g\'ni- nasium for a social or for gymnasium work. The young jjeople of the village instead of meeting on the street corners and in disreputal)le places come to the church. It has indeed I)ecome the social center of the community. For three years the pastor was manager of the liaseball team of the town. He arranged the schedule and took all the responsiljilitv of the games. Several star players were de\'e]oped and the team was held in good repute throughout the county. The conduct of the players \\as the cause of nuich favoraljle comment and the undesirable features of the game were reduced to the minimum. During the fall and winter months when it was impossible to have outdoor sports, tlie members of the basebal team met from time to time in the gymnasium and took systematic training. Boys from twelve to fifteen years of age \vere under the leadership 21 of the pastor in a troop of Boy Scouts. They had their headquarters in the boys' club room in the church and athletic training was given them in the church gymnasium. During the winter months the boys met one night each week when they had games and athletic training under the direction of the pastor. In the summer they took long hikes through the country and camped for a week. Through this type of work and other of a like nature the church came to have a standing in the community that was strategic. It is the center of the life of the community and it became an easy matter to finance the various enterprises of the church. The people felt that they were getting value in return for their investment and the church found its life by losing it in the vital, throbbing interests of the com- munity. A change of pastors has not changed the policy and purpose of the church. Although Rev. C. M. McConnell who initiated much of this community service has gone to another field, the work goes on. IV. RESIDENT PASTORS Few realize the extent to which the minister has joined the exodus from the country. In the Eastern States, including Pennsylvania, New York and the Virginias under that term, there are many ministers living in the country among farmers. But durirrg the past generation the occupations once known in the country have moved into town and the minister has gone with the merchant, the shoemaker, the lawyer, the doctor, the worker in iron and in wood. The States from Ohio westward, especially those settled in large measure since the Civil WslT, show no signs of the early settlement of pastors in the country, which we find in the East. Therefore the resident minister is in these states a distinguished figure in the country. Probably in this story of successful churches in Ohio a larger number should be listed under this heading. In a goodly number of churches this one mark of success seems to be a clue to the character of the church. All honor to the pastors and to their people who have seen that the country church needs a minister living with the farmers in the open fields and teaching them the way of life in the country ! May the time soon come when the minister who lives 22 in town where he does not preach, and preaches in the country where he does not live, will see a new light and consecrate himself and his family to a resident pastorate in the open country. Bethel Presbyterian Church, Columbiana County In a section of the state that is hill}' and thinly populated LJethel Presbyterian Church has more than held its own. It has prospered. This church, standing in the open country, is five miles from the rail- road and six miles from an electric line. Roads are not improved. Most of the members li\e at a distance of 3 or 4 miles: some as far as 6 miles. There has been a continual exodus from this community to neighboring cities. Yet in spite of all that is unfavoralile to church growth, Bethel now has a church roll of 243 members. This church has been successful in holding its pastors, there being only four ministers in sixty years. The present pastorate is the fifth since 1852. The pastors of this church have made great sacrifices, but not without results. The tithing of their income by several families, erection of a famil_\- altar and faithfulness in church attendance are fruits of the consecrated lives of liethel's pastors. For fifteen years there has been a resident pastor. A parsonage, with 25 acres of land, is furnished. There being no easy access to the cit)'. this church has not let slip BElUf-X I'RESBYTERI.AK CHURCH 23 RILKY CKEEK BAPTIST (IIURCTI tlie opjjortunity of making itself the soeial as well as the religious cen- tre of the community. The parish, which covers almost a township, has a large uumljcr of young people. .\t a recent Sunday evening preaching service there were n''ore than lUO young men and women present. The good music furnished helps to attract the young people. There is a societv of Christian Endeavorers, also a Ladies' jMission- arv Societ}-. F>y means of a contest the attendance at Sunda_\' School was doubled, A Bible class for men has Ijeen organized with h\t otficers and three committees: Lookout, .Social and k^astor's .\i(l. 'Men who formerlv were never present are now interested in the Sundav School. (Jn Sunday afternoon a member of the men's class success- full)' conducts a branch Sunday School at a school house four miles from the church. Cottage pra>er meetings, or services in neighboring school houses, are held on Wednesday evening. ALui\' who have not been interested in matters religious are attracted to these ser\ices and later join the church. Just now jtlans are being made h\ a committee appointed by the pastor. Rev. M. II. \\oolf, and the Session, for a Countrv Life Institute to be held during the winter. 24 Riley Creek Baptist Church, Hancock County For forty-five years Riley Creek Baptist Church never had more than half the time of its minister and never had him living in the parish. In 1910 a modern church building, valued at $7,000, was erected. Later Rev. C. F. Schneider was engaged to give his wfhole time to the church and to live among his parishioners. In addition to receiving a salary of $600 the- pastor has the use of a 60 acre farm. In two years the church membership advanced from 103 to 145. The Sunday School now enrolls 125 and has an average attendance of 85. The morning services draw 140 people on an average. In the evening the average attendance is 200. All church expenses are promptly paid. Sugar Creek United Presbyterian Church, Montgomery County Since its organization in 1804 Sugar Creek United Presbyterian Church has had only 13 pastors. A well kept parsonage with exten- sive grounds is provided and resident pastors are the rule. The mem- bers of this church have demanded efficient men in the pulpit and have paid salaries large enough to attract men of the highest caliber. Dr. J. B. Michael after he had served this church 16 years, accepted the presidency of Monmouth College. After 25 years in that position of honor he resumed the pastorate at Sugar Creek, serving four and a half years. Rev. John A. Henderson, who has served prominent churches of his denomination, is now pastor of this church. Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church is situated in the open country seven miles from the city of Dayton. Its membership of 155 is com- prised chiefly of country folk. A new and completely equipped build- ing of gray Bedford limestone, costing $20,000, was dedicated June 22, 1913. This is the fourth edifice erected by this congregation since its organization 109 years ago. A kitchen and dining room in the new building afir'ord ample facilities for social gatherings. The program for this winter includes an open house meeting for every Fridav evening. The Duplex Envelope system is used. Many of the members are tithers, others pay even more than a tenth. Wilkesville Presbyterian Church, Vinton County Over one-half of the 90 members of this church are farmers. The Presbyterians of Wilkesville support a resident minister and believe in keeping one minister long enough to give him a chance to do his best 25 REV. CHARLES E. TAYLOR. Tii. D. work. They expect their minister to live in their midst and take part in the life of the community One pastor served this church 12 years; his son, Dr. Chas. B. Taylor, 10 years: the grandson, now in a country church in Missouri, was also pastor of this church for a while. The inlluence of this church on the community' life has alw a^•s been notice- able and permanently elTective. Removals to the city and the deple- tion of the soil are now causing a decline in church membership, vet in its 94 years of service it has furnished 10 ministers of the Gospel anrl 57 teachers, 2"? of whom are numliercd ui the present congrega- tion. \\^ilkes^'ille is a hamlet of 203 peoyile. St. Jacob's Reformed Church, Columbiana County St. Jacob's Reformed Church in Center Township, Columbiana County, is a country church with over 200 members, nearlv 20^r of whom are under 21 years of age. There are five other churches within three miles, all of them losing ground. This neighborhood has sutiiered from rural exodus. A'et this church has grown steadily. It has had 26 a resident pastor for fifteen years giving full time to this one congre- gation. It pays him $700 and furnishes him with a parsonage and twenty-five acres of land. Here is a minister serving a country church which belongs to the country, who knows his people personally, min- isters to all of his extended parish and has built up a strong efficient organization. V. SUNDAY SCHOOLS The country church is generally not as strong in its teaching organi- zation as it should be. It compares but ill with the town church. The great Sunday Schools maintained in some of the cities are not matched in the open country. One longs to have the old days return of thor- ough Bible instruction and one longs in vain for the machinery and the method by which this may be accomplished. The people living in the country need instruction in Bible truth, in the Christian tradi- tion and in the missionary work of the church. Therefore the churches which have built their work upon efficient Sunday Schools have a story to tell. Ebenezer Mennonite Church, Allen County Entire families are enrolled in this Sunday School. To this factor the pastor acknowledges is largely due the success of the church, as well as the Sunday School. There are 375 on the church roll, 65 of whom are under twenty years of age. Within the past three years 114 have joined the church. The Sunday School has organized classes, which hold social and literary gatherings at the private homes once a month. There is a Teachers' Training Class and a well attended Teachers' Meeting is held every week. Ebenezer Mennonite Church is situated in the open country in a very prosperous Swiss community in Allen County. Rev. W. S. Gottshall, Bluffton, Ohio, pastor of this church, is President of the Home Mission Board of the General Conference of Mennonites. Christian Church at Shreve, Wayne County The church building, valued at $10,000 has ten rooms, nine of which ;; re designed for the use of the Sunday School. There are maps, small chairs, tables, charts and blackboard provided. All the adult classes 27 are organized. The young men's Bible class has a base-ball team that has played several out of town games. The young people of this church contribute generously to missionary enterprises. The}' are now educating a boy in China. Of a church membership of 517, 15^.r are under 21 \-ears of age. Old Fort United Brethren Church, Seneca County The r)ld Fort United Brethren Sunday School, with an enrollment of 231, has 37 memljers who have graduated from the standard course for teacher training. Tn November, l'*13, there were 11 members in the third Aear class of the advanced teacher training course wdio had onh' one more book to stud}" before completing the course. This <:l; \l>l--\TI.,S IX TtlE ST\.\|).\U]l ClIURSE I'l >K ■I'KACHKR TRMXIXC OLD I'DKT L'XITEI) BRICTtli;EX I Hl'Ri II Sunday School is a "front line" school. ( )n last "decision day" 23 of its niembers joined the church. To the adult Bible class is due credit for bringing a large number into the Sundav School and church. The fact that the efficient training of the teachers of the Bible classes is emphasized is no doul)t another factor contributing to the growth of this church. Mr. C. C. Drown, a leading business man of ( )ld Fort, has charge of the teacher training class. To his good sense and Chris- tian living the United Brethren Church owes much. 28 Peebles Methodist Episcopal Church, Adams County JNIany churches are wondering how they may enlist their young people. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Peebles, Ohio, has 80 members under 21 years of age. These comprise almost one-third of the numerical strength of the church. Inquiry leads back to the Sunday school. Within the past two years, 62 of these young people have passed from the Sunday school into the church. A decision day held in the Sunday school during the revival services was helpful, but of much greater value was the careful personal work of the Sunday School teachers. They talked with the children and visited the parents, who, in turn, were persuaded to co-operate by talking with the children concerning the importance of making a decision. The transition was made easy and natural ; about three-fourths of the children joined before 13 years of age. Because of careful work in following up what was begun, the results have been definite and lasting. Something is always being done to meet the needs of the young people; every winter several socials are given: the teachers and officers of the Sunday School make frequent visits at the homes of the pupils. Part of the credit for the success of this Sunday School is due to an efficient secretary whose accurate records and keen oversight keep absent pupils from being neglected and for- gotten. This Sunday School has now become so big that the children can find nothing outside of it quite so good. The pastor frankly admits his indebtedness to this "working Sunday School." In two neighboring charges in smaller villages he has not been able to add a young person to the church roll in two years. His work counts, he has discovered, only where he has an organized body of devoted Christians consecrated to bringing the children into the church and helping them to grow up into an understanding of religious responsibility. Macksburg Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington County The village of Macksburg with its 450 inhabitants has one church, the Methodist Episcopal. The building which was erected in 1907 is most attractive in appearance and is a source of pride to the people of the village. There is an Epworth League meeting once a week ; prayer meeting is conducted twice a week. The Sunday School has 196 enrolled, in addition to a Home Department of 45 and a Cradle Roll of 26. Graded 29 lessons arc used in the primary and junior departments. A member of the Sunday School who is an accomplished artist illustrates the lessons of all the departments. Mrs. Alice Blakeslee. a woman of tact, education and means is the superintendent of the Sunday School. She is ahlv assisted bv the officers and seventeen teachers of this school M.\CKSBURG METHODIST EPISCOPAL SUNDAY SCHOOL VI. COMMUNITY CHURCHES 'Jdie dream of the pastor and of the leader in rural religious life is that each community shall have one church and that each church shall serve in the broadest wa\' the religious needs of its community. It is the old conception of the parish. It embodies in local form the ideals of service, of church co-operation and comitx , which are in the hearts of all. We therefore are deeply interested in those examples of close relation between the community and the church. Many more such instances might perhaps have been found, but the following list of churches exjjresses in the mind of the writers their sense of an ideal of social ser\'icc : the countr\- church which ministers to the country conmnmitv. Hiram Disciple Church, Portage County lliram is a small village situated in ;i dair\ing section of the state, ([uite isolated, the nearest railroad being two and one-half miles distant. ^'ct the communit}' has a most progressive and intellectual atmosphere, for the citizens are for the most part professors of Hiram College or in some other way identified \vith that institution. There is the "His- 30 CEXTEXXIAL CLASS. HIRAM DISCIPLE CHURCH lory Club," also, the "Research Club"; both follow a definite plan of study throughout the year. A "Young Married Folks Club" seeks to interest all young married people in the village and in the country. Its functions are wholly social. There is only one other community in the township — Hiram Rapids, a small village 2'/ miles distant. The moral tone of this place is far belo\v that of Hiram. It has a church that revives periodically for a short time after several years of abandonment, and has been of several denominations. To all intents the township is a whole, centering in H^iram, and the Disciples Church of Hiram is a commnnit}- church in every sense of the word. This church owns a large brick structure, ^'alued at $20,000, in excel- lent condition. There are 345 members and the number constantly increases in spite of the fact that the total population of the township is decreasing. Rev. John E. Pounds, the pastor, lives in his parish. He is thoroughly awake and is seeking to enlist the church for com- munity service. The church and college co-operate closel}'. During the college year, music is furnished for the church services bv students trained by the teacher of music in the conservatory. Most of the teachers in the Sundav School are college students. During the morning ser\ice one of the young women students has charge of a "nursery" in the base- ment of the church, in order that mothers with younger children need not be kept at home b>' reason of this fact. The Christian Endeavor is supported jointly by college students and the young peo[)le of the 31 village. The members of the college faculty are instrumental in making the i)ra)'er meeting a success. This church has a llrothcrhood which meets monthly for the discus- sion of some live Ciuestion. Social features are not neglected. The Centennial I'.ible Class "to which every member belongs, whether he w ill or no, pro\ided he is not a member of any other class" is an out- standing feature of this church. Bible study is conducted for this class b\' the pastor during the regular Sunday School hour. Ihe average attendance is about 65. There are classes conducted by the Dean of Alen and the wife of the college president for the students of Hiram college. A canvass of the communit\' has been made and effort is being put forth to reach those who have hitherto not belonged to church. "^*-^-=^^ MALTA METHODIST EnSCdl'-VL CHliRrH 32 Malta Methodist Episcopal Church, Morgan County This is a strong village church. Malta has a populatimi of 971. There is one other church in the village. The Methoilist Episcopal Church enrolls as members about 325 of the peojile of the \'illage, a little over one-third of the population, an excepjtional ]iro]iortion. This year there were ?)2 accessions. This church now has loy members more than it had five years ago. The Sunday School has a fine orches- tra. -V spirit of genuine friendliness and sociability is manifested in the Epworth League. Locust Grove M. E. Church, Vinton County This church is situated in the open country se\'en nfi'es from an\' railway. Working with the school house beside it, it has controlled the life of its conimunit\- for the last 4() vears. The result of this kind of LUCU.ST (JRO\-E METHODIST EPISCOP.XL CIILIRCII leadership has been the producing of strong men. liecause of the service of that church and school have gone forth to serve the world two ministers, two judges of the Court of Common I 'leas and two professors in colleges. 33 Hopewell Presbyterian Church, Holmes County This church, standing in the open country, is the oldest religious organization in Holmes County. The present building was erected seven years ago, at a cost of $7,200, not including much donated material and labor. It is a modern frame building, having four rooms and a basement in which are dining room, kitchen, furnace room and lighting plant. A commodious parsonage with four acres of ground adjoins the church. Both buildings and grounds are kept in good order. There are lcS2 members on the church roll; 150 are enrolled in the Sujiday School. This community is smaller than it was 20 years ago, consequently the membership of the church is less than it was. On the other hand, the church is now self-supporting, which it was not formerly, and besides supporting a pastor it contributes generously to benevolences. The pastor devotes all of his time to Hopewell Church. Two years ago he organized a Farmers" Club, which has been superseded by a Grange. Socials of various kinds are held in the church, in the schools and in the homes of the community. Lectures and entertainments are given from time to time in the church. Rev. Charles Marston, the pastor, is using every means to make Hopewell Presbyterian Church respond to every need of the community. Bloomfield United Presbyterian Church, Muskingum County Located in a village of less than a hundred people for more than half a century this church has maintained a strong congregation. The present membership is 230, one-fourth of whom recently came from a rival church now disorganized. The union has proved a happy one — - a new life and a new spirit are manifest. An Every Member Canvass in March the last two years has increased the offerings for missions. Most of the members of the church belong to the Sunday School which is superintended by Mr. F. C. Simms. There is a young men's Bible class, an organized class of older men numbering 35, and a teacher training class. The young people's society give frequent socials. Other organizations in the church give socials occasionally. The building formerly used by the disorganized church is to be made a social center. The pastor is the Rev. Dr. S. W. Gilkey, who was once a public school teacher and later a college professor, hence is deeply interested in the development of his young people. Last year he assisted the 34 public school teachers of adjoining districts organize and maintain a literary society. He has helped start a similar society for this winter. Reared on a farm he is deeply interested in scientific agriculture and takes an active part in the annual farmers' institute. VII. CIVIC EFFICIENCY The number of churches interested in affairs once called secular is very great. Probably those here listed seem too scanty in comparison with the whole number throughout the State of Ohio. But the story of these will serve to remind us of the many churches whose distinc- tion in the eyes of the community is their broad and catholic spirit ; the interest of their people and their ministers in literary, social and ■economic concerns. The old Puritan minister was a pastor of all his people. But often liis successor has inherited a doctrine not from the Puritans, but from the Philistines, that the church should have to do as little as possible with human life. Therefore the churches which enlarge their heart, which lengthen their cords and strengthen their stakes, in order to give satisfactory shelter to every interest of the whole community, are am.ong the successful and efficient churches. Huntsburg Methodist Episcopal Church, Geauga County Last summer under the auspices of this church a two days' Chau- tauqua was held. Huntsburg, a village of 225 people, is located in a prosperous dairying community. That the Methodist Episcopal Church of Huntsburg is interested in the development of the com- munity is shown by the fact that "The Scientific Production of Clean Milk" was a subject lectured upon at the Chautauqua. Other topics discussed were "The Modern Interpretation of the Book of Job" and "The New Country Church." Good music, both instrumen,tal and vocal, was furnished. The meetings were held in the park in the after- noon and in the town hall in the evening. Other enterprises promoted by this church are home talent enter- tainments, a lecture course and a library of good standard works. A 35 ORWELL I'RESBYTEKIAX fML'KCH base-ball team not confined to church memljers, Init to "box's of the town," was organized. A new social life has l)een infused into the church through an organized \'oung ])co])les class. Rev. 1'". .\. Heale is the jKistor of this church. Orwell Presbyterian Church, Ashtabula County The pastor (jf this church has gix'cn much attention to Countrv Life Institutes and Grange work. He is a strong promoter of connnunU)' life, ha\'ing helped organize and direct a Civic League. This organi- zation is urging the incorporation of the village. Certain ini]iro\'enicnls in the cemetery were made b}' the I^eague. The librarv is receiving much attention, fhe pastor of the < )r\\ell Presljyterian Church is president of the rul)lic Library r.oard and money is being raisetl to secure funds sufficient to have the librar\' open every evening in tjic week, to buy new books and to enlarge the building, in order to have room for athletic equijmient. For three years there has l)een a lawn tennis club, which takes part in tournaments. This is mainlv the work of the pastor, wdio organized the club and has been its i>resident e\'er since. The Men's llible Class of the Sunday School is supporting in-door games this winter. Rev. Llenry E. Nicklen is pastor of the Orwell Presbyterian Church ; he is also president of the Ci\ic League. 36 VIII. SOCIAL LIFE If }oii ask the young men going into the ministry wliat they pro- pose to do in their daily association with their people, in one form or another they will answer that they propose to organize the social life of the church. A new insight into the value of human association and the place of God in human society has come to us. We conceive of the Holy Spirit still creating and refreshing the world through the social mingling of men with one another. Especially is this true in the country, where work is solitary and social intercourse is a blessing. The churches which have succeeded in warming up the countryside with a hearty, cordial social spirit are many and of them all we enumerate doubtless too few. But their work and their success will find an echo in many churches which would not confess the prominence of social organization in their methods of work. Jersey Presbyterian Church, Licking County Three years ago a basement was put under the entire church. In this addition there is a kitchen, also reading and social rooms. The basement has become the center of everything rural ; is used by the school as well as by the church. Every year a big Thanksgiving dinner is given here free of any charge. The pastor is much interested in athletics. He umpires ball games and tennis tournaments. A court for the latter has been provided at the rear of the church. \\'ithin the past three and a half years, during the pastorate of Rev. M. E. Wright, there have been 135 additions: 115 of these have been on confession. The Christian Endeavor Society of this church fur- nished a school room for a teacher in Chattanooga. Four young men of this congregation are now preparing to enter the ministry. Church of Christ at Bethel, Clermont County There are organized classes for young people in the Sunday School. Each of these holds an annual picnic. In addition to these picnics the Sunday School as a whole has one each year. During the past year the Senior Christian Endeavor Society had three social gatherings ; the Junior Society two. Friends who were not members were invited to these socials. This church has 250 members enrolled. Of these there are 66 boys and 92 girls under 21 years of age. 37 Kilbuck Church of Christ, Holmes County In a village of 400 inhabitants where there are two churches, the Kilbuck Church of Christ in the past eleven years has grown from a membership of 125 to 300. In the same period the average attendance of the Bible School has increased from 60 to 175. Since the church has been recruited largely through the Bible School, much attention has been given the latter. There are organized adult classes, two of which number more than 50. The church building has 9 rooms in addition to 5 in the basement, and there is a complete equipment of maps, Bibles, song books ; there is also a library. Social life has not been neglected. Several times a year all the members of the church eat together with their friends in the church basement, at which time a miscellaneous program is rendered. One feature of this church is its magazine club. The men sub- scribe to the various magazines jointly, and then exchange them with one another. Another feature of this church is the ten deaconesses who have charge of all charitable work. Rev. W. R. Walker has been the pastor of this church for more than eleven years. IX. BROTHERHOODS OF MEN Doubtless the Protestant church was managed too long by the men, for we have been brought up under a reaction in which the women had taken effective charge of affairs. Slowly the churches are turn- ing again to the cultivation of fraternal life among the men. It is a pity that so long the church neglected the fraternal interest of its male members. Lodges have been formed of good men all over the country, especially in the Middle West, to satisfy the need for which the church offered nothing. No other method is more fruitful in de- veloping the whole life of the church than attention to the needs of the men of the community, and in many places this attention has brought abundant fruit. The following are but a few of the churches, so doing. May their number greatly increase. 38 Germantown United Brethren Church, Montgomery County The outstanding feature of this church is its organization of 60 men who constitute the Brotherhood. These men assume the respon- sibihty of directing and promoting the material interests of the church. All the money needed for church maintenance is raised by a committee of 16 men. Some committees have charge of the social activities: others assist the pastor in other ways. Under the leadership of the pastor and the Brotherhood the church building was recently remodeled at an approximate cost of $30,000. The church to-day has all the conveniences of the best equipped churches. During the past three years $26,500 has been raised among its mem- bers, most of whom are retired farmers, few of them living in the open countrv at present. The success of this church is largely due to the influence of the pastor who has proved himself an efficient or- ganizer. (;ERM.\NT()WN t'NITED nUETirREX CHURCH Dalton Presbyterian Church, Wayne County In 1909 a Brotherhood was organized. Ever since that time the work of the men of this church has been prominent. When one of the members was ill with typhoid fever the Brotherhood put out his wheat and cut and husked his corn. They paid the doctor's bill for a 39 EATINT, \VATEr Mem'ship No. Churches Reporting 7 7 Atten- dance White Xenia. . . Colored Xenia 1 1 445* 7 i8o 311 67 Total Xenia. . i8 j 342* 14 189 Villages . Open Country 34 135 25 ; 73 28 13 93 66 •Includes one church with mpmbersliij) of 1,500, and one with membershii> of foiir- tt'Pil. Average for reniainiii^ nine is UT.t. Xenia has two churches with an unusually large member- ship and average attendance. One of them reports an average of 800, and the other 465. These tend to increase the general average for the city. The average attendance for the village and countrj' churches is not large. The average membership per family as determined from data obtained from 32 churches was 2.2. According to the census of 1910, the average size of Green County families was 3.8. Compared with conditions in other counties, there is a rela- tively small percentage of the churches that have a member- ship under 30. Twelve churches or 19.3 per cent, have under this number. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF GREENE COUNTY 35 Complete data as to church attendance were not obtained. The data secured are as follows: TABLE XVI Total Average Attendance ^ jNo. Churches ,^ , ,^, , ^ , Pc . Pc T^me Reporting ^^^'^ ^^^^'^ T°'^' Male Fern. A. M 33 '1329 2055 33S4 39.3 607 P. M I 9 170 220 390 436 564 Evening 1 25 ' 638 883 1521 48.6 51.4 Total .... ^ 2137 3^5^ 5295 The average attendance at the morning service is the largest. The per cent, of attendance of females is also largest at this period. If this average for the morning service holds good for all the country and village churches, there should be an average attendance for the entire county approximating 6600 people, a number but slightly less than the total rural and village member- A Modern Country Chtrch — Greene County Mt. Zion Reformed Church, Beaver Creek Township. 36 MIAMI UNIVERSITY ship, 6767. Doubtless this percentage of attendance is too large to be representative. The phj'sical condition of the church buildings is generally good. Over 50 per cent, of the churches have but one room. Nine reported kitchens and dining rooms. Only two churches have horse sheds. 39 per cent, of the' buildings are brick. 39 out of 56 or 69.6 per cent, of both the brick and frame buildings were in good condition. 66. i per cent, or nearly two-thirds of the grounds are reported in good or fair condition. The data as to average expenditures are as follows: TABI.E XVII Average Expenditures No . Churches Total Value Average Value Item Reporting or Amount or Amount Value of buildings 57 $146,200.00 $2,565.00 Value of Parsonage 17 33,700.00 1,982.00 Pastor's salary 50 $21,167.00 423.00 Supervision 21 1,848.00 88.00 Janitor service 4f 2,442 .00 60.00 Fuel and light. . . . 37 1,805.00 49.00 Repairs . ... 19 7,647.00 402.00 Sunday School . . 28 1,628.00 48.00 Home Missions. . 22 2,184.00 99 . 00 Foreign Missions . 24 2,853.00 119.00 Other Benevolences 23 3, 544 00 154.00 Other Expenses . . 12 2,112.00 176.00 Total Expenses . 42 $26,980.00 $642.00 Receipts are from two principal sources: subscriptions and collections. The following table shows the relative importance of the different sources: A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF GREENE COUNTY TABLE XVIII Average Incomes 37 Form of Incomes No. Churches Reporting 21 25 Total Average Subscriptions Collections . $19,160.50 2,730.00 $912.40 1 58 . 00 A small amount was received from socials, home mission aid, and endowment, but this was not enough to afFect appreciably the total. A rough estimate of the annual financial cost to the county of its religious equipment may be made from the averages arrived at. Interest on Value of Property 1 66 churches @ $2,565 per church. . . 1 7 parsonages Operating expense 66 churches @ . $642 per church $169,290® 5%; $8,464 00 33-70065% 1,685.00 42,372.00 Total !$52,52I .00 Total membership, 7167. Average cost per member, approximately, $7 . 30. Deprecia- tion of property not considered. This amount is practically the same as is paid per member in Clermont County. Few data were obtained as to the complete educational training of the ministers serving in the county. Of the thirty reporting, nineteen had seminary training and seven others some collegiate preparation. The distribution of the time spent in the present and preced- ing parishes by the ministers is given below. 38 MIAMI UNIVERSITY TABLE XIX Number of Years In Present Parish In Preceding Parish One or under Two Three Four 9 6 4 2 3 I 4 3 6 3 Five .... .... Six and over 5 3 One pastor has served fifty years in the same parish. The average length of service is 4.7 years. As is shown above, fifteen or 52 per cent, have been in the present parish two years or less. Seven of the ministers have other occupations in addition to their regular ministerial duties. There are one farmer, five stud- ents, one editor, one machinist, one salesman, one contractor and builder, and one teacher. The average income of eighteen of the pastors in the county is $1048. But four of these are compelled to pay rent for their parsonages. This is much better than the average salary paid to the township school supervisors, which is $901.00. The average amount paid by individual churches has gradually increased. Ten years ago it was $389; five years ago, $390; now it is $420. Ten churches report a decrease in expenditures over the ten year period. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS In 61 Sunday Schools reporting, there were 246 teachers engaged. The total enrollment was 5040, and the average attend- ance in 55 Sunday Schools was 3212 or 58 per school. As compared with the 5904 young people under 21 years of age in the small villages and rural districts in Greene County, the total enrollment represents 85 per cent, and the average attendance 54.4 per cent. This average attendance suggests the poss-ibilities of careful study of local communities with the purpose of reach- ing a larger proportion of young people. This does not take into consideration the fact that the total enrollment of 5040 is A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OK GREENE COUNTY 39 made up partly of those over 21 years of age, an item which somewhat lowers the per cent. A condition to be considered is the enrollment of country children in the Sunday Schools of Xenia. This is a limited influence. The Sunday School is the chief source of new members to the church, as is shown by the data obtained. Of the 237 joining church on confession, 229 came from the Sunday School. The comparison of enrollment and average attendance in Sunday School in the villiage and open country is interesting. TABLE XX Sunday Schooi, Attendance Item Enrollment Av. enrol, per S. S. [54]*. Av. attendance [55]*- Per cent, of attendance on enrollment. Total I 5040 93 -3 [33]* 58 5 [33]* 62.4 Town 3620 io9.7[2i]* 69.6[2i]* 63. 4 [20]* Country 1420 67.6 41 6 61 6 •Churelies reporting. Whereas the enrollment in country Sunday Schools is smaller, the per cent, of attendance is about the same. This speaks well for the standards of the rural population as to regularity of attendance. The per cent, of attendance on enrollment is lower in both cases, however, than is consistent with the highest standards of efficiency. Practically all the Sunday Schools in the county continue for twelve months. There are but five churches without Sunday Schools, and only one Sunday School not connected with a church. \'ery few reported special equipment, such as blackboards, books, maps, charts, etc. The social life of the Sunday School is discussed elsewhere. There is little doubt that the Sunday School in this county could be bettered by the addition of more social features. No men's social organizations in the churches were reported. The membership and the average attendance at the Young Peo- ples' and the Women's Church organizations are given as follows: 40 MIAMI UNIVERSITY TABLE XXI Organization No. Re- porting Membership Average Attendance Young People's Societies Women's Societies Prayer meeting i8 ' 554 495 46 I 1556 ; 744 20 1 1 3^3 Eighteen churches reported protracted meetings and con- versions in the past year. These meetings averaged fifteen days in length. There were 256 conversions, 210 of the converts join- ing church. SUMMARY OF RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS The characteristic phases of the religious situation in Greene County as brought out b\- the Survey are: 1 . With two or three exceptions, freedom from the usual complications of over-churching. 2. A few sections with inadequate church facilities. 3. A percentage of membership in proportion to total po- pulation for the whole county of 44.8 as compared with 33.5 for the rural and village communities of the county, and 39 for the entire state. 4. Notwithstanding the decrease in population in the county 75 per cent, of the village churches and 64 per cent, of the county churches are either holding their own or are increasing in member- ship. The village churches show the greater vitality, since 56. 2 per cent, of these are growing where but 42.8 per cent, of the country churches are growing. On the other hand but 25 per cent, of the village churches reporting are losing ground, while 35.8 per cent, of the country churches are losing gronnd. Of 49 churches reporting, the membership increase in a ten year period was 10 per cent, whereas during the last census decade, the lo.'s of rural population was 8 per cent. 5. Greene County presents the usual characteristics of absentee pastorates and multiplicity of denominations. It does not have as large a proportion of seminary students as pastors as is found in certain other sections of the state. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF GREENE COUNTY 41 6. Both churches and Sunday Schools have large opportunity for service in reaching those not brought directly under the influence of these agencies. The Sunday School, and the period of decision offered in the annual revival, are as yet the nrincipal agencies for extending the influence of the church. At present, when the need of extending and strengthening the social and recreational life of the community is so generally recognized, it would appear that the churches of the county have a golden opportunity to appropriate the social agencies as means of extending their influence; and in turn, the social life of the community under the auspices of religious agencies would have the moral environment and the spirit of service accompanying it which are characteristic of the religious life. 7. Greene County has taken an advanced step in the cordial support given to both the Young Men's and the Young Women's Christian Associations. Both these organizations have been doing a definite service to the young people of the countj- and have been supplementing the efforts of the church along lines of social improvement. The Young Men's Christian Association has held a number of boys' congresses made up of delegates from all parts of the county. This organization devotes most of its atten- tion, however, to problems within the city of Xenia. The Young Women's Christian Association has extended its activities to different parts of the count>' and at the close of the last year (19 13) had a membership of 150 in the Xenia Camp Fire Girls' Organization, and had branches established in Beaver Creek and Yellow Springs. Thus the religious life of the county is gradually being brought into a unified constructive agency for the advance of the social welfare of the community; and in religious activity as in agricultural and educational interests, Greene County ought to continue to be among the leaders in the state. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE SURVEY OF GREENE COUNTY The conclusion of the survey must be that, comparatively speaking, Greene County is in a high state of social development. It has been shown that there is some lack of adjustment of church 42 MIAMI UNIVERSITY life to the community; that some churches continue to struggle to exist which should merge their efforts into those of other organi- zations for the benefit of the community; that there is a possibility of a wider influence of the Sunday Schools in the county. But the spirit of progress is such that doubtless these conditions will soon be remedied. The schools are representative of the best in the state, parti- cularly in theeffect of township supervision. The schools, more- over, through their mass day programs have exercised a powerful unifying interest in the social life of the country. The moral life should be considered in connection with the recreational life. Evidence exists that the country and particu- larly the villages are brought under the influence of neighboring cities; and for this reason the people of the country have a right through the state legislature to say what the moral influence of the city shall be in the same way that the state shall say what steps the city must take to prevent physical contagion. This right has not been exerted as yet, but doubtless will be before many years have passed. On the other hand, the evidence is that both country and village are still lacking in provision for wholesome amusement for their boys and girls. When adequate, pure recreation is provided, the saloon and vice resorts of the neighboring city will exert less influence. The county can urge the development of the social center in co-operation with the schools, the Christian Association and the churches. When adequate recreational life is provided, the village and the rural community will be on a much higher plane of social life than at present. Greene County is one of the pioneers in the engagement of a trained social engineer, the County Agricultural Adviser. The utility of the movement has already demonstrated itself, and this county should in time show very marked advancement in all phases of rural life and interest. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY OHIO INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS IN CLERMONT COUNTY Clermont County is located on the Ohio River, the second county east of the Indiana line. Its county seat, Batavia, is centrally located, having a population in 1 910 of i, 034. It has no town that has an influence over any considerable portion of the county. However, Cincinnati, in the next county, is easily accessible from every part and has a decided influence politically, socially, and morally over the whole county. All its roads, electric and steam, lead to Cincinnati. The topography of the county is such that the countj- falls into three divisions: the level plateau on the northeast; a wide central strip of hills and valleys, steep declivities and gradual ises; and a narrow strip of river bottom along the Ohio, having a steep ridge for a background. The level plateau contains the best farming land in the county but is rather difficult to drain. A few have tried underground tile drainage, which has proved successful, much to the surprise of the old farmers of the community, who had predicted failure. The central strip of hilly farms contains much waste land that could be utilized for pasturage. The soil is clay with limestone layers underneath. The roads are rolling and not well adapted to travelling or hauling heavy loads. The Little Miami River along the northeastern border with its East Fork tributary flowing through the central portion of this division drains the greater part of the county. The river section consists of a narrow strip of fertile river bottom land and for a background a steep ridge which forms the water shed between the Miami and Little Miami. The road between Stonelick and Monterey, a distance of six miles, rises 355 feet. The roads from the river to the towns of the central section rise rapidly all the way. There are no mineral resources in the county except limestone, and this is quarried for local use only. The county has no manufacturing centers and is therefore dependent on [45] 46 MIAMI UNIVERSITY agriculture as its chief source of income. The county has a total area of 29^, 600 acres (1910). Of this number, 274, 210 acres are in farms now; in 1900, 274, 880 acres were in farms. Thus there has been a decrease of 670 acres in ten years. The total number of farms has decreased in the past decade and the size has slightly increased. The following table shows the relative changes as reported by the U. S. Census: TABLE XXII Size of Farm, Acres Year 1910 1900 Under 10. ... 10 to 99 .. , 100 to 259 260 and above . 313 2570 963 30 402 2735 944 32 The marked increase is in farms of 100 to 260 acres. Farms of under 100 acres have uniformly decreased. Clermont county has .shown a tendency toward decrease in tenantry and increase in ownership. The number of farms operated by owners increased from 2698 in 1900 to 2797 1910, while the farms operated by tenants decreased from 1390 to 1042. The number of farms operated by managers increased from 25 to 37- Among the owners of farms there are 2,525 native whites, 238 foreign-born whites, chiefly Jews and Hungarians who have moved into the territory for truck farming, and 37 negroes. Of tenants there are 992 native whites, 23 foreign-born whites, and 27 negroes. The foreign element usually buy in groups, and when the foreigners settle in a neighborhood, property falls in value, because the native element will not mix with them and wants to leave. In Pierce Loop there is a large Jewish settlement; at Mt. Carmel village nearly half of the population are Hungari- ans. In both places the native people wish to sell and move out. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 47 TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES The roads are uniformly bad and are frequently washed out in places. Little money has been spent upon them either in con- struction or for repairs, for the county, depending as it does up- on agriculture as its only source of income, is financially poor. Out of a total of 1086 miles of road, 435 miles are stone. Prob- ably the greatest obstacle in the way of improvement is the hills, which make necessary an enormous amount of grading before travel can become at all easy. The county has the Pennsylvania Railroad in the extreme northwest, the Norfolk and Western through the center, and the Baltimore and Ohio along the river on the Kentucky side. The north is also crossed b}- the C. M. & L. and the Cincinnati and Columbus electric lines; the central part by the C. A. & P. and the Inter. R. R. and Tr. Co.; and New Richmond on the river is connected with Cincinnati by the southern branch of the Inter. R. R. and Tr. Co. electric line. Each of these roads leads to Cincinnati. They are so well distributed that probably every farm is well within five miles of one or another of these lines. The division of the county into three parts because of its topo- graphical condition and the interests of the inhabitants is also sustained by these roads. There is no communication between the three parts except through Cincinnati, save by way of the railroad, which runs only two trains each wa}' a day, making connection at Milford with the C. M. & L. and the Cincinnati and Columbus Electric Lines. The effect is very evident. The county seat at Batavia has never been visited by many citizens of the county. The county is peculiar, in that some of the county officers do not live at the county seat. For instance, the surveyor lives five miles away at Owensville. The teachers' institute is held at Williamsburg on the N. & W. , a town difficult to reach. The county fair is held at Owensville, in the northern section, which can only be reached through Cincin- nati or by taking an early train on the N. & W. to Milford and changing to the Interurban. The teachers in the southern divis- ion of the county seldom attend. Many people did not know there was a county fair in Clermont county. At one time each of 48 MIAMI UNIVERSITY these divisions had its own fair. There is no county spirit — no unit)' whatever. There is continued jealousy. Bethel and Williams- burg are each striving to .secure the county seat. The farmers are beginning to realize what the electric lines mean to them. A few have already taken advantage of this new shipping facility, and have started truck, dairj', or fruit farms, sending the product to the commission houses of Cincinnati, Portsmouth, or Columbus b}' way of the Interurban. They have little or no difficulty in disposinp' of their products. \'^ery little complaint is heard from the farmers concerning ill treatment by the commission men. It is a very common sight to see from twenty to thirty calves herded together in the baggage section of the early morning passenger cars. During the berrj' season the various lines have special cars in the morning taking the berries from the farms directly to the commission houses. All the farmers need to do is bring the berries to the station. Milk cans make an important part of the baggage. The country is well adapted to dairy or fruit farming because of the large acreage per farm that cannot be cultivated. The limestone soil affords good blue grass pasturage, while the valleys of the farms raise good feed. Besides, the land is comparatively low in price and a market with healthy demand is within easy reach. The spirit has been conservative and traditional. The farmer and the villager speak of the great things of the past rather than the future. They love to tell stories of their fathers and of how they used to do things. The farmer of this county as yet farms with almost no machinery. To him the farm is a home and not a business establishment. The following table shows the production of crops in the county in 1910 as compared with the output for the state. It should be noted that only in the production of tobacco is the output greater per acre than the state average. Scientific farm- ing should change this record. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 49 TABLE XXIII Production of Crops Corn . Oats . . Wheat.. Rye . Potatoes Tobacco Timothy Clover Alfalfa. Per A Acres Bushels Per A. for Ohio 48,250 1.434.749 29.8 42.5 6,790 158,288 23-3 32.7 14.524 212,409 14.6 16.8 2,424 33.995 14.0 14.0 2,123 i8i'o84 85-3 95.6 4.353 4.304.464 lbs. 988.8 832.1 31,11' 32,648 T. 1.05 1.2 3.090 3.406 T. I.I 1-3 1,264 2,619 T. 2.0 2-5 The chief source of income for years was tob.icco. There were a few acres of tobacco raised on each farm. This brought in an income sufficient to maintain the family for the year. The farmer raised corn or wheat, garden vegetables or fruit incidentally. The tobacco always received first attention. The manure was placed on the few acres to be put into tobacco. The remainder of the farm seldom was fertilized. Thus the farm was slowly mined. Very little commercial fertilizer has been used in past years, although now in the plateau and central sections a few farmers are beginning to use it to a small extent. In the river .section many small farmers still depend altogether on to- bacco for a living, but in the other sections general farming has been substituted and tobacco is onlj- one of the sources of reve- nue. A few farmers are making a specialty of trucking, dairy- ing, or fruit farming. The central section has many young or- chards started. However, some one is needed to show just how to take care of a fruit orchard. In spite of the state law making sjjraj-ing obligatory, in only a few cases has spraying been done. A few have made the feeding of hogs a specialty. Prac- tically none of the corn raised is shipped out. The only coopera- tion among farmers is found in shipping hogs. In and around Pike and Williamsburg townships, if one farmer does not have enough hogs to warrant a shipment, he gets some of his neighbors to ship with him. All over the county the farmers R S [4) 50 MIAMI UNIVERSITY either haul their hogs to the city or ship them themselves. Clermont Count}' is certain in the near future to attract men contemplating going into the fruit, dairy, or truck business. It has the following advantages for each : FRUIT 1. Proximity to market. 2. Ease of marketing because of system of trolley lines. 3. Cincinnati as a market is large enough to consume all the fruit produced in 'the county. No danger of overstocking the market. 4. Climatic conditions are favorable. 5. Topography is such that the fruit trees are protected from winds, etc. as well as, if not belter than in any other part of the state. 6. Limestone soil makes good fruit soil. 7. Small capitalization is needed because of the low priced land. The best farms sell at from $50 to $75 an acre. Every foot of the hills can be utilized in fruit raising. DAIRY 1. The hills afford good blue grass pasturage, leaving little waste land. 2. The valleys of the farm are fertile and can supply the grains and feed. 3. Alfalfa has been proved at the experiment farm and by private owners to grow both on the hillsides and in the valleys. 4. Small capitalization because of cheap land. 5. Protection from cold winds etc. because of the topography. 6. Near to demand. 7. Ease of marketing. TRUCK FARMING 1. The one great advantage, proximity to market, over- shadows the disadvantage of a seemingly infertile soil. 2. Cheap lands. 3. Ease of marketing. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 51 4. There is considerable river bottom land now lying idle or in tobacco that would make fertile truck farms. Postoffices. —Before the days of rural free delivery Clermont Count}' had 59 postoffices, one wherever there was a country store. There are 465 square miles or 297,650 acres in the county, making one postoffice to every eight square miles. However, twenty-two of these have been closed within the last ten or fifteen years, leaving 37 postoffices or one postoffice to every 13 square miles. Greene County, which is perhaps an average county, has one postoffice for every 32 square miles. Clermont County is served by 33 rural carriers. In several instances where there is a postoffice a rural carrier drives through the village. The village could be served by the rural carrier, re- ceiving better service and at the same time saving the post- master's salary of f 100.00 a year. Union township, with a population of 1,695 in 1910. without an incorporated village, has postoffices at Summerside, Glenrose, Gleneste, Mt. Car- mel, Withamsville, Tobasco, and Mervin. A rural carrier from Amelia goes through Mervin, Withamsville, and Tobasco. One from Batavia goes through Summerside and Gleneste and within a mile of Glenrose and Mt. Carmel. A route from Mil- ford goes through Mt. Carmel. All seven villages could be served by these three lines, saving $100.00 a year for each vil- lage besides making the work of the mail clerks easier. Sum- merside circulated a petition almost universally signed peti- tioning the U. S. Postal Dept. to abandon the postoffice at that village, because they could get better service from the rural carriers. However, for reasons unknown to the vil- lagers, the petition was not granted. POPULATION AND NATIONALITY The population of the county has decreased for each decade since 1880. The total decrease since 1880 has been 7162. This decrease has been principally in the open country; the villages have been able to hold their own in population. Only two townships, Miami and Tate, increased in population 52 MIAMI UNIVERSITY during the past census decade. Their increase is due to the growth of the principal villages, Milford and Bethal respectively. The country population in every township has decreased. New Richmond, the largest village of the county, in 1890 had a population of 2,379; in igjo it had 1,733 — a loss of 646. Batavia, the county seat, in the last decade increased its population by 4. TABLE XXIV Nationality Year White Negro Foreign born White 1910 1900 1890 28.685 30,428 30,043 865 1,183 1,510 1,052 1.330 The population of Clermont County is in general becoming more homogeneous. In one or two sections of the county the proportion of foreign population is much larger, but this is char- acteristic of but a small portion of the county. The colored popu- lation is also absolutely and relatively decreasing. Increasing homogeneity is a favorable tendency from a social point of view. SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL LIFE Clermont County at one time was well adapted to social life. It had a social center within two miles distance of every farm. The farmers gathered there evenings to do their buying and get their mail and would sit around a while discussing topics of the day. The introduction of rural free delivery has changed conditions so that the farmer now has no reason for going to the village store; therefore he stays at home to read the daily paper. The excellent electric and steam railway connections with Cincinnati make it possible for the young people to go there to work, many to live, many to seek amusement on Saturday and Sunday. This changes the amusement problem at home. The trolley lines of the central and southern portions of the county on Saturday nights are crowded to overflowing. Many of the young people look to the the city for amusement altogether. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 53 The boys come to the village, hitch their horses, and take the trolley for the city. This lessens the social influence of the village and the country community. The schools are not centers of social life, as they once were. Thirty-one schools report having a total of 41 entertainments, eight of them not having any. However, it must be understood that perhaps two-thirds of these were afternoon entertainments on some special holiday. Three spelling schools and one box social are reported. All others were programs for Christmas, last day. Thanksgiving, Arbor Day, or some other holiday. The various lodges show that the people do not care much for the social life furnished through them. Of the 42 lodges reporting, 24 are increasing and 18 are decreasing. It seems difficult to maintain interest in their meetings and it seems that if it were not for financial benefits derived from them, farmers would not become or remain members. At Owensville the Odd Fellows and Masons both have about one-half farmer membership. For four years they removed "benefits." Nearly all the farmers dropped out and at present the two lodges are very weak. They have again insetted the "benefit" clause hoping thereby to draw the farmers back into the lodge. The reasons given for the decreasing membership were usually lack of interest, or that those once interested have moved away. The average member- ship of the organizations in the community ranges from 29 to 68. The average attendance ranges from 9 to 26. Many organizations frequently cannot hold meetings because there is no quorum present. The church takes a decided stand on many of the forms of social activity, doing little to provide social life and at the same time condemning what exists. Two ministers opposed baseball as a form of amusement because, they said, it would draw the young people away from the church — making them indifferent, and because they ought to be earning money instead of playing. All ministers oppose Sunday baseball, because, they say, it is a breaking of the Sabbath. However, they have done little to have baseball during the week. One Methodist minister has organized a team and superintends their games, having a game 54 MIAMI UNIVERSITY ever}' other Saturday during the summer. Sunday baseball is prevalent all over the county. Where opposition is too strong, the young boys go elsewhere to attend games or to play games. Some of the teams are not allowed to play at home. There are 15 teams in the county. Two of these play on Saturday, one at Amelia once in two weeks under the auspices of the M. E. church, and one at Milford. Thirteen play on Sunday afternoon. Three of these always play away from home; ten teams are al- lowed to play at home. The players would like to play on Saturday but cannot be- cause they have to work. Bethel Sunday Schools last year voted not to attend any games played on Sunday, and thereby drove the teams to play away from home. This year they are again making a fight against Sunday playing. Felicity and Batavia have no teams but the young boys and older ones leave town to seek amusement elsewhere. Where the churches are too weak to oppose them, they play every Sunday. Owensville has had Sun- day baseball for years. At Edenton it is said that on Sunday afternoon nearly everyone goes, church people as well as non- church members. They have had Sunday baseball for years. Motion pictures are opposed by 15 ministers and favored by 8. A number of ministers and church officers said that some are good but all must be condemned, because people cannot choose and again because people get the habit. There are six such shows in the county. Everywhere they are well attended in spite of opposition. At Williamburg the pictures are of such low standard that the business people and high school pupils do not attend. Nevertheless this town of 948 population supports two shows, more than any other village in the county. At Batavia different groups of the population attend different shows. At Bethel the boys' Niagara Club, under the leadership of the cashier of the First National Bank, has a moving picture show in the Baptist church twice a week. Each one of the 25 members sells ID tickets to insure the cost of having the show. The pro- ceeds go to the club. The best pictures available are secured yet they have many of the church people to contend with. In A Rl^RAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUXTV 55 all incorporated villages the manager of a moving picture show has to pay a license varying from $>S a month to $3 a night. Home talent plays were considered harmful to a community by 3 ministers, while 22 saw no harm in thetu. The 3 ministers gave for their reasons that such plays are frivolous and detract from the church, and one minister said it broke up his re\'ival meetings last winter. However, not more than 10 home talent plays were given in the county last year, and those were usually to raise money for the support of the church. Armory, B.^tavia, Ohio. A Useful Social Center. Dancing is opposed by church peoi)le generally all over the county. It was considered harmful by 28 ministers and not harmful by 3. One minister differentiated between home and public dances saying that home dances are not harmful if chaperoned. In some communities there are not enough young people left for dances. Goshen Township has had no dances in 56 MIAMI UNIVERSITY recent years. The southern half of the county is very strongly opposed to dancing. No dances have been held there out.side of Felicity,' Moscow, and New Richmond. Batavia has an armory which is u.sed for a dance hall, and a dance to which all classes po is held there at least once a month. In Jackson and Stonelick townships dances are more frequent. The church leaders aie strongly opposed as a rule but the membership has largely taken to dancing, except in the territorj- where the old Wesleyan ideas are strong. Many of the young people go to Coney Island near Cincin- nati for dancing and other amusement in the summer. Highland Park is frequented by dancing parties. The northern part of the county has a dance hall at Woodland Park. Card playing was considered harmful by 29 ministers and helpful or unharmful by one minister. The active church people all seemed very strongly opposed to this form of amuse- ment. Throughout the county there are small groups of clubs which have card parties at regular stated times — one or two a month. These are found onl}' in villages. Church socials in any form are considered harmful by 4 ministers and helpful by 24. Many of these, however, differ- entiated between a free church social and one the objt ct of which is to raise money for the church. There were only a few of the former. The churches of Clermont County spent $40 for church socials, raising by them $3441 for the support of the church. People seem to be tired of them — there are socials to raise money for the churches, for the schools, for the libraries, as well as for other enterprises, such as baseball teams and orchestras. Three churches had socials in which the members provided the refresh- ments at their own expense in order that the social might be free to all. These socials are well attended and a good spirit prevails. The eleven pool rooms in the county are patronized mostly by the young people of the villages. 22 ministers were opposed to them and 4 favored them. Parents active in church work in most instances opposed pool as a form of amusement because there by the young boys are thrown into bad company and learn bad habits. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 57 Nearly all these pool rooms had some special closing time. The pool room at Batavia frequently was open until midnight or later. At Mt. Carmel the proprietor said that he had kept open until three o'clock in the morning the night before he was interviewed . He closed whenever the customers went. In some instances no one under 18 years of age is allowed to play. In Amelia no one under 16 years of age is admitted. In several of the incorporated villages a license must be paid and the manager must comply with regulations made by the council. House parties as a form of amusement were favored by 27 ministers and opposed by 2. These two claim that it is a loss of time and that it is a method by which the world draws young people from the church. House parties exclusive of dancing parties are not frequent. Singing schools, though favored by all the ministers, are not in existence in the county. Literary societies were not opposed by ministers but none were found. There are no theaters in the county but many of the wealth- ier class and professional men of the villages go to Cincinnati to the theaters, having to stay there all night. Many others would go were it not for expense and time. The cars do not run so they can return the same night. There were lo visiting circuses in the county with an average attendance of 240. The circus is opposed by 12 ministers and favored by 13. Agricultural fairs are favored by all ministers and church people generally. The southern part of the county is not well represented at the fair. Some do not know there is one in the county. It is difficult for them to get there. The northern and central part of the county are well represented. It is the social event of the year. The girls have special dresses made for the occasion and look forward to it for weeks. It is distinctly social; many go there to meet people that they know and have not seen since the last fair. Incidentally they look at the exhibits, but that is not what draws them. The races, however, are a great attraction. 5S MIAMI UNIVERSITY Tennis and croquet are indorsed by all ministers who were interviewed. However, onh' two public courts and one or two private courts are found in the county. Picnics are favored by all ministers and are quite common. Franklin, Washington, and Ohio townships have each a township Sunday School picnic once a year. This is well attended by both Sunda>' School pupils and others. The Franklin township picnic has a program in the afternoon of music and speeches. Fort>- A Pro<,'ressive Boys' Clul), Bethel, Ohio. Sunday Schools had a Sunday School picnic within the year and 54 had none. There are many class and private picnics, such as family reunions. The young boys of the village Of Bethel have been organ- ized into a club very similar to the Boy Scouts. The boys range in age from 12 to 15. There are 2^ members, each one present at the meetings held once a month for an hour and a half. The social meetings are held in the homes of their parents by turns. Each one must attend Sunday School; two successive A RURAI, LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 59 absences result in a fine of 10 cents unless a very good ex- cuse is given. The dues start with one cent, increasing one cent each week until the end of the first half of the year when they start with one cent again. Not one has fallen behind in dues. It encourages them to earn monej^ and to save. The leader gets work for them to do. They rent vacant lots to raise vegatables, the boys doing the work and selling the produce, the proceeds be- longing to the club. They have a motion picture show in a vacant room of the Baptist church. Each boy sells 10 tickets to cover expenses. They do their own advertising. They col- lect papers to sell and turn the proceeds over to the treasurer of the club. In the winter they have a club room for a reading room. Sunday afternoon they meet there for games and reading. They have taken several short walking trips. On one occasion they walked to Cincinnati, taking the train for the return trip. They have raised about $400 in seven months with which they intend to take a trip to Niagara Falls. The railroad company has granted them half-fare rates. The National Bank of Cleveland has agreed to entertain them for a day. The churches of Detroit will entertain them while in Detroit. The boys are all working together and are very much interested in all they are doing for the club. The county has one Chautauqua. It is centrally located and can be reached with little difficulty, yet it is supported only by the people of Batavia village. It has been in existence for five or six years. Boating and swimming are features. The main fea- ture is the program. Two villages in the count}' have the boys organized as boy scouts. In both cases the plan seems to be successful. Social life is lacking. People talk of the social life of the past, but with changed conditions they have done nothing to change social amusments. Church people have opposed nearly all forms of amusement yet they do little to substitute healthful recrea- tion or superintend those in existence. RELIGIOUS LIFE The religious life of Clermont County represents certain influences and conditions which typify a number of the most fundamental problems facing the rural community at the present time. Proximity to Cincinnati, one of the large cities of the state, an unusual number of villages, a topography that has prevented development of adequate means of communication, and a retarded development of the industrial resources of the county have all cooperated to prevent that constructive coordination of efforts at progress so much needed. The churches of the county have felt the deteriorating influences present in the social life as well as have other social institutions and are to-day facing con- ditions that demand immediate attention. The first condition that presents itself is the unfavor- able adjustment of the church plants in the community to community needs. A total of 117 churches was found. Forty-two of these are located in incorporated towns and 75 in unincorporated towns or in the open country. This total number of churches is equivalent to one church for each 253 inhabitants. The 106 Protestant churches reported a total seating capacity of 27,845, or an average of 262 per church. If the seating capacity of the seven Catholic churches is added, the facilities for seating 29,550 inhabitants of the county are found to be ample. The situation is such, however, that in a number of instances the welfare of the community would be better conserved if the smaller churches should unite their energies in a common plant with a large seating capacity. The distribution of churches as shown by the follow- ing map indicates that the situation could be materially improved by the abandonment of at least half of the existing plants and the consolidation of effort into increasing the efficiency of the re- maining ones. A few specific illustrations of the need of reorganization may be suggested. At Monterey, in the eastern part of the county, [60] Church Map, Clermont County. For Explanation See Church Map Green County. 62 MIAMI UNIVERSITY are located a Presbyterian and a Christian Church. Within one and a half miles of these two churches are a Methodist Episcopal and another Presbyterian Church. The total membership of the four churches is 211 and the four churches are paying four ab- sentee pastors a total salary of $975 in addition to the expense of maintaining four church buildings. The Christian Church is now in process of erecting a new building. The members of these churches are neighbors and cooperate in many of the activi- ties of community life. In religion they are divided. There appears to be no reason why this should be so. A similar situation exists at Withamsville. Here four churches representing a total membership of 140 pay $375 to absentee ministers. All churches have been losing members during the past 10 years. At Mulberrj' is a Methodist Church of 26 members and at Pleasant Hill, one mile away, is another church of the same denomination with 32 members. Unnecessary duplication ap- pears to exist at Amelia, Batavia, Point Isabel, Goshen, Edenton, Miamiville, Mt. Carmel, Felicity, Cedron, and other points. Seventeen denominations are represented by the 117 churches as follows: Methodist Episcopal, 47; Christian (New Light, Christian Union, Disciples), 20; Presbyterian, 14; Catholic, 7; Baptist, 7; Old Order German, i; Baptist, Missionary, i; United Brethren 3; United Brethren, German 2; Universalist, 2; Holi- ness, 2; Evangelical, i: Brethren, (Conservative), i; Methodist Protestant, i; International Bible Students Association, 1; M. E. (Colored), 4; Baptist (Colored), 3; Of these, 81 or 69 per cent belong to the Methodist Episcopal, Christian, and Presby- terian denominations. The presence of a number of small con- gregations of different denominotions indicates independent tendencies and to some extent unstable religious conditions in certain classes of the population. Another condition brought out by the map (see p. 6 1 ) is the relation of the ministers to their respective charges. Of the 67 minister serving the county, 34 live out side the county. The lines connecting several churches with the residence of the minister showthat in many cases the pastor has from three to six scattered A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 63 charges to serve; that at Withamsville, Newtonsville, Monterey, Maple Grove, Bantam, Point Isabel, Neville, Mt. Carmel, Rural, Cedron, and NichoUsville are groups of churches none of which have resident pastors. The dark squares do not tell the whole story of dead churches, as many have been abandoned or consoli- dated in the course of the history of the county. Statistics as to membership in the churches indicate the tendency in the church life of the county. The statistics gathered represent the best information available. Some records still carry the names of those long since removed to other communi- ties or whose active affiliation with the church has ceased. The attempt was made to get as accurate figures as possible, figures that represented the best judgment of the proper church official. The following tables will show tendencies as to church membership. Of 112 churches for which data as to increase or decrease in membershp were obtained, 24, or 21.4 per cent, were increasing; 78, or 69.6 per cent, were decreasing; and 9 per cent, were stationary. OROWING Z\AX These results, however, are not conclusive because there has been a general decrease in population in the county and the de- crease in church membership might be a normal accompaniment of decrease in population. Data collected from two sources as to church membership prove that the decline in church membership particularly in the open country churches is more rapid than the decrease in population. During the investigation it was possible in a number of cases to secure data of membership of churches ten years ago, five years ago, and at the present time. A history of Clermont County compiled in 1 880 gave also the membership of 64 MIAMI UNIVERSITY a number of churches for that period. The following table shows the results. TABLE XXV Church Growth Per cent. Per cent. Item 1880 1900 1910 Decrease 1880-1910 Decrease 1900-1910 Population 36713 31610 29551 19 5 6.5 Church member- ship 52 churches.. 26 country- 5632 4646 17 5 churches 2152 1269 41.0 26 village churches 3480 3377 3.0 56 churches 5592 4975 II .0 30 country churches 2308 1776 23.0 26 village churches 3284 3199 2.0 The Open Country Church Going. Last Ten Years' Records Most Serious. 1880-1910 Decrease in pop- ulation, is-sfc Decrease in membership. 57 churches 179!) 26 Village churches, 3^ 26 Country churches, 41% 1900-1010 Decrease in pop- ulation , 6.5^0 Decrease in membership 56 churches, 1 1 % 26 Village churches, 2 % ' 30 Country churches, 23% 1 1 1 I ;; . . — m — r 1 1 1 1 — ± J 1 - Shall we Revive the Open Country Church or Abandon it for the Village Church ? A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 65 While the total number of churches for which data were obtained have more than held their own in the period 1880- 19 10, this condition has been due to the vitality of the congregations lo- cated in villages. The open country churches have declined more than twice as fast as the decrease of population. Since 1900, the churches for which data were available have declined nearly twice as rapidly as the decrease of population. A discrepancy of three years from 1910, the census year, to 191 3. the date of in- vestigation, is not sufficient seriously to invalidate the result. The 26 village churches again demonstrate their vitality by show- ing a rate of decline slower than that of the general population. 77 churches reported both total membership and number of families represented. These 77 churches had a total of 3503 members and represented 2320 families, or an average of 2.37 members per family. The size of the average family in Clermont Couuty according to the U. S. Census of 1910 is 3.77. Attention should be given to the large number of churches with very small membership in the county. The following table shows the distribution as to membership: TABLE XXVI Church Membership Membership No. churches Under 20 20 to 29. . 30 to 39 . 40, to 49. . 50 to 59 . . 60 to 69 9 ID II 9 8 13 70 to 7Q . . 7 80 to 89, 90 to 99 100 to 124. . 125 to 149. . I ^0 to I 7-1 . . 3 6 4 6 s 175 to 199 200 or above . 2 8 Total . lOI R S [5] 66 MIAMI UNIVERSITY Thirty-nine churches, or 38.6 per cent, have a membership of under 50 each. Nineteen have a membership of under 30 each. Nine have under 20. Of the no Protestant churches, 108 re- ported present membership as 8561. If we estimate the mem- bership of the seven Catholic Churches at 1000 more, based on the number of families represented, we have a total of 9560 members. This number constitutes less than Yi the total population of the county. Eighty-one churches reported a part of their membership under 21 years of age, or a total of 1008. The others reported no members under 21 years of age. This is 1 1.7 per cent, of the total membership reported by the several churches. Of the total population of Clermont County in 1910, 1 1 ,040 or 37.3 per cent, were under 21 years of age. Of the total population, 19.8 per cent, are between the ages of 10 and 21. The evidence is that the proportion of the church members under 21 years of age or during the critical period of affiliating with the church is not keeping pace with the population. This conclusion is further verified by data secured as to ages of members of churches in Clermont County. Estimated ages were secured from persons in the respective communties who were well acquainted with the church membership, with the following results: TABLE XXVII Age Number Per Cent. Uiider 21 594 5'o 1 1 19 1488 16 I 21 to 29 . . 30 to 49 .... 50 and over . 13-7 30.0 40. 1 Total 3711 lOO.O Over 70 per cent of the membership of the churches studied were thirty years of age and over. The evidence from this in- vestigation as well as from previous studies^ is that the problem of church growth has not yet been solved. Normally a much 1 Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio. p. 47. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 67 larger proportion of the church membership should be under thirty years of age. Where are the Young People? Age Record of 3711 Church Members, Clermont County 29.8% Church merabersunderso 51.8% Population of Ohio under 30 398 Records of age of joining church, Clermont county. 94% Period under 30 77-5% under 21 T -h Approximately 50- of the buildings have a separate Sunday School room. Of loi churches reporting, 82 or 81 percent, had no toilets. Only two churches reported horse sheds. The condition of the buildings is as follows: A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 69 TABLE XXIX Type of Structure Condition Brick Frame Not Reported Total Good Fair Poor 17 10 17 21 15 10 8 2 6 46 27 33 Total 44 46 16 ! 106 Sixty-eight per cent, of the buildings are reported in good condition. Sixty-seven percent, of the grounds are reported in good or fair condition. The data as to average expenditures are as follows: TABLE XXX NOi Churches Reporting Total Value Average Value of buildings. . . Value of parsonage . . . Pastors' salaries Supervision . . Janitor service. Fuel and lights . Repairs. ... Sunday School Home missions Foreign missions . . . Other benevolences. . Evangelists Other expenses lOI 22 98 52 84 97 36 93 76 75 57 17 13 $261,000.00 37,700.00 2,522.00 1,087.00 3,098.00 2,980.00 3.57400 3.654 00 2,947 00 2,641 .00 3.58700 847.00 305.00 $2,584.00 1,713.00 257.00 21 .00 37.00 31.00 99.00 39.00 39.00 35 00 63.00 50.00 23.00 Total expenses 37" $48,730.00 $508 . 00 Receipts are from three principal sources, i. e. subscriptions, collections at services, and socials. The relative importance of these different sources is shown by the following table of averages: 7° MIAMI UNIVERSITY XXXI Form of Income No. Churches Reporting Total Average Subscriptions Collections Socials Home mission. 90 90 48 6 $38,466.00 5,251.00 3,492.00 662.00 $427.00 58.00 73.00 110.00 Twelve churches reported some endowment, but the income from this source is in no case considerable. The evidence is that the subscription is the principal source of the support of the church. The cost of the religious equipment of Clermont County, estimated on the basis of cost for the churches reporting, is approximately as follows: Interest at 5% on $301,328, value 117 churches $15,066.00 Interest at 5^0 on $37,700, value 22 parsonages 1,885 00 Operating expenses, 117 churches 54,436.00 Total $71,387.00 The cost of operating the churches in Clermont County at approximately $71,000 per year is equivalent to over $7.00 per member. From the financial point of view alone it is demanded that the church situation be reorganized in order to secure better results at the same cost. The evidence as to church growth indicates that something must be done to turn the tide of church influence if the church is to retain its influence in community life. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL In 98 Sunday Schools reporting, there were 598 teachers engaged. The total enrollment was 7084 and the average total attendance in loi Sunday Schools was 4599. As compared with the 1 1040 young people under 21 years of age in Clermont Countj', the total enrollment represents but 64%. The fact is that the percentage of the total population enrolled in Sunday Schools is much less because many of the 7084 are over 21 years of age. That the Sunday School is the principal source for enlisting members of the church is shown by the fact that 378 of the 554 A RURAL UFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 71 who joined the church last year on confession came from the Sun- day School. The annual revival period becomes the time for decision. Practically all the Sunday Schools in the county continue for twelve months in the year. Thirty-three, or 33.7 per cent., re- ported special equipment, such as black boards, maps, charts, etc. , while 65 reported no special equipment. The social life of the Sunday School appears to be limited to the annual picnic and the Christmas entertainment, and not all of the schools report even these. Forty-three out of 99 reported one picnic and 56 reported no picnic. Fifty-four out of 99 report- ed a Christmas festival. Thirty-seven schools reported other entertainments, such as class picnics, box .socials, Easter, Chil- dren's Day, entertainments and festivals. Doubtless the work of the Sunday School could be enlivened by the addition of more social features. The other activities of the churches may be represented as follows: TABLE XXXI Type of Activity Prayer meeting Young peoples' societies. . . . : Women's societies. . . . Men's societies Protracted meetings . . . Total No. days. Average No. days No. churches reporting converts No. Churches Reporting 41 32 70 o 72 1059 15 43 Membership 1734 1732 o Average Attendance 854 636 923 o Total No. converts . 584 No. joining church. . 410 These figures show that the church service and the Sunday school are the principal agencies through which the church renders its service at the present time. The enrollment and average 72 MIAMI UNIVERSITY attendance in other societies are comparatively small. The significant feature of church life here as elsewhere is the absence of men's organizations. B.\NT.\M PrESBYTERI.A-N CHURCH Has organized a lecture course, started a local library, cooperated in starting a farmers' t»rganization, and is meeting real needs in community life. The revival services are still the great agency for recruiting the membership of the church. As the revival is based upon the appeal to the individual for personal salvation, the evidence is that the church has not yet grasped the idea of dealing with all the forces for improvement available in comnuinitv life. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 73 No data were collected as to the experience of the ministers. Forty-eight ministers reported as to educational training as fol- lows: common school training, iijhigh school, 6; college, 7; part college, 2; one year seminary, 4; two year seminary, 3; seminary training, 14. It is significant that 35 per cent, have not had more than a high school training. We have here the spectacle of a group of men dealing with one of the greatest problems confronting any institution, conscientious, earnest, but handicapped when coming into competition with those in charge of other agencies in com- munity life. The solution of the problem is fewer plants under the direction of better trained men. A number of the ministers are doing their best to improve themselves by taking courses at theological seminaries, but the demand is for men already trained and experienced. The length of service in the community has a relation to efficiency of service. The distribution of service is as follows: TABLE XXXII No. of years served In present parish In preceding I or under 2 3 4 23 II 8 I I 2 2 2 I 3^ II 5 4 2 i; 2 6 7 8 9 • 1 or more .... Total 53 28 1 One has served IS, another IJi and a third 40 years in a single parish. Thirty-four or 6i per cent, have been in the present parish two years or less while i6 or 57 per cent, have been in the previous parish two years or less. The average length of service is 3.6 years. Evidently ministers are not more permanent as social leaders than are the teachers. 74 MIAMI UNIVERSITY Twelve of the ministers reported other occupations in addition to their ministry, as follows: blacksmith, i; bookeeper, i; carpenter, i; farmer, 2; laboring man, i; newspapermen, 3; real estate dealer, i ; student of law, i ; shoemaker, i . The ministers who reported total salaries in Clermont County receive incomes comparable to those paid teachers in the high schools of villages but less than those received by principals or superintendents. Fourteen ministers having parsonages furnished rent free report an average salary of $767.00, while seventeen ministers who were paying rent out of their salaries were receiv- ing an average salary of but $595,00. This latter salary, which may be considered as typical of the country districts and the smaller villages, does not offer a strong inducement to men who have families to care for to enter the ministry. Men will seriously consider whether it is not as religious to undertake work that will enable them to give their wives and children the material comforts available to the families of other men of similar training in other lines as it is to sacrifice wife, children, and self on the altar of community welfare. Reorganization is needed to give the ministers a living wage. The decrease in total church membership has not affected the money incomes of the pastors. Of 32 village churches re- porting, the total salaries reported increased from $11,962 ten years ago to $12,838 five years ago and to $14,993 ^t the time of the investigation. Twenty-nine country churches report a total decrease in expenditures for ministers' salaries from $4355 in 1908 to $4245 in 1913. This is almost a negligible quantity. In neither type of church, however, have salaries increased com- mensurately with the increased cost of living or with the increas- ing demands upon the ministers' resources due to a rising standard of living in the communities in which they work. The preceding data indicate that the religious spirit is de- clining in many communities. Other facts demonstrate that the really serious problem is not so much one of declining religious and moral spirit of the community, as one of the decline of in- fluence of the church, the established representative of this spirit, giving way to other agencies in community life. A RURATv LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 75 Clermont County has for several years been definitely in the ranks of those opposed to the liquor traffic and at the last elec- tion (1913), under the leadership of representatives of the church- es it again demonstrated its opposition to the liquor traffic by a higher vote than at the preceding election. Increasing knowl- edge of social conditions and needs is leading gradually to a higher standard of welfare. The church, divided as it is, and poorly adjusted to present community needs, is handicapped in its efforts to do the work which modem leaders recognize as falling within its province. SUMMARY OF RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS The most impressive phases of the religious situation in Clermont County may be summarized as follows: 1. A general decrease in church membership in the past ten years, especially in the open country. 2. This decrease in the open country is more rapid than the decrease in population. 3. A fairly constant ratio of church membership to pop- ulation in villages. 4. A disproportionate share of the membership over 30 years of age. 5. Persistence of sectarianism: placing of church above community interests. 6. 75 out of 1 17 churches for which data were obtained had non-resident pastors. This represented over two- thirds of the total number. Many communities in which several churches are located have no resident pastors. 7. An itinerant ministry working in conditions that demand a permanent resident pastor. 8. Lack of adequate provision for utilization of social forces as agencies of religious advance. Prime dependence upon the revival as an agency for church growth. Clermont County is but typical of the general situation. Will the church leaders take advantage of the golden opportunity for rural and village reorganization or will they allow this function 76 MIAMI UNIVERSITY to pass to the educational and agricultural organization agencies of the communit3'? The church must lose its life in community service if it hopes to save it as a living functioning factor in rural social advance. RURAL EDUCATION In view of the comprehensive investigation of rural schools under wa}' by the commission appointed by the state legislature, only such phases of the situation in Clermont Countj' as were considered of local interest were studied. Conditions in this count}' were in general similar to conditions found in other rural counties. The one room school in the open country is still the characteristic feature of the school life. Wages in the township elementary districts average according to the report of the state commissioner of education $45.00 per month. Forty-one counties paid lower wages to men and eighteen paid lower wages to women than did Clermont County. Remarks may still be heard in certain parts of the county intimating that a cash consideration is necessary to secure a school but no evidence is available to this effect. One former teacher stated that in his experience the suggestion was made to him on three different occasions that he pay for his position. One of the most serious problems in Clermont County is the development of the special district. In one township, every subdistrict but one has been transformed into a special with the results that each district has its board of five directors to elect the teachers, and there is an absolute lack of any coordination of effort in the different parts of the township. Each is a law unto itself in matter of teachers' quialification, grading schools, selecting text-books, and in other matters pertaining to the administration of the school. Fifty-nine schools reported average daily attendance as follows: A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY TABLE XXXIII 77 Number Pupils Number Schools Under 5 5 to 9 10 to 14 .... 15 to 19 . . 20 to 24 25 or over 5 17 18 8 1 1 Total 59 The larger number of schools reporting have an attendance of between 10 and 19. Equipment is in most cases inadequate. Eleven schools out of 36 report libraries, 3 of these having 100 books each. Most report less than 50 books. Generally the books are of fiction or of history. Other equipment is similarly inadequate. Only 2 out of 35 schools reported grounds exceeding one acre in size. The distribution according to size was reported as follows: TABLE XXXIV Size Number Reporting One-fourths acre One-half acre Three-fourths acre. One acre More than one acre 6 8 2 17 2 Total 35 Fift}' per cent, of the grounds were one acre in size. The training of the 36 teachers reporting is higher than in many communities. Twenty-two out of the 36 reported having had high school training and 13 some normal or college work. As in the other counties studied, however, the grades of certifi- cates granted are low. For the year ending August 31, 191 1, 78 MIAMI UNIVERSITY Clermont County had a total of 603 applications for license to teach. Of these, 368 or 61 per cent, were rejected. Those passing were distributed as follows: TABLE XXXV Certificates Granted Years Eight Five . ... Three Two One Temporary Total . M. 57 14 2 80 5 I 107 44 10 167 12 I 164 58 12 247 Per Cent. 4 o 23 66 100 Per Cent. I For State 2 4 7 26 58 98 1. Ohio Rural School Summary Report p. 49 Over two-thirds of the certificates granted are for one year only and nearly three-fourths for one year or less. These figures include those teaching in the villages as well as those teaching in the open country. The conclusion as to the educational fitness of the teachers as indicated by the results of examination is obvious. Data were obtained as to the number of years of teach- ing experience of 52 teachers, with results as follows: TABLE XXXVI No. Years Experience Number Reporting Per Cent. Clermont Co. Per Cent. State Under 2 2 to 5 6 or more 15 20 17 28.8 38.5 32.7 27.6 32.4 40.0 Total 52 100. 100. The teaching profession in Clermont County is evidently in large part made up of apprentices who need the oversight and guidance of some experienced educational leader. A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 79 Clermont County also has an itinerant teaching force, as is shown by the data as to the number of years in their present and in the previous position. TABLE XXXVII No. Years In This District In Previous District No. Per Cent. No. Per Cent. One Two Three Four .. Five More than five 27 10 6 6 I I 52-94 19.60 11.77 11.77 1 .96 1.96 3 II 5 3 2 I 12 44.0 20.0 12.0 8.0 4.0 Total 51 100.00 25 100.00 Over three-fourths of the teachers had been in their previous positions three years or less. Fifty-six per cent, had held their previous positions two years or less, and over half -were in their first j'ear. Community leadership is out of the question when teachers are constantly changing or when the field is being constantly recruited from new, untried material. Twenty-five schools reported the number of recitations per day. These varied from 18 to 44, with an average of 28. The mode was 30 recitations per day. The tendency to add to the course.^ in the curriculum without eliminating other materials is leading directly toward the breakdown of the efficiency of the coun- try school system. The school building is used comparatively little for an3' other purpose than the holding of the school sessions, as a voting place, etc. It is occasionally used for literary entertainments, school board meetings, meetings of the township trustees, and at rare intervals for Sunday School, prayer meetings, and picture shows. A number of the schools report special entertainments at holiday periods or at the close of school. The township health ofl&cer of Miami Township has been doing original and commendable work in connection with the 8o MIAMI UNIVERSITY rural schools. He visits each school annually, takes notes as to the sanitary conditions of the wells and outbuildings and of the school building and makes a written recommendation to the board as to repairs and improvements needed. His work is in contrast to that of many similar officials, who do not appear to know what to do to earn the money allowed them for the office. LIBRARIES There are four public libraries in the villages of the county — Williamsburg, Amelia, Bethel, and Batavia. Each one was found- ed by and still is maintained by the women's clubs of the above mentioned villages. Of these the Batavia library is the largest. A description of it will also be a description of the others. It now has 2000 volumes, 1 500 of which are fiction, the others reference books. It is open three afternoons and evenings a week , winter and summer. The members of the club do the library work gratis by turns. It is situated in the center of the town and patronized by practically all the white people of the town and by the high school pupils who come from the country. The colored people are excluded by rule of the club. They also have a reading table with 20 of the best current magazines. These also circulate after the first month. There are two methods of lending books: First, the card system. Any white person on payment of 50 cents is given a card which entitles the holder to one book a we^k for the year, with privilege of one renewal after having book for two weeks. Second, a system by which two cents is paid for a book for one week, with a fine of one cent a day on a book kept overtime. The expenses for last year were: for room rent, $120; for fuel, $10; for lights, $12. The library has been built up and maintained by donation of books by members, friends, and people moving out of town; subscription; socials, rummage sales, candy sales, and box socials; fines and fees; home talent entertainments; and lecture courses. The Williamsburg library, founded in 1901, has now 928 volumes. An average of 62 books per week were, taken the A RURAL LIFE SURVEY OF CLERMONT COUNTY 8i last year. During its existence only 2 books have been lost. Amelia has 750 volumes in its library and Bethel has a library of 800 volumes. Each one of these gets its share of books from the State Library each year. The rural schools of Clermont Countj^ present the same needs of readjustment that are to be found in most other counties of the state where the one room district school still persists. Lack of adequate buildings and grounds; insufficient equipment; low .salaried, temporary, shifting, untrained apprentice teachers; crowding of curriculum; small attendance and small classes insuffi- cient to arouse school spirit; general lack of supervision and coordination of one school with another; a low ebb of community life centering around the school; and a lack of educational leader- ship are the principal difficulties demanding solution. .A.S interest in problems of education is aroused, and as the possibilities of improvement are recognized, we may look for- ward to an era of progress unparalleled in the history of educa- tion, not only in Clermont County but in the State of Ohio. CONCLUSION In a characterization of the rural life in Clermont County as a whole, the following conditions should be noted: 1. Increasing homogeneity of the population except in one or two sections of the county. The proportion of foreign-born population has decreased from 4. 2 to 3.6 per cent. , and of negroes from 3.7 to 2.9 per cent. 2. Marked decrease in total population during the past thirty years affecting the rural districts and the villages bordering the Ohio River. This decrease has amounted to over 7000 in thirty years. 3. Notable lack of farmers' organizations in the county. 4. Tendency of topography of county and of railway con- nections to prevent social unity in the county. Relations appear to be divided into three groups, each of which has closer relations with Cincinnati than with each other. K S [ (i ] 82 ■ MIAMI UNIVERSITY 5. Recent tendencies to develop agriculture^ along lines adapted to natural conditions and toproiimity to a large market. 6. Lack of rural leadership and- depelidence on Cincinnati and villages for amusement. 7; Church life -out of adjustment to community needs. 8. .Good moral tohe indicated by decisive attitude toward the saloon. 9. There is need, however, of constructive provision for re- creation in.both rural and village communities as indicated by the effect of the city upon the life of the young, people in the country, shown in the .study of rural morality. 10. The need of trained leadership for. the community at large in agricultural, religious, educational, and social affairs. Clermont County, as is the case with many other communi- ties in the state, has also made many advances and should in the next few years make further progress in agricultural production and social reconstruction th9.t.will bring great credit, .not only to itself but to all southwestern Ohio. Production Note Cornell University Library produced this volume to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. It was scanned at 600 dots per inch resolution and compressed prior to storage using CCnr/rrU Group 4 compression. The digital data were used to create ComcU's replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992. The production of this volume was supported by the United States Department of Education, Higher Education Act, Tide II-C Scanned as part of the A. R. Mann Library project to preserve and enhance access to the Core Historical Literature of the Agricultural Sciences. Titles included in this collection are listed in the volumes published by the Cornell University Press in the series The Literature of the Agricultural Sciences, 1991-1996, Wallace C. Olsen, series editor. DIRECTED BY The Department of Church and Country Life BOARD OF HOME MISSIONS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U. S. A. Warren H. Wilson, Direclor Ralph A. Felton, Field Direclor 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City (Bifio ilural 2.ift ^ur^ep "jaortljtoestem ©bio" President W. O. Thompson Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio Chairman Warren H. Wilson, Director Ralph A. Felton, Field Director Contributors Robert B. Wilson Clarence A. Neff Arthur O. Stockbridge, Historian PRESBYTERIAN DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH AND COUNTRY LIFE 1 56 Fifth Avenue, New York City CONTENTS. Chapter I. — Introduction ; page 1. Origin of the Survey, and Agencies Concerned 5 2. Purpose of the Investigation 5 3. Method of the Study 6 Chapter II. — The Region Surveyed : 1. Area, Omitted Communities 7 2. Physical Features 7 Chapter III. — Economic Conditions: 1. Natural Resources, Position of Agriculture 8 2. Size of Farms 8 3. Increase in Improved Farm Lands 10 4. Rise in the Price of Land 10 5. Land Speculation and Tenantry 11 6. Farm Labor 13 7. Marketing 14 8. Summary 14 Chapter IV. — Social Conditions : 1. Population — - (a) Its Distribution and Status 15 (b) Its Origin and Compositon 17 2. Health and Vitality of the People 17 3. Housing Conditions 18 4. Means of Communication 19 5. Community Leadership 19 6. The Informal Meetings of the People 20 7. Community Gatherings 20 8. Family Reunions 22 9. Community Organizations 22 10. Recreation 24 11. Moral Conditions 25 Chapter V. — Rural Schools : 1. Reason for the Study 27 2. Scope of the Study 27 3. Material Equipment 27 4. Enrollment and Attendance 29 5. School Session 30 6. The Teaching Force 32 7. The School as a Community Center 33 8. Supervision 34 9. Centralization 35 Chapter VI. — Religious Conditions and Activities: page 1. Number and Distribution of the Churches — (a) As to Location 39 (b) As to Population 39 2. Church Membership and Population 40 3. Classification of the Church Membership 40 4. Status of the Churches 42 5. Causes of Church Decline in the Open Country 42 (a) A Decreasing Rural Population 42 (b) Inefficient Leadership 42 (c) A Non-Resident Ministry 44 (d) The Circuit System 45 (c) Small-Sized Churches 46 (/) Over-Churching 48 (g) Sectarianism 48 (h) Failure to Serve the Entire Community 50 6. Material Equipment of the Churches 51 7. The Churches at Work 52 (a) Worship 52 (b) Sunday Schools 54 (c) Social Activities 57 8. Church Finances 59 9. The Minister 63 Chapter VIL — Conclusion and Recommendations 66 MAP OF OHIO. THE COUNTIES SURVEYED ARE INDICATED BY A STAR. SHADED SECTIONS INDICATE COUNTIES DISCUSSED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. 1. Origin of the Survey and Agencies Concerned. Men and women prominent in promoting the welfare of the rural sections of the State of Ohio had for a long time desired to come to some common understanding as to the problems which each one had been feeling after separately and alone. This long-cherished wish came to fulfilment in January, 1912, when the leaders of rural Ohio met in Columbus and discussed the feasibility of making a state-wide investigation of .conditions in the small villages and open country of the State. The concrete result of this meeting was the inauguration of the Ohio Rural Life Survey. An Advisory Council of forty mem- bers, representing twelve religious denominations and eighteen educa- tional institutions at work within the State, was appointed to supervise the project. This Council secured the Presbyterian Department of Church and Country Life to undertake the actual task of making the desired study; and under the directorship of Warren H. Wilson, Ph. D., Superintendent of this Department, the work has been carried to a successful completion.t^ A total of twenty-eight counties, scattered all over the State, were covered by the operations of the investigators, most of their work being done during the summers of 1912 and 1913. This pamphlet deals with the findings of the Survey in four of these counties — Seneca, Hancock, Allen and Defiance — all of which disclose conditions that are fairly representative of those prevailing through- out Northwestern Ohio?^ The agencies that co-operated with the Presbyterian Department of Church and Country Life in making possible the survey of this section were as follows : The Home Mission Department of the Presbyterian Synod of Ohio, Central Mennonite College, the Ministerial Association of Bluffton, Defiance College, the Ohio State Christian Association, and the Reformed Church of Tiffin. 2. Purpose of the Investigation. The problem of rural development is a many-sided one, having its economic, social, moral, and educational phases. But, at bottom, the problem is a religious one. As religion is a force to stimulate every phase of life to its highest activity, so the country church, as the insti- 5 tutional embodiment of religion in the rural community, should give the impetus for every movement of rural advance. Are the churches in the villages and open country of Northwestern Ohio doing this effectively? This pamphlet seeks to give an answer. We will deal with such topics as the farmer's work, his recreation, his home, his school, and his church. A correct and careful treatment of all of these subjects is absolutely necessary for the carrying out of our dominant purpose, which is, to give the rural churches of Northwestern Ohio a vision of their task, and to help them in the doing of it. 3. Method of the Study. [Before we proceed, just a word as to the method followed in the field investigations. The township was made the unit of study, and was called a "community.""] An investigator would spend two or three days in each township or community, asking specified questions of the leaders of its religious, educational, social, and political institutions. The written record of these interviews were made on uniform blanks, and, together with the investigator's personal observations, formed the basis for his report upon the conditions existing in the community. The investigators were carefully selected, being either young men of college training or adults of seasoned judgment. CHAPTER II. THE REGION SURVEYED. 1. Area, Omitted Communities. Northwestern Ohio, must, of course, remain an indefinite quantity. But, for our purpose, it may be said to include at least fourteen coun- ties covering an area of approximately 6,000 square miles. The four counties surveyed comprise 1896 square miles, or a little less than one-third of the total area of the district. All of the communities within the four counties were studied with the exception of the fol- lowing towns and cities whose respective populations exceed 2,500: Tiffin, Fostoria, Findlay, Lima, Delphos, Defiance, and Hicksville. These places are large enough to show characteristics different from those of the rural districts. In drawing our conclusions as to the latter, however, we have taken into consideration the effect that these centers of population have upon the surrounding country. The total number of townships in the four counties is 58. The omission of the places named above necessitates the withdrawal from our reckoning of four of these townships or communities,(leaving a total of 54 as the basis for our present study."? 2. Physical Features. Throughout Northwestern Ohio the surface is predominantly level or rolling with a gentle slope towards the Lake Erie basin on the northeast. The district is watered by the Maumee and Sandusky Rivers with their tributaries. Formerly, a portion of the region was swampy, and was called the "Great Black Swamp." The draining of this low and wet ground is one of the notable events in the agricul- tural history of the section. CHAPTER III. ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. 1. Natural Resources, Position of Agriculture. Toil is the only mineral resource of the section that has greatly affected the welfare of its people. It is found over large areas in Allen and Hancock Counties, and to some extent in Seneca County; and although its rate of flow has decreased considerably of late years, it still remains a very important source of income.! In these counties, building stone and sand are found in sufficient quantities for local needs. Most 'of the stone is crushed, and used for railroad ballast and the building of roads. Defiance County has no mineral resource of great importance. It is an agricultural county almost exclusively. jTVnd. indeed, in all of the counties surveyed agriculture is and will continue to be the most important industrv'^ Both the contour of the land and the character of the soil point to this. The extraction of oil from the rocks beneath the surface does not, in the places where it is pursued, materially interfere with the continued cultivation of the top soil. General farming is followed, with little specialization except in the matter of raising and fattening live stock. Recently, the growing of sugar beets has been introduced verv extensively throughout the district, and has proved quite profitable. 2. Size of Farms. ^he average size of a farm throughout the section was. in 1910, 93.2 acres ; and in 1900, 92.7 acres. The comparison here would seem to EVENING ON THE FARM S indicate a slight tendency towards larger sized farmsj This tendency has registered itself in an increase in the number of farms of medium acreage (SO to 174A), and a proportionate decrease in the number that are either under 50 acres or over 174 acres. This fact can be ascertained by a glance at the next table, which compares the number of farms for 1900, classified in groups according to size, with the same for 1910, and shows the percentages of proportion and of increase or decrease in each case. The table has been compiled from the United States Census returns, and covers all the countries within the purview of this report. In 1900 Total number of farms 12,234 Average size of farm (acres) . . . . ; 92.7 No. under No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. 3 acres 115 3- 9 acres 431 10- 19 acres 459 20- 49 acres 2,136 50- 99 acres 4,501 100-174 acres. 175-259 acres. 260-499 acres. 500-999 acres. No. 1,000 acres or over. . 3,465 848 262 17 % of In 1910 i 12,246 % of % of % of total total In- De- No. No. crease 0.09 crease 93.2: 0.5 6.9 17; 0.13 85.2 3.5 578, 4.71 34.1 3.8 473 i 3.9 3.0 17. S 1,850 1 15.1 13.3 36.8 4,573 1 37.34 1.5 28.3 3,712 30.31 7.1 6.9 836 1 6.8 1.4 2.2 192 j 1.6 36.4 0.1 13! 0.1 30.7 0.0 2' 0.01 The drift towards medium-sized farms is more clearly shown in the following condensed tabulation : Percentage of farms, 0- 49 acres Percentage of farms, 50-174 acres Percentage of farms, 175 acres or over. 1900 25.7 65.1 9.2 1910 23.84 67.65 8.51 The group of farms ranging from 50 to 174 acres is the only one of the three that has increased during the decade; both of the other two groups show a decrease. This growth in the number of what we have called medium-sized farms is an encouraging economic fact about the northwestern section of the State. Under-sized farms, as a rule, do not yield sufficient income to enable the farmer to have a sur- plus above living expenses for the support of the church and com- munity improvements, while over-sized farms, on the other hand, are too extensive, in view of the present scarcity of farm labor, to be worked with profit. In most cases, the economic advantage lies with the farmer who has a medium-sized farm. Moreover, the country church usually finds in him its most steady and most liberal supporter. 9 The increase of his kind in the counties surveyed should be a source of encouragement to the churches within their bounds. 3. Increase in Improved Farm Lands. /^nother marked characteristic of Northwestern' Ohio is the increase dnring the last decade in the acreage of improved farm landsT] In the four counties surveyed, according to the returns of the United States Census, the amount of improved farm lands increased 6.3% during the period from 1900 to 1910, a gain of one acre in every fifteen of their arable lands, or of an area of improved land equal to more than one-sixth that of the largest of the four counties. This increase has been a fact in all of the counties covered by this report. The figures for each county are here given in the accompanying table : Approx. land area acres' Imp. land in farms, 1900 " i Imp. land in farms, 1910 " I Per cent, of increase.! Allen i Defiance 259,840 I 259,200 196,465 176.546 203,222 j 190,187 3.4 1.1 Hancock 342,400 258,375 268,581 3.9 Seneca All four counties 352,000 1,213,440 254,534 885,920 280,502 ; 942,492 10.2 i 6.3 It is interesting to note that the largest percentages of increase are in Defiance and Seneca Counties, where the extraction of oil is either non-existent or competes with agriculture to a far less degree, than in Allen and Hancock Counties. 4. Rise of the Price of Land. This bringing of more arable land into profitable use indicates a rising demand which should register itself in an increase in the price of land throughout the section. That such is the case to a marked degree is proved by the fact that "in the four counties considered together the price of land has advanced 86.8% during the decade from 1900 to 1910. The following table, compiled from the United States Census, compares for the counties, taken both severally and collec- tively, the average price of land in 1900 with the same in 1910, and shows in each case the per cent, of increase. Counties Avg. Price of Land Per Acre 1900 $38.39 32.78 40.72 42.45 Avg. Price of i Land Per Acre 1910 $76.28 65.40 78.98 67.79 Per Cent. of Increase Allen 98.6 99 5 Defiance Hancock 93 9 Seneca 59 6 All four counties. $38.59 $72.11 ! 86.8 10 Land Becoming a Luxur\^ In 1900 In 19/0 3&5<| h er acre 70,11 J, cr acre 06. o % increase Four counties in No>«th>Nester« 0K;o Okiol^ura^L.feSon.^ What are the causes of this phenomenal rise in the price of land ? Doubtless, they are many. Intelligent farming and a wise care to conserve and increase the fertility of the soil has something to do with it. ^peaking generally, the farms throughout the section are well cared for. 7The presence in the population of large numbers of "Pennsyl- vania Dutch" and Mennonites, with their fine enthusiasm for country life and their enviable agricultural traditions, argues for such a con- dition. ^The methods employed in tilling the soil are as a rule up to date. Underdraining with tile is recognized as a necessity for the best results in such a level country, and is almost universally practiced. Rotation of crops is followed everywhere] The specialization in animal husbandry, particularly in Allen, Hancock and Seneca Counties, fur- nishes an abundance of natural manure for the enrichment of the soil. Commercial fertilizer is used with good judgment. All of these fac- tors, and many more, which tend to increase the productivity of the land, tend also to raise its selling price. But do they afford an adequate explanation ? Better prices for farm products must surely be considered as a factor in the problem. In the case of live-stock, the four counties have enjoyed an 87.8% increase in the value of stock sold in 1909 as over against the value of that sold in 1899. Larger returns from the land certainly raises the demand for it, and thus advances its price. 5. Land Speculation and Tenantry. But no satisfactory reason can be given for the great increase in the price of land throughout the section without including the factor of 11 speculation. The tendency to speculate in land has been furthered by the better prices for farm products, but especially by the exploita- tion of the oil fields. The signs of growing speculation in land are, on the one hand, an increasing number of retired farmers, and on the other hand, an increasing number of farms operated by tenants. Both of these signs reveal themselves in Northwestern Ohio. The farmers receive a royalty of one-sixth the current market value of the crude petroleum which is pumped from wells drilled upon their land. The wealth thus acquired is making it possible for many farmers, whose property chances to be within the districts where oil is found, to retire and to rent their farms to tenants. Some of these retired farmers continue to live upon the land which they once tilled, but for the most part they move to town where the educational advantages are greater and the social attractions more alluring. The towns and cities of the section, especially Lima and Findlay, have a large number of this class in their populations. These retired farmers no longer regard their farms as places for a home but as mere means for bringing them a money income. They have become speculators in land. The obverse side of a larger number of retired farmers is a greater number of farms operated by tenants. In the four counties surveyed, there were in 1910, according to the United States Census, a total of 12,246 farms. Of these, 8,016 or 65.6% were tilled by their owners, 4,121 or 33.6% by tenants, and a negligible number, representing 0.8%, by managers. ^One farm in every three was being worked by a man who did not own the soilj What was the condition in 1900? In that Tenantry Gfrowing in nomber Chelated <>«j cwners. /5.H-% increase in number cF farms operated 1»^ tenants. poor counties in NortK western Ohio Ohionural Life S lyrvev 12 year, out of the total number of 12,234 farms, 8,565 or 70% were operated by their owners, 3,571 or 29.4% by tenants, and 0.6% by managers. The proportion of farms operated by tenants has increased during the ten-year period by 4.2%. During the same decade, the total number of farms worked by tenants has increased 15.4%, whereas the number of farms tilled by their owners has decreased 6.4%. Evi- dently, tenantry is growing throughout the four counties. The per- centages, showing the ratio between ownership and tenantry in the separate counties for both 1900 and 1910, are given in the following table : % of farms ■ % of farms % of farms Counties operated by operated by operated by owners in 1900 owners in 1910' tenants in 1900 Allen 73.1 i 69.6 25.5 Defiance 74.7 71.9 24.6 Hancock 67.7 ' 61.1 ' 31.5 Seneca 65.7 , 60.9 33.8 All four Counties .. 70.0 65.6 29.4 % of farms operated by tenants in 1910 29.6 27.6 37.4 38.3 33.6 Tenantry need not be a curse to agriculture and to country life, but under the system of land tenure prevalent throughout most of the United States it usually is. In the section covered by this report, the average length of time that a tenant stays upon the same farm is two and one-half years. This means, not only frequent removals, but also the constant effort on the part of the tenants to take from the soil as much as possible while giving back to it as little as possible. Such a process, if continued, must result in soil impoverishment and human] deterioration. Very few of the renters succeed in acquiring farms of their own. For the most part, they remain a floating, discontented element in the population. They are the marginal members of the community, and their increasing number in Northwestern Ohio constitutes, not only a serious agricultural question, but a more serious social and religious problem. 6. Farm Labor. Another marginal member of the community is the employed farm- hand. He is rather scarce throughout Northwestern Ohio. His usual wage is about $25 a month with board and lodging. Reckoning the latter at $5 a week, his total income amounts to nearly $50 a month. The oil pumpers and roustabouts get an average salary of $65 per month. Those employed in other nearby industries receive on the average more than $50 per month. The remuneration for farm labor 13 IS not high enough to hold the men of ambitious spirit. If the country churches can give to the farm-hand more than a money interest in the open country, they may succeed in holding him to the farm and in helping him to better his status among his neighbors. 7. Marketing. ' J^ ^'he farmers throughout the section have easy and ready access to good markets for their stock and grain. Good roads and abundant transportation facilities, both steam and electric, make the shipment of farm products an easy matterM But as yet the farmers of Northwestern Ohio have not learned to make use of their advantages in this respect in the most economic way. In the matter of buying and selling, each farmer acts for himself. The idea of co-operation in the farming business has not as yet conquered over the various prejudices that in this section still hold men apart. The principle, that a good price gained for all through co-operation is in the long run the best price for each, has not as yet won many converts. Our investigators found but one lone prophet of the better day, a co-operative grain elevator in Defiance County. Let us hope that this enterprise is the beginning of a movement that in course of time will substitute collective for individual bargaining throughout the section. 8. Summary. jOur picture of the economic situation in the rural districts of North- western Ohio has been, on the whole, an optimistic one. A fertile soil, divided for the most part into medium sized farms, and worked by intelligent men who are using scientific methods in their care of the land — surely, these are the lines of a pleasing background.^But in the foreground, there are some blotches. In the first place, the rising price of land, due in some measure to speculation, is giving rise to two related abuses. On the one hand, it makes it very hard for any one to become the owner of a farm except through inheritance or by the aid of outside capital at high rates of interest. On the other hand, it makes it comparatively easy for one to become the renter of a farm, and thus assist the growth of tenantry, which is increasing throughout the section, and threatening the maintenance of soil fertility. In the second place;0he presence of mutual distrust keeps the farmers from coming together into co-operative associations for buying and selling^ To suggest the antidotes for these short- comings is easy; to remove them is harder. But the task will be lighter if the country churches of the section see it as a religious task, willed of God, and hence sure of accomplishment. 14 CHAPTER IV. SOCIAL CONDITIONS. 1. Population. (a) Its distribution and status. (The four counties, according to the United States Census for 1910, contain 161,359 people. Of these, 84,619, or 52.6%, are classified as rural, that is, as living on farms or in villages of less than 2,500 peopleT? In 1900, the population of the four counties was 157,519, of which 89,596, or 56.9%, were rural. In 1890, the number of people in the same four counties was 149,845, of which 87,415, or 58.4%, were put in the rural column. These figures show that, whereas the total population of the area surveyed has increased (7.6%) during the two decades from 1890 to 1910, the proportion of people living in the country has, during the same period, steadily decreased. Considering the four counties together, it is evident from the foregoing analysis that the general drift of the popu- lation is toward the cities. The district as a whole is less rural now than formerly. The farms have not been able to stand the competition of the factories and the stores bidding for the wage-earning class. Our study, however, becomes more instructive and more true to existing conditions, if we examine the proportion of the population living in rural communities by counties, as well as in the aggregate. This is done summarily in the following table, the figures for which have been taken from the United States Census : 1890 1900 1910 County Total Pop. Rural % of Total Total Pop. % of Rural Total Total Pop. Rural % of Total Allen Defiance Hancock Seneca All Four Counties . . . 40,644122,232 25,769118,075 42,563 22,825 40,869.24,183 149,845 87,415 55.0 70.2 53.7 59.2 58.4 47,976 26,387 41,993 41,163 157,519 23,964 18,808 23,040 23,784 ' 89,596 49.9 61.7 54.9 57.8 56.9 56,580 24,498 37,860 42,421 161,359 23,516 17,171 21,457 22,475 84,619 41.6 70.1 56.7 53,0_ 52.6 A glance at the table shows that the counties differ quite markedly from one another in the conditions they severally present. Allen County has suffered the greatest decline in the proportion of its people who live in the country, passing from 55.0% in 1890 to 41.6% in 1910. This decline has been due to the phenomenal growth of Lima, the principal city of the county, which has increased its population by 15 90.9% in the twenty years from 1890 to 1910. Seneca County like- wise shows the effect of an increase (20.2%) in the population of its urban centers (Tiffin and Fostoria) by registering a steady decline in the proportion of its rural population, falling in this respect from 59.2% in 1890 to 53% in 1910. Defiance County reveals a fluctuating condition, the proportion of its rural population falling from 70.2% to 61.7% during the years from 1890 to 1900, and then rising from the latter percentage to 70.1% in 1910. Hancock County, however, is becoming more rural. The tendency in this direction has been con- stant. In 1890, the proportion of its rural population was 53.7% ; in 1900, 54.9% ; in 1910, 56.7%. This proportionate increase is due to the fact that a 16.8% decrease for the twenty-year period from 1890 to 1910 in the population of the urban centers of the county outbalances a 5.9% decrease in the total population of its rural districts for the same period. The percentages of increase or decrease in both the urban and the rural population of the four counties, considered both severally and together, for both the twenty-year period from 1890 to 1910 and the decade from 1900 to 1910, are given in the accompanying table : Co tinty Per Cent, of Increase 1890-1910 Total : Urban Rural 39.2 , 80.S 1 5.3 -^.9 —4.7 : —5.0 —11.0 —16.8 1 —5.9 3.7 1 19.5 1 —7.0 7.6 22.9 —3.1 Per Cent, of Increase 1900-1910 Total Urban ' Rural Allen ... 17.9 -7.2 —9.8 3.1 2.4 37.7 ■ —3.3 —13.5 14.8 11.6 —1.9 Defiance —8.7 Hancock- Seneca . —6.9 — S.S All four counties. . —5.5 I he I own -ward Drift isyo — 1(^10 3.1% decrease in rvPiX 3.^.1% incrcise in urban j[»oj.uUt!on. Pour counties in Northwestern OKio OhioHoral Life b< lorvevj 16 The schedule shows that the number of people in the rural districts of Northwestern Ohio is decreasing. Every one of the four counties surveyed registers a loss in its rural population for the decade from 1900 to 1910, and every one with the exception of Allen County reveals the same for the two decades from 1890 to 1910. Considering the four counties together, the decline in the number of people living in the country during the last decade amounts to 5.5%, ranging from 1.9% in Allen County to 8.7% in Defiance County. For the twenty- year period from 1890 to 1900, the decrease amounts to 3.1%. In Defiance and Hancock Counties the rural decline is a part of a general decline in the total population ; but in Allen and Seneca Counties it is accompanied by an increase in the total population, due to the growth of the cities within their borders. (b) Its origin and composition. The origin of the population in these counties is widely distributed. The early settlers came princi- pally from Eastern Ohio and the older communities east of the moun- tains. Pennsylvania sent the largest proportion. The section shared very richly in the German migration of the thirties. A large number of Welsh have settled in Allen County. According to the United States Census, the present population of the section is almost exclusively of native birth. This fact is shown by the table below, the figures for which have been taken from the Census for 1910 : _! County Allen Defiance Hancock Seneca All four counties. . Native % Foreign % ■ born to total born to total Negro White Pop. 94.0 White Pop. 4.2 53,149 2,395 1,030 23,066 94.1 1,409 5.8 23 36,457 96.3 1,152 3.0 249 39,867 94.0 2,394 5.6 157 152,539 94.5 7,350 4.6 1,459 to total Pop. 1.8 0.1 0.7 0.4 0.9 LThe large proportion (94.5%) of native born inhabitants indicates a people thoroughly American in its ideals and sentimentsTJ 2. Health and Vitality of the People. A primary condition of the social welfare of any population is its physical soundness. The death rates for various diseases proving fata! in any one year may be taken as rough indices of the healthfulness of a people's place of residence. We enumerate in the next table the principal causes of death in the four counties covered by this report, with the number of deaths due to each cause during the year 1911, classified according to their occurrence in cities or in rural districts, together with the death rates per 1,000 in both city and country. The 17 table has been compiled from the 1911 report of the State Bureau of Vital Statistics. All Causes Apo- plexy Bright's Disease Cancer Heart Disease Old Age Pneu- monia Tuber, culosis Fever 1,943 164 80 132 234 23 128 233 35 1,007 81 36 71 131 8 53 125 19 936 83 44 61 103 IS 75 108 16 48.1 S0.6 55.0 46.2 44.0 65.2 58.5 46.3 45.7 11.0 0.98 0.5 0.72 1.21 0.17 0.88 1.27 0.18 13.1 l.OS 0.46 0.92 1.70 0.10 0.69 1.62 0.24 Violence 158 87 71 44.9 0.83 1.13 Total number of deaths Total number in cities* Total number in country Per cent, of deaths in country to grand total Death rates per 1,000 in coun- try Death rates per 1,000 in cities*.. * The cities included are Lima, Defiance, Findlay, Fostoria and Tiffin. iTuberculosis, with a death rate in the rural districts of 1.27, and heart disease, with a rate in the same sections of 1.21, appear to be the most prevalent causes of death. Apoplexy, pneumonia, violence, cancer, and Bright's Disease come next throughout the country dis- tricts in the order of their fatal results. The death rate from typhoid fever is not high.^The people are awake to the ravages of tuberculosis. Five neighboring counties co-operate in supporting at Lima, Allen County, a thoroughly modern sanitarium for the treatment of tubercu- losis patients. The death rate of 13.1 for the cities is slightly higher, and the rate of 11.0 for the rural districts is lower than the rate for the entire State, which in the same year was 13.09. These facts argue for the preva- lence of a higher standard of vitality in the latter. [Pneumonia and Bright's Disease are the only ailments of those mentioned in the pre- ceding table that show a higher death rate for the country than for the cities of the section. Old age, to be sure, registers a higher rate for the former than for the latter. This fact, however, increases the evidence for a higher vitality in the country districts, as it shows that in the country more people live to an old age than in the citiesj In general, our conclusion as to the health conditions in the section under review is that they disclose nothing very phenomenal, but are about the same as the average for the entire State. 3. Housing Conditions. fOne of the prime conditions of robust health is good housing. That 18 this condition is met in most of the rural homes of Northwestern Ohio, we can assert with a fair degree of confidence.""] No very intensive study of housing conditions was made, but the general observations of our investigators would seem to allow us to venture the above state- ment. Several cases of poor sanitation and inadequate protection against the inclemencies of the weather were indeed found, and^he greater prevalence of pneumonia in the rural districts would seem to indicate that there is room for improvement. But, as a rule, the provi- dent farmers of the section take good care for the housing of their familiesTI While the majority have had little or no plumbing done, yet the numoer of those who are installing the modern improvements and conveniences (i. e. bath rooms, pressure tanks, furnaces, gasoline and acetylene lights, dynamos, gasoline engines for running churns, wash- ing machines, cream separator, etc.) is increasing./^ majority of the houses are well painted. A care is had in most cases for the beautify- ing of the home surroundings. The visitor sees a goodly number of well-kept lawns and beautiful beds of flowers. In general, the aspect of the country shows the effect of contact with the outside world and of a growing freedom from isolationTJ 4. Means of Communication. The freedom from isolation, just mentioned as a characteristic of country life in Northwestern Ohio, has been brought about by the multiplication of means of communication. The level topography of the region is especially favorable for good road construction. Most of the main roads are piked with gravel or crushed stone, and the work of improving the roads is being completed in several of the townships by piking a given number of miles every year. (Fifteen trunk lines of steam railroads traverse Northwestern Ohio. In addition, the section is well supplied with interurban electric linesT) ^Telephones are found in the majority of the farm houses. "7They are not, however, an unmixed blessing. While, on the one hand, they afford many conveniences and facilitate business, they have, on the other hand, practically done away with household visiting, which formerly was such a fine expression of the social unity of a neighbor- hood. 5. Community Leadership. Pn forty out of the fifty-four communities studied, there could not be found any man or institution standing out conspicuously as a directing force. The church rebukes most cases of individual wrongdoing, but 19 because of its very common lack of a resident ministry is seldom effective in leading in the improvement of the community. The rural school, likewise, because of the constant changes in its teaching force, is prevented from assisting as largely as it otherwise might in pro- moting the social welfare of the people. Our investigators, in their search for individual men and women who stood out as leaders of public opinion in their respective communities were in most cases met with such replies as : "Couldn't single any out," or "About all alike." Such a democracy, while it is both very American and very commend- able, is sure to become deadening in its influence unless it is given direction by competent leaders. The reason why this sort of leader- ship is so rare in the section studied is that the ablest of the farmers do not fully realize that they need to work together under the guidance of trusted leaders. There is an absence of a common purpose. Each farmer is for himself, f This individualistic democracy, which is the very praiseworthy product of the early pioneer days in which the farmer had to struggle alone against the obstacles of nature, must however, under the new conditions of the present day, give place to a co-operative democracy in which all the farmers will work together under approved and tested leaders for ends and ideals held in common by all. 6. The Informal Meetings of the People. [The prevailing mutual distrust and narrow individualism, which hinders the progress of this co-operative democracy, could be more easily overcome if there could be more intermingling among the people at friendly gatherings. But, as yet, no institution in all the district studied has provided suitable places for the informal meetings of the rural people. Neither the school nor the church of any village in the four counties studied has as yet set apart and furnished a rest room for the farmer and his wife, or a suitable social place for the farmer's boys and girls. And yet these churches have been observing for gen- erations that a majority of the farmers come to town on Saturday, and oftentimes bring their families with them. The saloons, poolrooms, and questionable picture shows have watched the same thing, but only to do something for their own advantageT] Should the village churches be any less wide-awake in their serviceTor the advantage of others ? 7. Community Gatherings. Another way in which the churches and schools might serve more adequately the social needs of the rural population of Northwestern Ohio is by providing a larger number of gatherings where all the 20 w Id W u o z O 21 neighborhood can meet to develop a community, co-operative spirit. In this connection, we desire to commend what is already being done by various agencies, especially by the rural churches through their Sunday Schools. In a gratifying number of instances, the annual Sunday School picnic has been broadened in its scope until it has become an affair for the whole community. Our investigators noted at least ten cases in the four counties where it_ is the custom for all the Sunday Schools in a township to unite in an annual picnic for the entire township. This is very encouraging. The Farmers' Institutes, which are of frequent occurrence throughout the four counties, do a good social service in bringing the farmers of a community into a closer acquaintance with one another. Both Defiance and Seneca Counties have an annual Chautauqua within their bounds. Other community gatherings met with more or less occasionally in the counties surveyed are county fairs, pioneer picnics, old settlers' reunions, school com- mencements, and business men's picnics. All of these assemblies of the rural people lead them to know each other better. Mutual knowl- edge of each other is an absolute necessity for co-operation. These community gatherings give the farmers a chance to become acquainted with one another, and thus give impetus to the spirit of unity and co-operative action. 8. Family Reunions. "^A description of general social conditions in Northwestern Ohio would be incomplete without a reference to the many family reunions which constitute a marked feature of almost every community in the section. These reunions are annual all-day social picnics, and draw not only from the home township but also from neighboring townships or other counties. While they perhaps tend to focus social interest about the household group rather than about the community group, yet these two groups are not in opposition to one another. Indeed, the neglect of the former would mean the utter downfall of the latter. Perhaps we can regard the family reunion as a means of preparing the way for the_ reunion of country people on the basis of the entire community. { 9. Community Organizations. As a community develops, much of its social life becomes organized, and is entrusted to the fostering care of societies of various kinds. Many of these societies may not be distinctly social in their aim, but all of them have a social side to their activities. In any list of these organizations in Northwestern Ohio, the church would stand first in 22 most communities, while the school in a large number of them would stand near the top. But of these two institutions and their activities, we will speak later. In this place, we desire to allude to the part played in community life by the secret orders and by various open fraternal societies or clubs. (In the rural sections of the four counties covered by this report, there are 131 separate lodges of various secret orders, having a total membership of 8,039, which is 32% of the adult male population in the same districts. 3 This percentage, however, stands only for an approximate truth, as some of the lodges are either for women exclusively or admit female members. But even with this modification, the fact that from one-fourth to one-third of the farmers are members of lodges might seem to suggest that these organizations play a large part in the social life of the country communities. But as a matter of fact, the figures thus far given are rather misleading on this point. The relation between their enrollment and the average attendance at their regular meetings is a surer index of the social significance of the lodges. TAnd in this matter, the rural lodges of the counties surveyed show a general inability to interest their own mem- bers in their meetings. The percentage of their total average attend- ance to their total enrollment is only 27.5%. Most of the lodges have the custom of holding at least one banquet or entertainment a year, usually for their own members. This exclusiveness of the lodges is perhaps the chief criticism that can be made upon them JTheir prin- ciple of secrecy is not in harmony with the operations of a free democracy. They are too narrow to become the basis for uniting a whole community in the bonds of brotherly love and mutual helpful- ness. But do not misinterpret our wprds. We are not of those who say that the lodges are in opposition to the churches. But while, on the one hand, we rejoice in all that the lodges have done in promoting the spirit of fraternity, we feel ourselves compelled, on the other hand, to express our hope that the churches in their worship and activities may embody more fully the fraternal spirit, the neglect of which on their part has, we believe, been the chief factor in promoting the growth of the lodges. fin proportion to their number, a greater contribution is made to the social life of some of the communities by the various open societies and clubs than by the lodges. There are about 52 of these clubs in the four counties. They enroll a total membership of about 1,900, and show a total average attendance at their regular meetings of 66% of their total enrollment j These societies are for various purposes. The village of McComb in Hancock County has a community organization 23 of its men called the "McComb Boosters." A similar organization exists in Bettsville, Seneca County. In Madison Township of Han- cock County there is a social organization with 75 male members, called the "Peace and Plenty Club." In one of the townships of Defiance County the young men are organized into an athletic and social club, called the "Modern Knights of St. Paul." flSut throughout the section surveyed there seems to be a dearth of organizations that are devoted strictly to the special interests of the farmers. Granges are very few in number^ I"Iere is an open door before the country churches of the district. Let them bring together their mature members, especially the men, into some kind of an organi- zation — call it ;l brotherhood, or a farmers' club, or what not — that will give them the opportunity to discuss under wholesome religious auspices the economic problems that confront them as followers of the same occupation and as members of the same community. SOLVING THE RFXEEATION PROBLEM— BOYS' CLUB OF ONE OF THE CHURCHES 10. Recreation. [In each of the counties studied there is a city large enough to dominate the social and recreational situation. Partially, as a conse- quence of this, organized recreation in the open country is conspicu- 24 ous chiefly by its absence^ The rural churches, through their picnics and socials, are perhaps doing the most that is being done to furnish opportunities for recreation. Of the nature and worth of the service of the churches in this matter, we will have occasion to speak later when we come to deal in detail with their social life. ^ Many of the rural schools have too small an attendance for much organized play. Base-ball is the most popular game, yet few regular baseball teams are maintained. Outside the cities, there is very little investment in public play grounds or in play apparatus of any kind. As a result the coun- try boys and girls seek their recreation in the towns. The quick and frequent transportation furnished by the interurban electric lines makes this comparatively easy. In the towns, the pool and billiard parlors, the moving picture shows, and the dance halls are the most popular forms of amusement. These may not be condemnatory in themselves, but when maintained for the purpose of making money, they are very apt to show signs of moral degeneracy^ I The problem of providing recreation in the open country is an urgent one in Northwestern Ohio, if the rural communities are to withstand the lure of the adjacent cities_J^t is also a difficult problem. Cheap and ready transportation to the towns does not make it any easier. The farming community must be made complete in itself. Those who have to work or go to school within its bounds should not be obliged to go outside for their play. The rural churches of Northwestern Ohio must furnish the religious enthusiasm for the solving of this problem. There is enough spiritual dynamic in them to do it, if they will view the task as one having great religious value. It is in the free and untrammelled expressions of ourselves, which we call recre- ation or play, that our moral character and the practical efficiency of our religion are most clearly revealed, and are most powerfully effected in their development. The church that does not see the religious significance of wisely directing the recreations of its members, especi- ally those of its young people, is spiritually blind. 11. Moral Conditions. jThe healthfulness of the social life in any community records itself in the moral conditions prevalent among its peopleT] But it is prac- tically impossible to state these in figures or in any statistical form. TOne index of conditions is the number of illegitimate births in a dis- trict. According to the 1909 report of the State Bureau of Vital Statistics, the rates of illegitimacy for the State and for the four counties under review are as follows |~] 25 r Division i Rates per 100,000 ~7 State 47.7 Allen County 71.4 Defiance County 14.9 Hancock County 19.1 Seneca County ■ 16.9 Lima City 91.1 Defiance City i 23.8 Findlay City i 22.7 Tiffin City I 18.0 Fostoria City i 24.1 These figures acquire significance for the rural communities when we notice that in each county the rate for the city or cities within its borders is higher than for the county as a whole. This argues for a comparatively low rate in the rural districts. Defiance County, the most rural of the four, has the lowest rate. As compared with the average rate for the entire state (47.7), all four counties make a very favorable showing with the exception of Allen County, in which the rate of illegitimacy exceeds the state-wide rate by 23.7. This deplor- able situation in Allen County is due to the distressing conditions in Lima, which is the fourth city of the state in the proportion of its population who are of illegitimate birth. |But in most of the rural communities throughout the district the moral tone is good. Our investigators reported it as improving in 84% of the townships studied/! Perhaps no better way can be used to present graphically the moral tendencies at work in the district than to quote some of the remarks of our field agents as to condi- tions in several of the townships. Here are some reports of a favor- able character: "Temperance movement increasing", "Better dis- cipline in school", "Dry township", "No saloons", "Decline of venereal diseases", "Churches improving", "Less drunkenness and rowdyism", "Bootlegging scarcely known", "Fewer dances." Here are other reports of a less favorable character: "Too many trips to Toledo", "More saloons", "Beer is given to the children Hke water", "Pool room well attended, church attendance not good", "Too many 'Joy Rides' of the boys and girls", "A group of young men go outside the corporation almost every Sunday, take some beer along, and play cards", "Boys gather at stores on Sundays", "Immoral language on walls of school out-houses." Hancock County is the only one of the four that is entirely without saloons. In the other counties, however, most of the dram-shops are located in the cities. The sentiment against the saloon is gaining head- way in most of the country communities. 26 J CHAPTER V. RURAL SCHOOLS. 1. Reason for the Study. The ultimate purpose of the country school and the country church in their work for the young is one and the same. They are both seek- ing to equip the boys and girls for efficient and useful living in a rural society. But in their common task, there is a differentiation in func- tion. The country schools seeks to supply the youth with the intel- lectual tools for successful social intercourse, whereas the country church aims to give the growing boys and girls that religious dynamic which will impel them to use these tools for the glory of God, that is, for the highest welfare of the rural community. These two functions are closely related to one another. Neither institution can afford to be indifferent to the welfare of the other. This fact is the justification for the inclusion of a study of the rural schools of Northwestern Ohio in this report. The country churches of the district have a right to know whether or not the country schools are adequately per- forming their part of the common task. This part of our pamphlet seeks to supply them with an answer to this inquiry. 2. Scope of the Study. Unless otherwise indicated, whatever is here said about educational conditions in Northwestern Ohio is based upon an investigation made during the summer of 1912 of 231 rural schools, distributed as fol- lows : Allen County, 124 ; Defiance, 23 ; and Hancock, 84. The schools of Seneca County were not included in this investigation. 3. Material Equipment. Owing to the lack of timber in Northwestern Ohio, most of its school buildings are constructed of brick. Of the 231 school houses investigated, 165 (71.4%) are of this material, 65 (28.1%) of frame, and 1 (0.5%) of concrete. The vast majority (197 or 85.3%) of these buildings consist of only one room. Those having two rooms number 10 (4.3%) ; three rooms, 4 (1.8%) ; four rooms, 10 (4.3%) ; and five or more rooms, 10 (4.3%). As to the advisability of having so many one-room school buildings in a country so level and so acces- sible, part with part, as Northwestern Ohio, we will have occasion 27 to ask later on in the course of our discussion. Right here, we will confine ourselves to a description of the buildings as they stand at present. Of course, no one has any complaint against one-room school buildings in those places where the conditions would seem to demand their construction; but what every patron of the schools has a right to demand is that the school building, of whatever size, shall be so constructed and so equipped as to minister most largely to the physical health of the scholars. But this is not the case with most of the rural school buildings throughout Northwestern Ohio. For instance, practically all the one-room school buildings have windows on both sides, a most unhealthy arrangement, since the loca- tion of windows on two opposite" sides of the school room causes "cross lights" to work their damage upon the eyes of the scholars and teacher. The school room should be lighted from the left side or rear, or both, but never from the two opposite sides. Again, 66.8^ of the one-room buildings are heated by a single unjacketed stove, a heating apparatus that succeeds in roasting those who have to sit near-by and in freezing those who are obliged to sit far away. A more satisfactory condition is shown in the matter of seating facil- ities. Only 4.3% of the schools are over-crowded. The old-fashioned and ill-adapted double desks are disappearing, 70.6% of the schools being furnished, in part at least, with the more modern single desks. But as yet only 4.8% of the school rooms are equipped with any of the hygienic adjustable desks. One-fourth of the school buildings have a cloak room separate from the class room. The equipment for instruction is fairly adequate for the curriculum followed. Wall maps and charts were found in 84.4% of the schools ; libraries of varying sizes in 64.5%. Over one-half of the school rooms are furnished with either an organ or a piano. ^In the matter of providing for the education of the children's sense of beauty, there is considerable room for improvement. Nearly one- half of the school rooms have barren walls, unrelieved by pictures or decorative designs of any sortTj The task of beautifying the school room is too often left to the Initiative and industry of the teacher, who, as a rule, has little time and less money to devote to this object. Moreover, many of the teachers do not fully realize the very close connection in the training of the child between the appreciation of aesthetic values and the clear vision of moral values. This matter is so important that it should not be left to the desire and the ability of the individual teacher, but should be attended to by the governing body of the schools. Township school boards should arrange for the 28 placing of pictures of high artistic value upon the walls of every school under their care. But from our examination of the interiors of the school buildings, let us turn to a consideration of their exteriors. The grounds about every rural school building ought to be the model for beauty, neatness, and carefulness to the entire neighborhood. They should be con- stantly and silently teaching these high ideals. Anything less means a lowering of the moral tone of the community. It becomes, there- fore, a matter of vital concern to the rural people of Northwestern Ohio, when we remark on the basis of our study that the grounds about most of the rural schools in the section receive little attention. Of all the school properties investigated, only 21.6% had good walks, and most of these were straight and angular without any of the beauty that graceful curves afford. Flower beds were found in only 7.3% of the school yards, although trees lent their grace and their shade to the grounds of 63.6% of the schools. In a good many cases, the grounds are trodden out of all beauty by the children at their play. We would not stop the playing, but would urge the setting aside of a distinct place on the school property where the games would be played. The ground in close proximity to the school build- ing could then be made beautiful without fear of molestation. The provision of such a playground in connection with the rural schools might in some cases necessitate the allotment of a larger amount of land to each school. One acre is the average amount assigned at present throughout the section surveyed. Wells supply the water for the children in nearly all of the schools. gTie toilets are for the most part placed at a respectable distance from the school building, although only 26.6% of them can in any wise be called sanitary^ 4. Enrollment and Attendance. Every year an enumeration is made in each township of all persons of school age, that is, of all who are between the ages of 6 and 21 years. Those between the ages of 16 and 21 are not required to attend school, and of course many avail themselves of this liberty allowed by the law. On the other hand, some of the pupils enrolled in the schools are under 6 years. Not being able to make the proper allowance for these two groups, we cannot tell exactly what propor- tion of the children who should be in school are actually enrolled. The relation, however, between the total enrollment and the daily attendance affords a very satisfactory index of the efficiency of the 29 schools. For the rural schools of the three counties covered by this section of our report, this relation is given in the table that follows, compiled from the Ohio School Report for 1912. The figures have been calculated for the rural schools by substracting from the totals of the respective counties the totals for Lima, Defiance City, Hicks- ville and Findlay. County Allen Defiance Hancock All 3 counties. Total Enrollment i in the Rural ; Schools 1911-12 Daily Attendance in the Rural Schools 1911-12 Per cent, of Daily Attendance to Total Enrollment in the Rural Schools 1911-12 78.5 74.0 80.3 78.0 Considering the three counties together, the percentage of daily at- tendance to enrollment in their rural schools is 78.0. The schools of the cities above mentioned make a better showing, 82.7% of their total enrollment being in daily attendance. The figure for the entire State is 77.2%. Using this as a basis for comparison, the rural schools of Northwestern Ohio, judged as to their efficiency by the relation be- tween their enrollment and their daily attendance, make a very cred- itable showing. We may say that their efficiency, as measured by this criterion, is one point above the average efficiency for the State. 5. School Session. Will our commendation continue if we take a glimpse at what transpires during the session of the rural schools? Let us see. In the first place, we notice that although the session is of proper length, being eight months in most cases, the average number of reci- tations per day is far too many for efficient teaching. The following table gives the number of recitations per day in 173 schools reporting: No. Recitations No. schools 1 to 9 3 10 to 14 6 IS to 19 14 20 to 24 23 25 to 29 38 30 or more 89 The table shows that the larger proportion of the schools have 25 or more recitations per day. This means that only about twelve min- utes can be devoted to each recitation. This over-crowded condition results from the large number of grades that in the one-room schools are placed under the control of one teacher. The only remedy for this 30 condition lies in centralization, whereby the children in one, two, or three grades can be placed economically under the instruction of one teacher. The trouble lies, not in an over-crowded curriculum, but in the fact that the teacher in the average one-room school has to teach this curriculum to several grades. Thus, the necessity for the centralization of district schools is self-evident. As to its feasibility in Northwestern Ohio, we will have occasion to speak in another con- nection. CONSOLIDATION NEEDED Of the rural schools Four Coontles in NoVthwestern Ohio OKI oft oral Li Fg Survey We observe, in the second place, that the time is occupied almost exclusively with the assigning and hearing of lessons. This gives to the school session an atmosphere of formality and bookishness, and removes it from any contact with the lives of the pupils. Moreover, it is a hindrance to the purpose for which the rural school is founded, which is, not to afford a place for the learning and saying of things out of books, but to give an opportunity for the training of the farmer's boys and girls for successful and contented living upon the farm. In the carrying out of this purpose books must be used, but their contents must be studied in and through the processes of farm life. No new subjects need be added to the curriculum. The three R's must be learned, but learned in connection with the things that are done upon the farm. To effect this connection, the daily routine of the rural school must consist, not simply in head-work only, but also in head-work joined with hand- work, now on the inside at the carpenter's bench, now on the outside in the experimental garden. But only 0.9% of the rural schools in Northwestern Ohio investigated by our field agents include manual training in their routine, and only 31 0.8% have field work in a vegetable garden. Domestic science is taught, likewise, in only 0.9% of the schools. A state law requires the teaching of agriculture in all the rural schools, but as yet the instruction in this subject is almost entirely from books. It is grati- fying to note that nature study, as a preparation for agriculture, finds a place in one-third of the schools. We welcome this as a sign of the oncoming of the better day, when all the rural schools will have be- come real expressions of the life in the country community. In the third place, we find that in the session of most of the rural schools there is very little recognition of the immense educational value of play. (Only 6.5% of the schools studied have any play appar- atus or recreation facilities."! Games are played during recess. The teachers usually play with the pupils in some of these games, and thus a partial direction is given to this part of their activities. 6. The Teaching Force. Long ago some one said, "As the teacher, so is the school." We be- lieve it to be a true statement. The progress of the rural schools of Northwestern Ohio surely depends upon a growing standard of effi- ciency in their teaching force. We have no desire to speak in a condemnatory manner of the rural school teachers now at work in the section. Many of them are both capable and progressive. But looking at the situation as a whole, our investigation obliges us to say that there is considerable room for improvement. This improve- ment in the teaching force should show itself along the following three lines: (1) Better professional preparation; (2) Higher sal- aries; and (3) Longer tenure of office. Let us discuss these questions in turn, beginning with the better professional preparation. Our investigators ascertained the training of 168 rural school teachers at work within the three counties covered by this section of our report. Of these teachers: 20 Have had only common school training. 6 Have had only common school training plus summer school work. 62 Have had only high school training. 25 Have had only normal school training. 33 Have had summer school training in addition either to high school or to high school and normal training. 22 Have attended college. This tabulation shows that over one-half (52.3%) of the 168 teachers have received no regular academic training beyond the high school. Only 14.8% have received the benefit of a normal school course. Z2 These facts at least suggest the need for better professional prepar- ation on the part of the rural school teachers of the three counties. As to the need for higher salaries, it will be made clear by the following table which shows the distribution of monthly wages among 214 teachers of rural schools in the three counties : $40-^9 paid to 53 teachers. 50 — 59 paid to 102 teachers. 60 — 69 paid to 2>J teachers. 70 or over paid to 22 teachers. A state law requires the payment of a minimum wage of $40 per month. While it is commendable that in the counties surveyed a majority of the rural school teachers receive more than the minimum amount, yet it must still be said that most of them receive a far too meagre compensation. A good teacher in a country school ought to receive a salary for his services high enough to induce him to engage in the teaching of country schools as a life work. But we submit that an income of $50 or even $60 a month for only eight or perhaps nine months of the year, is not sufficient for this purpose. The con- sequence is that the teachers are constantly moving on to something more remunerative. Thus, this need of higher salaries connects itself very closely with the need for a longer tenure of office, to which we must now direct our attention. This latter need is very strikingly revealed by the fact that out of 204 rural school teachers, working in three counties at the time of the survey, 130, or 63.7%, held certificates for only one year. This points to the fact that nearly two-thirds of the teachers of the country schools are in the teaching profession only as a temporary occupation. That this condition weakens the efficiency of the rural schools is self-evident. Make-shift teachers, who stay in a rural community for only a year or two, cannot do the patient and long-maturing work that counts in the building-up of the farmer's boys and girls into efficient citizenship. 7. The School as a Community Center. ^The school building, as the property of the entire community, can very properly be made the center of social joys and intellectual de- lights for all the families within its district. But in Northwestern Ohio this possibility has but very rarely been turned into actual fact.J Oc- casional opportunities for social enjoyment are offered by the literary and musical entertainments which are given by 81.8% of the schools in the three counties studied. Some of these entertainments are simply literary exercises which are held once or twice a month as a 33 "The Make-shift School leader Certificates held by XO^ rural school teachers in 1911 -icjiz R»r life 3.»f% For8-(0jrs. M *^.4-% For 5 Mca^rs 5.^-'% Va For3|^cars WM 10.9 '/c For X sfezrs ^^M IX.^% For I v|ear 63.7% for o*»e i/c*l* otilvj Three coonties in Northwestern Ohio OKioT^oralLUe Survey part of the regular program of the school. Others are of a more elaborate nature, being arranged for at irregular intervals for the purpose of raising money for some need of the school. The attend- ance of patrons and visitors at the latter kind is usually good, show- ing that the people are appreciative of such efforts. 8. Supervision. All of the shortcomings of the rural schools in Northwestern Ohio — poorly planned buildings, recitation periods of insufficient length, a curriculum unadapted to country life, lack of provision for recre- ation, incomplete preparation of teachers, their short tenure of ofifice — all of these call for a supervision over the schools of a closer and more scientific character. Twenty-three out of the forty-one rural townships in the three counties studied are still content with the inci- dental, non-professional, slipshod supervision given by an untrained township school board. That professionally trained superintendents are employed in the remaining eighteen townships shows that more 34 than a beginning has been made in providing adequate supervision. Of the three counties, Defiance leads in this respect, eight out of her twelve townships having each an educational expert in charge of the schools. The township is considered by some to be too small a unit for economic supervision, and the proposition is made by them to com- bine two or more townships into a district for supervision purposes. As we write this report word reaches us that the Ohio School Survey Commission has recommended the establishment in each county of the State of a board of education which will district the county for supervision purposes and also elect a county superintendent who will nominate district superintendents for the various supervision districts, subject to confirmation by the local boards of education in these same districts. We also learn that a bill incorporating these recommenda- tions of the Commission has been introduced into the State legisla- ture. Without in the least attempting to pass judgment upon the de- tails of this measure, we may be allowed to remark that in our opinion it represents a movement that is headed in the right direction. 9. Centralization. But the panacea for all the ills of the rural schools of Northwestern Ohio is township centralization or consolidation, either partial or complete. It alone will most economically open the way for the rural schools to obtain professionally trained teachers; to hold them for a long tenure of office ; to secure a real graded course with adequate in- struction in each subject; to build their curriculum around the pur- suits dominant in a rural community, such pursuits as household man- agement, the manual arts, and agriculture ; to provide laboratories and experimental gardens ; and to furnish facilities for play and recreation. But at the time of the Survey, the three counties contained only one consolidated school. This seems strange when we bear in mind the wealth of the region, the level nature of the country, and the yearly improvement in the roads, all of which favor the adoption of town- ship consolidation. Our investigators were surprised to find so much opposition to the plan. Among the reasons put forth against the centralization of the rural schools were such as the following: (1) roads not sufficiently piked, (2) the day-long absence of the children from home, (3) depreciation of property in the outskirts of the town- ship, and (4) an increase in the tax rate. The first has some validity, but its force is diminishing every year. The second rests at bottom upon a narrow social outlook, ignorance, 35 and superstitious fear. It will disappear with the growth of a wider neighborliness in the country. The third is puerile. In the first place, we doubt its economic truthfulness. We believe that the average township is a unit of sufficient smallness that every benefit to the township at its center will in the long run be felt to its remotest cor- ners. But even if the economic accuracy of the objection be granted, who will care to champion it? It is a sordid selfishness that puts the welfare of one's property above the welfare of one's children. The fourth argument demands a fuller consideration. Let us grant at once its contention, namely: that the consolidation of the rural schools will increase the tax rate. What of it? School Superintendent O. J. Kern of Winnebago County, Illinois, in speak- ing of the centralization of rural schools, says : "If the country people want better schools in the country for country children, they must spend more money for education and spend it in a better way. There is no other way." Our public school system rests upon the idea of equal educational privileges for all. But, at present, it belies its foundation. The farmer's boys and girls are being slighted. For instance, in the school year 1911-12, according to the Ohio School Report for the latter year, the cities of Lima, Defiance and Findlay, together with all the villages in the three counties maintaining their own schools, spent for education the sum of $35.15 per pupil. In the same year, the open country districts of the three counties ex- pended the sum of $28.49 per pupil. The difference between these two amounts, $6.66, is the measure of the discrimination against the farmer's boy or girl. This discrimination arises from a mal-adjust- ment in the distribution of school revenues between local taxes and state taxes. The larger amount comes from the former source. The cities and villages, having a higher per capita assessment than the open country districts, are thus enabled to raise more money per capita for school purposes. The following table shows the various sources of school money received in the three counties during the year 1911-12, and establishes the statement made above that most of it comes from local taxation. The figures are taken from the Ohio School Report for 1912 : Allen Defiance Hancock From State Common School Fund From other State Funds $ 32,505.00 2,666.43 249,195.74 118,066.49 27,308.36 $14,100.00 1,889.78 93,099.52 0.00 4,809.51 $ 19,921.00 1,894.71 161,416.58 13,925.94 23,066.41 From Sale of Bonds From all other sources 36 The receipts from local taxation amount to 65.99'o of the total. We believe in local taxation for school support. It keeps alive in the community an interest in school affairs. But some scheme of state taxation should be devised which would enable the rural town- ships, by drawing more largely upon the State, to have an amount of money for school purposes equal per capita to that expended by the cities. A plan of this kind might make it possible for the rural town- ships to consolidate their schools without any material rise in the local tax-rate. In any case, consolidation must be brought about if the child of the farm is to be given the same school privileges as the child of the city. We confidently look forward to quite a rapid cen- tralization of rural schools throughout this section of the State. We have mentioned that at the time of the survey there was but one consolidated school in the three counties. This was in Union Township, Hancock County. We will close our study of the rural school situation in the section by giving a brief description of this school. It is a case of partial consolidation only, four out of eight district schools having been joined together. Besides the work of the elementary grades, this school provides a first grade high school course. Its two-storied brick building, erected in 1910 at a cost of nearly $24,000, contains six class rooms of ample size besides a gal- leried auditorium seating 350. All of the class rooms have the light coming from the left side only, and are equipped with maps, single desks, reference libraries of at least forty volumes each, and adjoin- ing coat rooms. Besides the books in each room, there is a separate library room containing 200 volumes. In the basement there is a CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL, UNION TOWNSHIP, HANCOCK COUNTY 37 SCHO(")L \VA(;()\ AND PUPILS, UNION TOWNSHIP ( TiNSOLIUATED SCHOOL laboratory and a power plant. The building is lighted throughout by electricity, and is supplied with running water by a gasoline engine. There is a sanitary drinking fountain in the main hallway. The grounds comprise five acres. There is already an experimental gar- den, and abundant room for the making of a play-ground. Good walks and flower beds adorn the grounds in the immediate vicinity of the building. The children are conveyed to the school in wagons, the farthest coming from a distance of four miles. This school is not ideal in every way, but it represents such a marked advance over any other school found in the three counties, that we cannot helj) but express our hope that something like it mav soon be found in all of the rural townships throughout Northwestern Ohio. 38 CHAPTER VI. RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS AND ACTIVITIES. 1. Number and Distribution of the Churches. (a) As to location. In this chapter we will undertake to set forth some of the important facts concerning those [churches of the four counties which are located in the open country or in villages of less than 2,500 people. There are 304 of them; 184 (60.5%) belonging to the former category, and 120 (39.5%) to the latterj They are distributed among the counties as follows: County Number o: Country 49 40 62 33 184 Churches Village Total Allen 44 16 28 32 120 93 Defiance Hancock 56 90 Seneca Total 65 304 (b) As to population. Considering the rural sections of the four counties together, there is one church for every 278 inhabitants. In a level and well-populated region, such as Northwestern Ohio, one would judge that there need not be more than one church to every 500 inhabitants. On this basis there is an excess of over 100 churches in the four counties. But even this excess would not be such a serious problem, if the churches were more evenly distributed. In Big Lick Township, Hancock County, there are nine church buildings, or one to every 122 inhabitants. Cass Township, on the other hand, in this same County, has a population of 724 and only one church. Within a radius of four miles from a given point in the southern part of Hancock County there are 22 churches, serving a population of about 5,000. Mark and Delaware Townships, in Defiance County, lie side by side. The difference between their populations is about 300, the former having 1,433 people, the latter 1,735. But the number of churches in the latter is double that in the former. Still other in- stances of uneven distribution could be cited if we had the space to devote to them. A glance at the church maps of the four counties, printed on pages 61-63 of this pamphlet, will give the reader a graphic idea of the haphazard and uneven distribution of churches throughout the section. This condition is the result of sectarianism and the failure of the churches to co-operate with one another. We wait for the time when the several churches will study their common field of work together, and then equitably apportion the task among themselves in accordance with the results of their study. 39 2. Church Membership and Population. [Data as to present membership were secured for 302 out of the 304 rural churches in the four counties. The total number of mem- bers in these churches is approximately 26,238, which is 31% of the total rural population of the townships surveyed, or 38.3% of all per- sons within the same area who are ten years old and overj The fol- lowing table shows these relations in the case of each one of the four counties : County 1 2 Total I Rural Rural I Population Population 10 yrs old and over 1910 1910 3 Member- ship in Rural Churches 1912-13 Allen Defiance Hancock Seneca All 4 counties. 23,516 17,171 21,457 22,475 84,619 18,792 13,710 17,396 18.436 68,334 9,078 3,694 7,639 5,827 26,238 Percentage of (3) to (1) 38.6 21.5 35.6 25.9 31.0 Percentage of (3) to (2) 48.3 26.9 43.9 31.6 38.3 The figures in the first column are taken from the United States Census. Those in the second column are derived from the Census by using the percentage of the rural to the total population upon the total number of persons ten years old and over. The membership of the churches has been calculated, not from printed statistics, but from personal interviews with the proper authorities in each church. In Roman Catholic parishes, where in estimating the church member- ship the number of families is usually multiplied by five, we have multiplied by three in order to make it more just to combine the estimates with the figures for the Protestant churches, which do not enroll as members of the church all those of Protestant families. The above table shows that over one-half of the persons ten years old and over in the rural sections of these four counties are not directly con- nected with their rural churches. While this fact is by no means a measure of the total influence exerted by these churches, it at least suggests that they have a rather insecure grip upon a majority of the population. 3. Classification of the Church Membership. (Classifying the members of these churches according to sex, we find that 43.2% are males and 56.8%, females. In population, the four counties surveyed contain about as many males (50.2%) as fe- males.^ The good proportion of males in the membership of the churches is probably due to the presence of a large number of Men- 40 nonite, Brethren, and Lutheran churches, with their very commendable emphasis upon family and community religion. In these churches, considered by themselves, the proportion of male members is 46.6% ; whereas in the membership of all the other churches only 42.2% are males. A classification of the church members according to their economic status shows very clearly that the country church is not winning the tenant farmer to the same extent that it is winning the owner. XOf the farm operators in the four counties 33.6% are tenants and 65.6% are owners, while of the farmers on the church rolls only 13.4% are tenants and 86.6% are owners. "These comparisons are made for each county in the following table : County Allen Far ; Per cent. Owners 70.1 . . . . 1 72.3 mers Per cent. Tenants 29.9 27.7 38.0 38.6 33.6 Church Members Per cent, i Per cent. Owners Tenants 8S.S 14.5 92.3 7.7 Hancock Seneca All 4 counties ....'. 62.0 . . . . 61.4 . . . . i 65.6 86.1 13.9 81.5 18.5 86.6 13.4 In view of the fact that tenantry is growing throughout the four counties, this real, though perhaps unconscious, discrimination on the The Fa a^rmers or tlie Farm Owners' Uhurch Of Farm Oherators Of ChurcK Members are 33.e% Tenants I3>% Farm Owner Farm Tenant Rjor counties in Northwestern Ohio Ohio nural Life burwcy 41 part of the rural churches against the tenant farmer is a matter of grave concern. It must stop, if the churches are to exemplify the Christian ideal of service to all men, especially to those who need it most. The tenant needs the help of the church more than the o-wner. Unless the rural churches of Northwestern Ohio make a well-directed effort to minister to all within their reach, especially the tenant farmers, they will become more and more the churches of that class which is better able to support them, in this case, the owning class. 4. Status of the Churches. [Considering the churches of the four counties together, 38.1% show an increase in membership in the past ten years, 27.7% are standing still, and 34.2% are losing groundT^^omparing the churches in the open country with those located in villages of more than 100 people, we find that of the former 28.2% are growing, 34.9% are just hold- ing their own, and 36.9% are declining; while of the latter 53.0% are increasing, 17.0% are stationary, and 30.0% are decreasing^ The following table compares the counties in these respects and shows how the country churches especially have lost : County Per cent. Growing Coun-i Vil- I try. I lage |Conib. Per cent. Standing Still Coun-l Vil- „ , try. ' lage <-omb. Allen ■ 38.2 Defiance i 30.8 Hancock | 18.7 Seneca li 35.3 All 4 counties.... il 28.2 64.1 52.1 30.7 30.8 S1.9 29.1 47.6 42.1 S3.0 38.1 Per cent. Losing Ground Coun-| Vil- f , try. ! lage jComb. 20.6 7.7 13.7 41.2 28.2 34.2 38.4 23.1 34.6 30.8 46.2 34.6 38.9 18.5 32.6 42.4 29.6 38.3 41.2 28.6 34.2 23.5 23.8 23.7 34.9 17.0 27.7 36.9 30.0 34.2 The alarming fact that from two-thirds to three- fourths (71.8%) of the country churches in these four counties are either standing still or losing ground is one of sufficient magnitude to cause every Christian in Northwestern Ohio to stop and think. What are the causes of this arrest and decline? 5. Causes of Church Decline in the Open Country. (a) A decreasing rural population. As noted before (Page 17), there has been a 5.5% decrease in the rural population of the four counties for the decade from 1900 to 1910. This drift of the people away from the farms has of course added to the burdens of the country churches, and hastened their decline. But there are other causes that must be included in any adequate explanation of the failure of such a large proportion of the rural churches to grow and prosper. (b) Inefficient leadership. The success of any church very largely 42 Rural Cnurch Decitne in Nortn western Onto Of |oo Of l»fq ojien- Country churches ^1% ix% are not Growing Four counties Ohio Rora\ Life Survey/ depends upon the ability and training of its pastor. The efficiency of their leaders, then, affords us a very satisfactory clue to the growth and decline of the country churches. One possible measure of the efficiency of church leaders is the degree of their scholastic prepar- ation for their work. Other things being equal, a well educated min- ister is more uniformly successful with a church than a poorly edu- cated minister. Our survey, at least, would seem to confirm such a statement. In the four counties covered by this report, 29.5% of those rural churches served by ministers who have had no scholastic train- ing beyond the high school are increasing; while of those served by ministers who have had more than a high school education 46% are growing. The rural churches served by ministers of college or semi- nary training constitute 67.2% of the total number of rural churches in the four counties. This is a goodly proportion, and we would ex- pect more than 46% of them to be in a growing and prospering con- 43 dition. That such is not the case is due, we believe, to the hindering action of another determining factor in the efficiency of church leaders. To an analysis of that factor, we will now turn. (c) A non-resident ministry. We refer to the residence of min- isters outside their parishes. Even an able and well trained minister, if he does not live within his parish, cannot give to his church ade- quate direction. Churches do not thrive on absent treatment. There- fore, when we say, on the basis of our investigation, that 66.6% of the churches in the villages and open country of the four counties surveyed have non-resident ministers, we have a sure clue to their decline. At the time the Survey was made, 5% of the churches were without a pastor, leaving only 28.4% that were being sen'ed by resi- dent ministers. And yet of this 28.4% having a resident ministry, 43.9% were growing, while of the 66.6% having a non-resident minis- try only 29.6% were growing. These results show that inadequate leadership, due to non-resident pastorates, is the cause of much of the decline in the rural churches. The good effect of a resident min- istry upon the growth of the church is shown by the experience of the Riley Creek Baptist Church, in Orange Township. Hancock County. Its pastor writes as follows: "I am the first pastor who RILEY B.^^TIST CHURCH, OR,\NGE TOWNSHIP HANCOCK COUNTY 44 The Absentee Minister and Cnurcn E-Tnciencv/ Xi8 churches with . non-resident minister wvitK resident tmnister I j Growing 5% w'itU no min«sttr Not Growing Four counties m Northwestern Ohio Ohio 'RoraV Life Sorve^j has lived on the field among my congregation in its forty-seven years' history. We have full-time preaching for the first time in its history. This will, I believe, explain the fact that this church is growing. Our membership has grown from 103 to 145 in two years." {d) The circuit system. The non-resident pastorate, however, is but the necessary accompaniment of that method of church adminis- 45 tration known as the "circuit system." According to this system, the time and energies of one minister are divided between two or more congregations. This scheme is quite prevalent throughout North- western Ohio. It had its origin in the early days when the thinly settled nature of the country made it a means admirably adapted to reaching all the people with the Gospel ; but with the immovableness of long-established custom it has persisted unto the present day in which different conditions have made it, not a help, but a hindrance to church growth. At least, the findings of our Survey point to that conclusion. In the table that follows, the relation between the cir- cuit system and the prosperity of the rural churches in the four coun- ties surveyed is graphically portrayed : No. Churches with minister on full time 28 Churches with minister on half 69 Churches with minister on third time 74 Churches with minister on fourth time or less Churches with minister having other occupation Churches with no minister 82 13 14 Per cent. Growing Per cent. Standing Still Per cent. Losing Ground 57.7 43.1 42.0 28.2 10.0 22.2 34.6 24.1 2S.8 33.8 30.0 0.0 32.8 32.2 38.0 60.0 Of the churches that are not upon a ministerial circuit, considerably over one-half (57.7%) are growing; whereas in the case of those that are joined with others upon a ministerial circuit, the percentage of those growing runs from 43.1 in the circuits of only two churches to 28.2 in the circuits of four or more churches. This shows that the placing of two or more churches upon the shoulders of a single min- ister is not for the health of the churches. Ministerial vivisection, or the division of a minister's time and energies between two or more parishes, is not for the best progress of Christianity in those parishes. It is hard for a part of a man to do a whole man's work. (^) Small-sized churches. But any abandonment of the circuit sys- tem would have to be accompanied in most communities by a local federation of the churches. Only thus could the ideal be carried out of having each church administered by a resident pastor. For the fulfillment of this ideal, the numerous small churches would have to be willing to federate, that is, join with one another and with the larger organizations for worship and for work in bettering their com- munities. They will be made more willing to do so if they realize 46 jm I he Uircuit O^stei An Obstacle to Church Growtl^ in Northwestern Ohio 153 Churches with are not ucrowmg poor counties OKio l\orai Ltfe Survevy that in most cases a small church in communities as old as those of Northwestern Ohio is a dying church. We can prove this fact. The average size of a church in the communities studied is 87 members, ranging from 66 in Defiance County to 98 in Allen County. The following table shows that more than one-third (36.1%) of the rural churches of the four counties are small, that is, have a membership less than 50: Percent of churches having from 1 — 24 members, 11.6%. Percent of churches having from 25 — 49 members, 24.5%. Percent of churches having from 20 — 99 members, 32.6%. Percent of churches having from 100 — 149 members, 14.3%. Percent of churches having from 150 — . . members, 17.0%. The bearing of these figures upon church growth and decline is shown in the following table : Where the membership is From 1 to 24 " 25 to 49 " 50 to 99 " 100 to 149 " 150 up Per cent, of Churches Growing 20.3 37.3 60.6 73.7 47 NEED FOR FEDERATION Tie Vva^ of Sa.lvation for Small Lhvirches Of cKurclies w/itli a membersnifi of \- af.rle»S ay-'KJ 50-99 /OO-I'MJ /50.TCver. 0.0% Ao.T>Jl, 37.3% €0.(,% •73.770 are GrosA/^ing Four counties in Northwestern 01»io Ohio noral Life Ourwew Over one-third of the churches have a membership of less than 50, and over three- fourths (79.7%) of these are losing ground. Surely this is a crying call for the adoption of some workable plan of feder- ation. The large church is more efficient as a working force than the small church. The continuance of any large number of unfederated small churches in such a thickly settled region as Northwestern Ohio will mean the continuance of rural church decline throughout the section. (/) Over-churching. In another place (Page 39), we have re- ferred to the problem raised by the over-crowding of churches in the counties surveyed. We mention it here again, because of its bearing upon the question of rural church arrest and decline. The fact that there are too many churches in the territory surveyed must be taken account of in reckoning the causes that have led to their decreasing efficiency. In the township where there are from one to four churches, 27.8% of the churches are decreasing; where as in the townships having five or more churches, 36.2% of the churches are declining. Like the trees of a forest, churches must not be planted so thickly together that they interfere with one another's growth. {g) Sectarianism. Over-churching, however, is but a symptom. Its root lies in sectarianism. This is very evident in Northwestern Ohio. In the rural section of the four counties surveyed, there are at least 27 denominations represented, listed as follows : 48 Denominations. No. of Churches. Apostolic Holiness 1 Baptist Bodies: Baptist (Northern Convention) 7 Free- Will Baptist 1 Missionary Baptist 1 Primitive Baptist 2 Brethren 12 Catholic ( Roman) 16 Christian 11 Christian Union 4 Church of God 5 Congregational 2 Disciples of Christ 7 Evangelical Association 22 Lutheran 30 Mennonite Bodies : Defenseless Mennonite 1 Mennonite (General Conference) 4 Old Mennonite 2 Reformed Mennonite 1 Methodist Bodies : Free Methodist 2 German Methodist Episcopal 2 Methodist Episcopal 74 Methodist Protestant 13 Presbyterian 12 Reformed 15 Union Churches 3 United Brethren 43 United Brethren (Radical) 9 Universalist 2 Denominational prejudice exists in all of the communities studied, and in all of them is a very real hindrance to a more active co-operation among the churches. In 20% of the communities, this prejudice was discovered breaking out into more or less open strife. But in most places, it lies beneath the surface. Many influences are at work reducing its strength. The township Sunday School picnics (Page 22), the meetings of the county and township Sunday School Asso- ciations, occasional union services and evangelistic campaigns in the 49 villages, united action against the saloon — all these are encouraging evidences of a dawning sense of co-operation among the churches. We believe that these co-operative efforts are the signal that relief is coming to those places where the progress of God's Kingdom is now blocked by sectarianism. This relief will take the form of a federation among the local churches on the basis of a common service to the entire com- munity. Then, the present decline in the efficiency of the country churches will be checked. (It) Failure to serve the entire community. For most of the causes of the arrest and decline among the rural churches of Northwestern Ohio which we have thus far mentioned — non-resident ministers, the circuit system, overchurching, sectarianism — have their root in a fail- ure on the part of the church to serve the entire community. Too many churches have been founded for the purpose not of advancing all the interests of the whole community, but of promoting what have been very narrowly called the "spiritual interests" of a few individuals. Built upon such a slim foundation, it is no wonder that many of them are falling down or toppling over. A broader and more Christian interpretation of the meaning of "spiritual interests" is needed. The churches must recognize that all the healthy interests of a people, the problems of their economic, social, and educational welfare, as well as those of the church organization itself, are spiritual and have a deep religious significance. Because of this fact, the rural churches should consider it as a regular part of their work to promote better farming, better social advantages, and better country schools. And they should do this for all the people of the community, the tenants and the farm- hands as well as the owners (See Page 41). The rural churches of Northwestern Ohio should seek to enthuse with religious dynamic every movement of rural advance. There is room for them to show a more cordial sympathy toward every institution working for better farming conditions. The experience of the Congregational Church at Comer, Allen County, may be cited as an illustration of our meaning. "Two years ago," says its pastor, "we opened our lecture room to the Farmers' Institute. At first there was a great deal of opposition to this. However, we realized that we were here for the community, to serve the community, so we threw open the doors and invited every- body. We did the same thing last year. We find it has helped many, and has not done the church any harm." This church is reaching out and showing an interest in the ordinary life of its neighborhood. Such efforts on the part of all the rural churches of Northwestern Ohio would soon federate them in every place where at present an over- 50 churched condition prevails. A common service for the welfare of their respective communities would soon bind the churches together in a federation of Christian love for worship and work. With this accomplished, the problem of rural church decline would be solved. 6. Material Equipment of the Churches. Information as to the present value of their property was secured from 274 out of the 304 rural churches in the territory surveyed. The total value of the edifices and land owned by these churches is approxi- mately $982,400. Of the Protestant denominations, the twelve that have the largest investment in the four counties are as follows: Methodist Episcopal $239,600 United Brethren 119,000 Evangelical Association 99,200 Lutheran 91,200 Reformed 88,100 Presbyterian 34,000 Methodist Protestant 31,000 Christian 30,100 Congregational 26,000 Brethren 23,800 General Conference Mennonites 23,000 Baptist 20,100 The usual type of building is that of a one-room structure. Out of 247 churches reporting, 169 have one room each, 42 " two rooms " 23 " three " 5 " four " 8 " five or more rooms each. A one-room church building cannot be regarded as adequate to serve as a community center. As the consolidation of rural schools will result in more commodious school buildings, so the federation of churches will result in church edifices more worthy of their high pur- pose and better designed for community service. A few such buildings already exist. A flourishing country church in Bath Township, Allen County, has a ten-room building valued at $10,000. In the matter of heating, 60% of the churches have stoves, the remaining 40% being favored with furnaces. As to artificial lighting 51 39% use gasoline, 34% oil, 14% acetylene, 12% electricity, and 1% gas. It is commendable that 86% of the buildings are in good repair, and that 76% of the grounds surrounding the churches are in a well- kept condition. There is practically no attempt, however, to beautify the church lawns with flower-beds. The country church should by all means provide a shelter for the farmer's team. But in all four counties only 7% of the country churches have horse-sheds upon their grounds. 7. The Churches at Work. (a) Worship. In their work, all the churches lay the greatest stress upon their services of public worship. This is very commend- able, as the assembling of the people for the worship of God is surely fundamental to the welfare of organized religion. One-half (50.2%) of the rural churches in the four counties, however, have only two preaching services per month. About one-third (32.7%) have one service every Sunday. Only 8.2% have a larger number of services. The undue multiplication of preaching services, however, is not desirable. Their number must be governed by the needs of the com- munity. In most open-country churches, one public service every week is perhaps all that is advisable, for the welfare of the church and for the religious nurture of the people. A constant good attendance at its services of public worship is surely one of the signs of a prospering church; just as a falling-off of the same in a church located in a well-populated region is an unmistakable mark of its decline. It is almost impossible, however, to secure reliable ."Statistics as to the attendance at church services. Very few country churches make any count or keep any record of the number attending. The estimates of ministers on this point are very apt to be uncon- sciously exaggerated. Such estimates, however, were secured by our investigators from the pastors of 278 rural churches in the four counties surveyed. It might be at least suggestive of a trend to com- pare the total of these estimates of attendance with the total seating capacity of the same churches. The estimates included have been those for the best attended service at each church in the course of a month. When the comparison is made, it appears that out of a total of approximately 60,000 seats, only 21,321 are occupied at any one service on an average Sunday. Stating the same fact differently, we may say that on an average Sunday at least 65% of the seats in the rural churches of Northwestern Ohio are vacant. Although the result is based on estimates which are open to error, yet we feel that it does 52 O O z w < W H o w N w z w m w S3 not do injustice to the situation as a whole. It is another sign of the loosening grip upon a majority of the people about which we had occasion to speak in dealing with the proportion of the population in the churches (Page 40). It is another call for co-operative, feder- ated action on the part of the rural churches. Only as they are willing to present a united front can they hope successfully to win the unchurched about their very doors. (b) Sunday Schools. The rural Sunday School plays a more important part in the life of the church than does the Sunday School of the city. This is especially true where preaching services come only once or twice a month. The Sunday School services held every week give continuity to church life. The rural Sunday School is an institu- tion for old and young alike and generally includes all active church members. (1) Number and Distribution. |_A total of 291 churches in Northwestern Ohio were examined with reference to the Sunday School. Of these, 25 were found that had no school, leaving the total of churches with Sunday Schools at 266. One school was found existing independently of any church organiza- tion. Adding this in, we have a total of 267 rural Sunday Schools as the basis for this report. Of these schools, 157 (58.8%) are in the open country, and 110 (41.2%) are in villages of less than 2,500 people.~] Their distribution by counties is as follows: County Allen Defiance Hancock Seneca All four counties. Country Village Total 43 41 84 31 13 44 61 27 88 22 29 SI 1S7 110 267 (2) Enrollment. The total enrollment of 146 of the Sunday Schools in the open coun- try is 10,761 or 73 members per school. In 108 of the village Sunday Schools there are enrolled 14,821 or an average of 136 per school. On this bases jnie total enrollment of all the rural Sunday Schools does not exceed 30,000 or 35.4% of the rural population^ (3) Attendance. LThe total average attendance for 245 Sunday Schools reporting is 15,963, being an average of 65 per school, or 64.9% of the average enrollment for each schoolH On this basis the number of pupils present 54 on an average Sunday in all the rural Sunday Schools throughout the four counties would be about 18,000. Where the attendance upon Sunday School is exceptionally well maintained, the cause is usually that of parental influence. This was assigned as the reason for an average attendance of 79. 37^- of its enrollment in the Sunday School of the Pleasant View Church of the Brethren, Bath Township, Allen County. The success of the Ebenezer Mennonite Sunday School in Richland Township of the same county likewise enforces the same fact. "Nearly everybody," writes the pastor of the church, "comes to Sunday School; the parents, who almost without exception have large families, bring their children regularly. This spirit of the whole family going to church and Sunday School and belonging to it is a great factor." Both of these Sunday Schools, it may be remarked, are so managed as to hold the sustained interest of their members. Both have organized classes, and a regular teachers' meeting. But unquestionably the progress of these schools, as of every Sunday School, rests upon a wholesome development of family religion. (4) Equipment. In the matter of material equipment the majority of the Sunday Schools of the section are awake to the need of bettering their condi- tion. Most of them still have to face the impossible task of doing their work adequately in a one-room church building. But it is encouraging to note that one- fourth of the schools have already tried to remedy the GRADU-VTES IN THE STANDARD COURSE OF TRAINING FOR TEACHERS, OLD FORT UNITED BRETHREN SUNDAY SCHOOL, SENECA COUNTY 55 situation by providing a few additional rooms, or by using curtains and screens to divide off portions of the church auditorium. The problem, however, of properly equipping the rural Sunday Schools for their work waits for its solution upon the federation of the rural churches. The federation of the Sunday Schools of a rural community, however, may very properly pave the way for the federation of its churches. (5) Curriculum. \,Most of the schools are ungraded. The course of study is generally the Uniform International Lessons. The Graded Lessons have been either partially or wholly adopted in 15% of the schools] (6) Teachers. The chief obstacle in the way of a more general use of the Graded Lessons is the lack of well-trained teachers. This difficulty, however, is gradually becoming less and less prominent through the growing exten- sion of the teacher-training movement. Already, special classes for I he Dark LlouJ of UommerciaVism Of 5^8 ckorch Soc»als held dorin^ /\ a ^ear 60, S% are moneji-making events Snould tne cnurch tu^ its su|r\)r\ort ? h>ur counttes irV Northwestern OKio OKio T\ura\ Life Sorwevj 56 the training of teachers have been organized in 27% of the schools. One of the schools that has been very successful in its teacher-training work is the Sunday School of the United Brethren Church at Old Fort, Seneca County. At the time the survey was made, this school had thirty-seven graduates in the standard course of training for teachers, and a class of eleven pursuing their third year of study in an advanced course. ^Of all the teachers in the Sunday Schools studied, 43.7% are men and 56.3% are women. The minister teaches in 23.3% of the schoolsfj (c) Social Activities. Social events under the auspices of the church are usually provided by organizations of one kind or another. The Sunday School would stand first in any list of such organizations. Its annual picnic is for many country churches the principal social event of the year. (.During the year previous to the time of the Survey, 47% of the rural Sunday Schools in the four counties had picnics. Other social happenings, such as class socials, suppers, Christmas festivals, etc., were enjoyed by 51.5% of the schools. In only 19% of the Sunday Schools was the passing year uncheered by any social pleasures.J^ A growing proportion of the social life of the Sunday Schools is being furnished by organized classes, which combine Bible study on Sunday with social and cultural meetings during the week. It is gratifying to note that nearly one-fourth (23.3%) of the rural churches in the section surveyed have classes of this type. Besides the Sunday School, various other organizations within the church minister to the social needs of its people. The following table classifies all such societies in the four counties according to their num- ber and their social activities : Name Number of Organ- izations Young People's Societies >106 Women's Societies; 205 Men's Societies ] 12 Junior Organiza-I tions ' 23 Other Societies... 4 Totals ' 350 Per cent, giving Socials :?53.7 60.4 58.3 Number of Socials reported 176* 362* 14 Per cent. of pay Socialst to total number of Socials No. of Churches without Organiza- tions of this kind 43.4 50.0 57.1 32 8 598 7 47.1* 69.8* 0.0 56.2 100.0 60.5 >178 118 277 272 *Seneca County omitted in this calculation. tBy "'pay socials" we mean those given to raise money for the church. 57 "7 J i IB H . -f---^- ^i?^s |B|| Bit ■L ^^ 1 ; '-^ ^B^^H^^^k «.^!^ M^^' ■*'*• mmHPIN^^P 'f? («»g i^^mmmi^ 1 1 mm '**"-^'-^ ■■=-^^^-— «-»«*** ■.-~ :"!! AN OLD PARSONAGE TURNED INTO A PARISH HOUSE FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BLUFFTON, ALLEN COUNTY Ninety-six rural churches in the four counties have no societies or organizations of any kind, except possibly a Sunday School. The above table reveals the distressing fact that considerably over one-half (60.5%) of the social opportunities furnished by these various church societies are colored and cheapened by commercialism. If the churches are to win the respect of all within their reach, this disgraceful stooping to buy their support must cease. The small number (12) of men's organizations listed in the above table is very noticeable, especially when contrasted with the large num- ber (205) of women's societies. Here is an open door of opportunity before the rural churches of the four counties. Some of the churches have already entered this door through the organization of the male Bible classes of their Sunday Schools. The Methodist Episcopal Church of Bluffton, Allen Coimty, with a membership of vi40, has its men organized in a Methodist Brotherhood. In its work for boys, this church has two clubs, the "Brotherhood of David" and the "Knights of King Arthur," both of which, to quote the pastor of the church, "have accomplished almost miracles in character building." In view of 58 these efforts to reach the men and boys, it is not surprising to note that in three years the male membership of this church increased 8% over the female. This was in a village church. The churches of the open country, however, face equal opportunities in the way of work for men. The comparatively small number of distinctly farmers' organizations, already referred to on page 24 of this pamphlet, give to the open country churches of this section of the State a clear field of effort which they should not be slow in occupying. 8. Church Finances. Statistics concerning finances were secured from 169 country churches and 112 village churches in the four counties. The following table shows the total annual budget in both groups, considered both severally and together, and its distribution among the various items of church expense: Total Annual Budget Per cent, for Ministers' Salaries, Per cent, for Current Expenses, i Per cent, for Sunday School Expenses I Per cent, for Missions and Be-' nevolences ' Country j Village Churches i Churches $67,757 55.6 15.5 7.5 21.4 $78,494 50.7 24.2 7.6 17.S Both $146,251 53.0 • 20.1 7.6 19.3 Combining the first three items in the above table — ministers' sal- aries, current expenses and Sunday School expenses — under the gen- eral designation of "local expenses," we may compare the amount of money spent by the churches for self-maintenance with the amount given away for missionary and charitable purposes, as follows : For Local Expenses Per cent, of Total Budget For Missions and Benevolences Percent, of Total Budget Country Churches $53,237 78.6 $14,475 21.4 Village i Churches I Both $64,784 82.5 $13,755 17.5 $118,021 80.7 $28,230 19.3 59 Howtne rural churches in Northwestern Ohio end their income. 5f> Poor Counitie.s OKio Korai L\fe Surve«| These tables show that the rural churches of the four counties give away about one-fifth (19.3%) of their total income. The churches of the open country do better in this respect than the churches in the villages, the former giving away 21.4% of their income, the latter 17.5%. 60 A- ALLEN CO„Omo Ke»( to Maps X Minitteri resilience El CKurtk with TCsident ministtT Q CKurch winiiutntidltn't miBisW K QiukK wifhm/l miniifcr d Ata'Mlined church NomeriU iniiciU mtmlteriliih .f cjiurth Inc., incrcasinj j Dec, decreasing ', St, statienirt) B Baptist HF Friends (Hicksite) Br Brethren (German Baptist) L Lutheran BSA Brothers Society of America LDS Latter-Day Saints C Christian M Mennonite Ca Catholic (Roman) MB Missionary Baptist Co Congregational ME Methodist Episcopal CP Cumberland Presbyterian MP Methodist Protestant CS Christian Science N Nazarenes CU Christian Union OM Old Mennonite D Disciples P Presbyterian DM Defenseless Mennonite PB Primitive Baptist DNP Disciples, Non-Progressive R Reformed E Episcopal RM Reformed Mennonite EvA Evangelical Association RUB Radical U. B. EvL " Lutheran S Saints F Friends (Orthodox) U Union FM Free Methodist UB United Brethren FWB Free Will Baptist UP United Presbyterian G Church of God Uv Universalist GME German M. E. USS Union Sunday School H Apostolic Holiness WM Wesleyan Methodist 61 SEtiZCA CO., OHIO 62 XXX HANCOCK CO., OHIO 9. The Minister. The total number of ministers preaching in the four counties is 163. Of these ministers : 25.7% serve one church. 34.2% serve two churches. 25.0% serve three churches. 15.1% serve four or more churches. A little over one-third of the ministers with only one church have other occupations. A minister can have his home in only one community. But since 74.3% of the ministers at work in the four counties preach in more than one place, it is evident that the vast majority of the ministers live at a distance from most of their parishes. The great waste of time, energy, and money involved in the travelling about of ministers, many of them going along the same road or crossing one another's path, may be realized by the reader if he will glance at the maps on the preceding pages or scan the following table : 63 34.6% of the churches have ministers living less than 2 mi. from Ch. 30.9% of the churches have ministers living 2-5 mi. from Ch. 25.3% of the churches have ministers living 6-10 mi. from Ch. 6.4% of the churches have ministers living 11-20 mi. from Ch. 1.6% of the churches have ministers living 21-30 mi. from Ch. 1.2% of the churches have ministers living 31 or more mi. from Ch. The Lord's money is being squandered through our sectarian selfish- ness which makes the circuit system a necessity. Federation of churches in all bver-churched communities would eliminate most of this waste. In the matter of salary, four-fifths of the ministers receive less than $1,000 per annum. The following table shows the di.stribution of salaries among 145 of the rural ministers at work in the four counties : 14 ( 9.5%) receive no salary. 7 ( 4.7%) receive less than $300 annually. 6 ( 4.0%) receive from $300 to $ 400 annually. 14 ( 9.5%) receive from $401 to $ 500 annually. 17 (11.5%) receive from $501 to $ 600 annually. 25 (16.9%) receive from $601 to $ 700 annually. 24 (16.2%) receive from $701 to $ 800 annually. 15 (10.1%) receive from $801 to $ 900 annually. 17 (11.5%) receive from $901 to $1,000 annually. 9 ( 6.1%) receive $1,001 or more annually. The table shows that most of the ministers receive from five hundred to nine hundred dollars per year. The scholastic preparation of 150 rural ministers in the four counties is shown in the following table : 29 (19.3%) have had only a common school education. 20 (13.4%) have had only a high school education. 101 (67.3%) have had more than a high school education. The table shows that nearly one-fifth (19.3%) of the ministers have had nothing more than an elementary education, and that nearly one- third (32.7%) have not gone in their schooling beyond the high school. That the man with more training commands a higher salary is shown by the following facts about the ministers whose training has been given in the preceding table : Average salary of ministers with only common school training. . .$609 Average salary of ministers with only high school training 664 Average salary of ministers with more than high school training. . 771 64 Considering all of the rural ministers of the four counties together, their average salary is about $700. This is a rather low figure for a section of the State as prosperous as Northwestern Ohio. With the coming growth, however, of the principle and practice of federation among its churches, we can confidently expect that the rural ministers of the section will receive a more adequate compensation. 65 CHAPTER VII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS. The first result of this investigation should be general prayer tor a religious advance in Northv^restern Ohio. (Churches with only one- third of their sittings fflled, ministers three-fourths of whom live where they do not preach and preach where they do not live, and only a minority of the population reached by the gospel: these exhibit the need of a new evangelism in Northwestern Ohio^ It cannot be said, however, that a gospel of independence, or of merely personal religion, is the need. The rural churches in Ohio which show distinction and success in the largest number are well organized churches. The task of the pastor and of the "parish priest" is the greatest evangelism in Ohio. These churches grow the most rapidly. They have the best hold upon their young people. They have the largest number of families in their membership. They show every sign of a strong gospel spirit and their contributions to the great enter- prises of the church at home and abroad are the largest. What Northwestern Ohio needs is a band of consecrated young men born of the soil, who with knowledge and sympathy will go into the country to live as pastors with country people. LThe Lord's flock needs not shouters, but shepherds. There has been too much emphasis upon personality and independence, and it has dissolved the population in a diluted individualism, which seeks after money, personal property and personal careers!) What Northwestern Ohio needs is the organization of the Kingdom of God under the leadership of Christian pastors who will give their lives to the people and live not in the town, but in the country. Second. Community churches are needed. These are the unit of measure in federation and union of Christian forces. They can be placed at selected points by the various denominations, each one select- ing an important centre, where it has leadership. Every community church should deal with the needs of the whole people, not with the emotional satisfactions of "our own people." For these churches adequate buildings must be erected and, of course, resident pastors must be secured. These buildings need to be some- thing more than the one-room structure which prevails in these rural 66 counties. The example for such buildings is furnished in the churches mentioned in the text which have rebuilt and extended their church houses to meet the modern needs of country people. The building of houses of God large enough to make a home for the Master among his people in the country is the same process by which the farmer built his own home after pioneer days. The one-room church house in the country is as inappropriate to modern times as the sod house would be for the modern farmer's family. It is as ill suited to the needs of Northwestern Ohio today, when the farmers are prosperous and cultivated and ambitious, as is the sickle or scythe for reaping his crops, or the ox cart for transporting his family from the farm house to the church. The community church in all parts of the country is the successful country church. It survives where one-room structures with occa- sional preaching perish. It embodies without help of federations" the passionate idealism of our time for union and co-operation in religion. Without discrediting denominations or disowning its own communion, the community church ministers to all. For any one of the leading Protestant denominations can successfully minister in things of the spirit to all the people of the community, if it will minister to them in all their needs recreative, educational, social and humanitarian Third. flF is astonishing that in Northwestern Ohio the condition of common schools in the country is so retarded// It is probable that this backward condition of schools in the country is due to the absence of the ministers, who live not in the country, but in the town, in so great a degree. The need of developing the schools is a religious need. The centralization and the consolidation of many schools and the set- ting up of a higher standard for all the country schools is necessary, if churches of a higher grade are to live in the country. We must not forget that the Protestant church perishes among ignorant people. Where the people cannot maintain an educated min- istry and where they do not read the Bible or other books with intelli- gence, there the Protestant church shortly disappears. In our day Protestantism does not live by persecution, but its maintenance is dependent upon intelligence. This intelligence must be possessed by the poorest and humblest. The only way to bring this about is to elevate the standards of the common schools. This investigation is an exhibit of the need of better schools throughout Ohio. It is no less striking that Northwestern Ohio should be so far behind other counties of the State in which consolidation has gone far for- ward, than it is that at this very time the whole State of Ohio is con- 67 sidering legislation for a better school system in all counties. Ministers of religion and schoolmasters should fix the attention of all the people in these counties upon the great need of better schools in the country, for by the education of country people, or the lack of it, will be determined the question whether Northwestern Ohio shall remain American in the future. Fourth. The greatest danger with which country people are con- fronted in Northwestern Ohio is expressed in the speculative price of land. This danger is really a peril of irreligion. It takes the form of greed for money, instead of land, among country people. There are two obvious sources of this speculation: One is the "easy money" secured by the farmer from the oil deposits ; the other is the wave of speculative prices which has now come to Ohio on its way eastward from Illinois. The form of farm speculation is the same everywhere. It tempts the farmer by a high capitalization of his farm to sell and move out, when he comes to see the low income of the farm. There is only one remedy and that is, to train the farmer by every possible means to secure a larger product from the land and a much larger profit. Unless the farmer's income can be maintained and increased as the land prices increase, he will inevitably sell, in average instances. This process it is that weakens the growth of country communities. 1 ' ' ' » lH'^" Moreover, the development of the churches and schools, which is necessary as years pass, will be paid for only out of money earned, never out of money borrowed, and as the higher price of land enables the farmer merely to borrow more money, while it lays upon him heavier overhead charges, it has the effect of depressing educational and religious institutions. No heavier tax can come to churches and schools in the country than the suddenly increased price of the land, ^o-operation among farmers will be the way, and there is no other way by which they shall maintain themselves in the country. The present independent economic and social life, by which each man works for himself, will be the death of the American stock as a farming population. 'IWe can only hope and pray and teach that farmers work together. As the wants of country people increase with growing intel- ligence they will come in contact with an ever higher wall of necessity, and two alternatives alone are left : Either to sell and leave the country, or to remain in the country and co-operate. Therefore, teachers and ministers of religion should advocate agricultural co-operation. It is fundamental to the maintaining of an American stock on the land. The permanence of the American stock is the great problem. The 68 country churches in Ohio are American churches. That is, they are Protestant, independent, self-governing. They embody American ideals, the best ideals the world has ever conceived of. They are a part of Northwestern European civilization, the most precious inheritance of mankind. To maintain these people and these ideals in North- western Ohio, where they have begun to give way, calls for a definite religious movement which will bring our people to a new consecration, to a new valuing of the land and to a "marrying" the soil such as they have not hitherto undertaken. Fifth. Co-operation will develop leadership, but it cannot maintain itself if it be merely economic. American country people will not stay in the country for dollars. They can get dollars in the town. They have wits enough to make other people work for them and therein is their danger. Therefore, we recommend a cultivation of social life. In all these country communities churches and schools should be centers of recreative and intellectual life. The open societies for the exercise of the instinct for enjoyment, for social intercourse and for play should be cultivated and more should be organized. The holidays of the year should be celebrated by the people of these counties in common. Especially the great religious festivals, such as Christmas, Easter, Decoration Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving should be occasions of the gathering of the whole community at the church and at the schoolhouse for common celebration of the deep- running stream of history, both of remembrance and of hope. The l)irthdays of the great heroes of our history should also be celebrated in common. There should be a cultivation of music also, and of dramatic expression, such as is confined to very few churches. Song has extraordinary social value, as a means of organizing the social instinct of the people, and there are possibilities in the dramatic art, through "home talent plays" and other means which country people have hardly begun to use. By every means the social life of the people should be organized in such manner as to make the country community a place of joy for the young, a place of contented labor for those who work on the farm, a satisfactory home for the women and a preferred residence for elderly people, for these four classes are essential to the perfection and the continuance of the country church. Sixth. The country institutions in Northwestern Ohio, the home, the church and the school, should be used and developed in such way as to resist the influence of the cities and to cultivate an idealism of the country. [The influence of urban life, if unmodified by a religious spirit, is a malignant power in the country. Around these large towns 69 and small cities, which care for nothing except city life, churches die, schools languish and homes are abandoned, renters take the place of owners on the farms and values of farm land are vitiated by irresist- ible philistine powers. There is need of the cultivation by country people of independent institutions, so that they may be self-sufficient in social, economic, educational and religious respects^ Ministers must be called from these cities to live in the country, houses must be built for them, and schools consolidated, in order to retain the most ambi- tious and the most efficient of country people on the land. Teachers should be provided with homes beside the school, and co-operative institutions, both for social life and for getting a better income, need to be organized in the country, in order that the influence of the town may be resisted and in order that the country population may maintain themselves and may prosper in every way. Unless this is done the waning of the country church will continue and it will be merely the sign of the decadence of a splendid population ; the best flower and fruit of European and Christian culture. Will the towns of this region have no mercy on the country? Will they never realize that their place is one of leadership? Are there no leaders in Findlay, in Lima, in Defiance and other of the leading cities of this region, who will see that the greatness of these towns is in their leadership of the country, not in their pollution of country life? The churches of these towns ought to have farmers in their membership. The schools of these towns should teach agriculture. They should be centres of constructive influences, rather than destructive. Seventh. As we began, so it is evident that the problem of North- western Ohio is a profoundly religious one. True, it is educational also, for religion and education in facing such great difficulties are a part of the same process. The country people must be converted, and he who shall convert them must give his life with them to the great cause of building a commonwealth. He must read his Old Testament and drink deep of the spirit of Moses and of Joshua, who led the people into the "promised land." He must understand the Book of Isaiah, which promised that "the land should be called 'Beulah,' for as a young man marrieth a maiden, so thy sons shall marry thee." .'^nd he must engage in his task with the spirit of the Master, Jesus Christ, who gave himself to the Hebrew people, whose life completed the years of inspired history that have made us call Palestine unto this day a "holy land." 70 !atJ\)isorP Council W. O. Thompson, Chainnan, PlrsUi'-ri! . Uni'j --i;iii- [ [ii\.fsit\ I'l'.-^iui-m ohi'i cliiMi-li l-.-c!ir:iiur!i r,,Uiml..i.-= Ohi... J. O. Ashenburst, Secretary, C'uiiiaiii Iff (Ml 'Jiirul Cijurohch. iuiti-'d Prt-sJiytoriau <^lu:ii-h George F. Bareis, <'liuiri,Ki!i, noMi'il ijf Trustees Edward Bvers, A.M., Sc.D. .^iii.)..l ,,f i:'.liii\iiioii. Deflano- CollcgP I. J. Cahii! •^ti-v. nl;ii.i ('lM-i. .'^i.irh-t.v H. J. Christman, President, <'fiiluil Tli'-ulo^rical ^5i-iL;inar\ V/. G. Clippinger, President, < 'tli-rlifiii riii\ur=ii!y Charles William Dabney, President, I ni\tT^i(y uf (.'iiH'iunuti G. Walter Fiske, Junior Dean, iilicrliii Tlu-nUii^ieal .Swniiiary L. H. Goddard, Chief, lh\,\ ' ':.n|i,-ranliio E.xin'riiufiit Elation A. B. Graham, Superintendent of Aifri^-iiluiral i^x'tiisJun. nhiu ^^lau* I'nn . George J. Henderson, 'Mijit ("« iiirai IJi:jirict. American > .*^. I iiinn Walter H. Houston, -'ui't. lVr>li\ [.Tian Ilonif .Missions. '<\IU)'i iif < )iiiu C. W, Kurtz, i*r''>iilinji i;i;ifi-, Tnitod Brethren Church Frederick C. Landsittel, stuif Ntwiual C'olli-f,'('. Ohio I'niversit.v Charles Marston, P:i-ii'[-. ]*i-ish\ It ri.iii Churrli. Millershurg. dliio E. A. Miliar, 1 il.erlin Cillrfre J. Knox Montgoinery, President, ?\lii-Uiiii.'iiiii (\ill.ri' S. K. Mosiman, President, ('intra! Mfiiiioniie CulleKe J. O. Notestein, L ni\er-lly nf \\ ihkIit W. W. Mills, Hu.inl .(f ■rru>i.-.'v Marietta C(.ll.H(i H. C. Price, Dean, ( 'oilcifi- of .VKfieiiltLire. Ohio Stat»^ fiiiv O. W. Powers, Hume .Missiuii .'ifi'v. Cliristian t'iiurel! Ci-iMiient., Dllid .Slate Cliristian .-Ss^i,ei:;i i,,;, C. J. Rose, Secretary, tjliio Baptist Couvt^utiou E. S. P.othrock, t-tate "^iiiierinteDdent, ('unf-'reKalioiibl C'onfereiiee of Ohio B. R. Ryall, Serrelary, Y. M. ('. A. uf Dliio County Worli Dept. A. C. Shuman ra"itor. keformeil (^hurrh. Tiffin. Hiiin J. K. Shellenberger, Kery of tlie Ui'iitlii-rhood. Diseiples ul Christ Worthington B. Slutz, District .Supt.. Metlinilist Epi-.copal Church J. Warren Smith, Directof. U. S. Weather Jiiueau George F. Smythe, Ken> on < 'olli'tie George Stibitz, Central Seminary N. W. Stroup, District Supt.. Methodist Episcopal Clutrch Omer S. Thomas, Secretary of Miami Christian C^onferenre Samuel Tyler, Chairman. ."Sociat Scrvitv Coinntission Diocese of .Soiitliern oliio I'rotestant Episcopal Cbuivli Selby H. Vance, Lane Seminary Paul L. Vogt, Professor of SociolORy. >Tianii Cniversiiy Ralph J. Wliite, IMis.vionary SiipiTinienilent of Kasi ()hi.> SyniKl livancelical Lutheran Clnn-ch G. P. Williams, SupiM'intendfnt of Mi.ssion^ American Muiday Sclioul L'nion Warren H. Wilson, Supl . I'n'^hyierian Department of Cluirch and ( 'oiintry Life Production Note Cornell University Library produced this volume to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. It was scanned at 600 dots per inch resolution and compressed prior to storage using CCrrr/ITU Group 4 compression. The digital data were used to create Cornell's replacement volume on paper that meets die ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992. The production of this volume was supported by the United States Department of Education, Higher Education Act, Tide U-C. Scanned as part of the A. R. Mann Library project to preserve and enhance access to the Core Historical Literature of the Agricultural Sciences. Titles included in this collection are listed in the volumes published by the Cornell University Press in the series The Literature of the Agricultural Sciences, 1991-1996, Wallace C. Olsen, series eddtor. JJu ■™-™~~! «« it S DIRECTED BY The Department of CWch and Countiry Life BOARD OF HOA4E MSSiONS OF THE PRESBYTO^IAN CHUKCH m THE U. S. A- Waffen H. Wilson, DiredoT Ralph A. FekoK, F^eM Diredar 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City (outbeastem ©Ijto" President W. O. Thompson Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio Chairman Warren H. Wilson, Director Ralph A. Felton, Field Director Contributors Stanley C. Morris Frederick C. Landsittel Clarence A. Neff Daniel S. McCorkle Arthur O. Stockbridge, Historian PRESBYTERIAN DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH AND COUNTRY LIFE 1 56 Fifth Avenue, New York City CONTENTS. Chapter I. — Introduction: page 1. Origin of the Survey and Agencies Concerned 5 2. Purpose of the Investigation 5 3. Method of the Study 6 Chapter II. — The Region Surveyed : 1. Area and Omitted Communities 7 2. Physical Features 7 Chapter III. — ^Economic Conditions: 1. Natural Resources, Importance of Agriculture 8 2. Soil Depletion 8 3. Soil Conservation, and the Agricultural Future of the District 9 4. Soil Monopoly 10 5. Tenantry 11 6. Marketing 12 7. The Farmers' Income 13 8. Summary 15 Chapter IV. — Social Conditions: 1. The Depletion of the Rural Population 16 2. Means of Communication 16 3. Community Leadership 18 4. Community Meetings, Informal and Formal 20 3. Recreation and Morals 22 Chapter V. — Rural Schools : 1. Reason for the Study 24 2. Scope of the Study 24 3. Material Equipment 24 4. Enrollment and Attendance 27 5. School Session 28 6. The Teaching Force 29 7. What One Teacher Has Done 30 8. The School as a Community Center 32 9. Summary, Need for Supervision 32 Chapter VI. — Religious Conditions and Activities : 1. Number and Distribution of Church Organizations 34 2. Church Membership and Population 34 3. Status of the Churches 35 4. Causes of Rural Church Decline 36 5. Sectarianism 42 6. Material Equipment of the Churches 46 7. Classification of the Church Membership 46 8. Sunday Schools 47 9. The Church and Social Life 50 10. The Minister S3 Chapter VII. — Conclusion and Recommendations 59 3 lAP OF OHIO. THE COUNTIES SURVEYED ARE INDICATED BY A STAR CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. 1. Origin of the Survey, and Agencies Concerned. To make rural life in Ohio more satisfying is a task that calls for the earnest endeavor of everyone of her patriotic citizens. The Ohio Rural Life Survey aims to present an unbiased picture of this task. Instigated by leaders in the v^rork of developing the rural sections of the State, the Survey has been carried to completion under the direc- torship of Warren H. Wilson, Ph.D., Superintendent of the Presby- terian Department of Church and Country Life, and under the un- prejudiced supervision of an Advisory Council representing twelve religious denominations and eighteen educational institutions, all at work within the State. A total of twenty-eight counties scattered all over the State were covered by the operations of the investigators, most of their work being done during the summers of 1912 and 1913. This pamphlet deals with the rural situation in six of these counties — Washington, Morgan, Athens, Vinton, Lawrence and Adams — all of which disclose conditions that are fairly representative of those prevailing throughout Southeastern Ohio. Other pamphlets have been published which deal with the rural situation in other sections of the State. 2. Purpose of the Investigation. The problem of rural development is a many-sided one, having its economic, social, moral and educational phases. But, at bottom, the problem is a religious one. As religion is a force to stimulate every phase of life to its highest activity, so the country church, as the in- stitutional embodiment of religion in the rural community, should give the impetus for every movement of rural advance. Are the churches in the villages and open country of Southeastern Ohio doing this effectively? This pamphlet seeks to give an answer. We will deal with such topics as the farmer's income, his recreation, his home, his school, and his church. A correct and careful treatment of all of these subjects is absolutely necessary for the carrying out of our dominant purpose, which is, to give the rural churches of South- eastern Ohio a vision of their task, and to help them in the doing of it. 5 3. Methods of the Study. Before we proceed, just a word as to the method followed in the field investigations. The township was made the unit of study, and was called a "community." An investigator would spend about a week in each township or community, asking specified questions of the leaders of its religious, educational, social and political institutions, and making house to house visits in certain sections. The written record of these interviews were made on uniform blanks, and, to- gether with the investigator's personal observations, formed the basis for his report upon the conditions existing in the community. For the intensive study of the farmer's income, questions furnished by the United States Department of Agriculture were used. The investi- gators were carefully selected, being either young men of college training or adults of seasoned judgment. CHAPTER II. THE REGION SURVEYED. 1. Area, Omitted Communities. Southeastern Ohio may be described as consisting of the two tiers of counties bordering on the Ohio River, from Monroe County on the northeast to Adams County on the southwest. Thus defined, the section embraces thirteen counties and has an area of 6,066 square miles. The six counties surveyed comprise 2,920 square miles, or nearly one-half of the total area of the district. All of the com- munities within the six counties were studied with the following ex- ceptions: Marietta City and four rural townships in Washington County, McConnellsville Village and one rural township in Morgan County, the cities of Athens and Nelsonville in Athens County, and fronton City in Lawrence County. Of these ten omitted communities, five are urban and five rural. The passing over of five rural town- ships, out of a total number in the six counties of 86, is too small an omission to affect in any way the validity of our general conclusion. 2. Physical Features. As Southeastern Ohio lies within the foot-hills of the Appalachian Mountain System, its topography is predominantly hilly. Its navigable streams are only three in number, the Ohio, Muskingum and Scioto Rivers. The region, however, is well watered by numerous small rivers and creeks. The climate is temperate, there being no great extremes of heat or cold. The rainfall is heavy, thus, on the one hand, affording an abundance of springs and good drinking water; and, on the other hand, swelling the floods that as often as twice during a decade work considerable damage in the lowlands. CHAPTER III. ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. 1. Natural Resources, Importance of Agriculture. Most of the hills of Southeastern Ohio are underlaid with coal. Of the six counties covered by this report, Athens, Vinton and Law- rence possess deposits of this mineral in great abundance, Washing- ton and Morgan have a smaller supply, although in these counties the shortage in this respect is perhaps balanced by the presence of an oil and natural gas territory. Adams County is outside the coal region. All of the eastern counties have an abundance of clay suit- able for brick and tile. Water-power is an available resource, al- though at present it is largely neglected. Agriculture is to-day the most important industry of the district. Limestone, freestone and clays give a soil of wide diversity, suited to many products. That farming will continue to be the chief occupa- tion of the people is true for those living in Adams, Morgan and Washington counties; but probably untrue for those dwelling in Athens, Vinton and Lawrence counties, where in the coming years agriculture is likely to be overshadowed by coal mining. 2. Soil Depletion. A marked characteristic of Southeastern Ohio is the decrease dur- ing the last decade in the acreage of improved farm lands. In Wash- ington, Morgan, Athens, Vinton and Lawrence counties, according to the returns of the United States Census, the amount of improved farm lands diminished 7 .t^o during the period from 1900 to 1910, a loss for the five counties of one acre in every thirteen of their im- proved lands, or an area of improved land equal to more than one- third that of a single county. Adams County was the only one of the six counties surveyed that during the same period increased its area of improved farm lands. The increase there was 3.1%. The gradual withdrawal of arable land from profitable use, and the consequent increase in the acreage of abandoned farm lands, has for its cause the depletion of the soil. The hilly nature of the country gives the opportunity for the washing away of the soil, especially in those places where the surface loam is kept pulverized by constant cultivation. The farms, then, of Southeastern Ohio are becoming less 8 Decrease in Improved Farm L ands l,Oll,iOC acres m iqoo - 935,033 acres m iqio 1.^% decrease Five counties «n SoutKe&stern Oh«o OKio1^orA\ Life Ouivej fertile. This process must be stopped, for if allowed to continue, it spells the agricultural ruin of the district, and that means the ruin of the farmer's home, of his school, and of his church. Whoever does not see the religious significance of entering upon a crusade for soil conservation in Southeastern Ohio needs to be spiritually awakened. 3. Soil Conservation, and the Agricultural Future of the District. How can the soil be conserved? It is for the country churches of Southeastern Ohio to inspire their members to seek an answer to this question. We can offer but a few untechnical suggestions. The hill- sides must be saved from constant cultivation, and converted into pas- tures or fruit-growing tracts. But a serious difficulty immediately presents itself. The income from mere pasture-land is not sufficient at present to support the farmer's family. Some way to make the farms yield a livelihood without resorting to cultivated crops must be found, and such a way will be found, for the situation is far from hopeless. What are some of the reasons for encouragement as we look toward the future? First. The farmers themselves see clearly that continued cultivation will end in the ruin of their farms. The farmer who makes no effort to reduce the wasting of the soil is an exception. Rotation of crops is practiced almost universally throughout the district. So also is the use of both stable manures and commercial fertilizers. But this care only delays the ruin, it will never prevent it. 9 Second. Both soil and climate are adapted to animal husbandry, upon which the agricultural future of the six counties unquestionably rests. Most of the farms of the district must sooner or later be con- verted into pasture land. Prime beef cattle, fattened without grain on Morgan County pastures, bring top market prices. Horses and hogs, however, can never be raised on any large scale, owing to the scarcity of grain. Third. Milk and other dairy products are sure to be great resources of the near future. As a profitable industry for the farmers of South- eastern Ohio, dairying only waits upon the building of good roads and trolleys, and the consequent opening up of markets. When de- veloped, the industry will make the pastures yield a sufficient income, and thus the present necessity of resorting to cultivated crops will be removed. Fourth. The district is very successful in the production of poultry and eggs. The United States Census returns for the six counties show that in the year 1909 poultry and eggs yielded a cash income of more than a million dollars. This acquires significance only when we compare it with the fact that in the same year the sales of all other animals and of dairy products brought a little less than three million dollars on an investment which was fifteen times greater than that represented in the poultry industry. Fifth. With intelligent care and available markets, fruit growing will become an important resource. The recent decadence of the in- dustry in Lawrence County was due, not to any non-adaptation in soil or climate, but rather to the inaccessibility of markets. Fruit grow- ing, like dairying, awaits the construction of better means of trans- portation for its development. We have given these five reasons to justify our confidence that the farmers of Southeastern Ohio will find ways to make their farms yield a sufficient income without depleting the soil by the constant cultivation of the hillsides. Altogether, the picture is one for the optimist. Our hope is that the country churches of Southeastern Ohio will see the religious significance of the farmer's struggle for an adequate income, and help him in his life-battle. 4. Soil Monopoly. In the six counties included in the purview of this report, half the land is in the hands of one-eighth of the farmers. This means that farms of medium size are comparatively few in number. Such a con- dition is startling, and affords a sure index to the decay of the 10 LAND MONOPOLY /4 oi the Farmers Oi nn '/z oi tfie Land 5ix Counties in ^outketstern Unio OLoKural Lie 5 UTve-) country churches, the decline of country schools, and the wide loss of community spirit. Men with farms of medium size, say from 100 to 150 acres, are the chief dependence for the support of churches and schools. When such men are scarce in any locality, the churches and the schools languish. And they are scarce in Southeastern Ohio. Of the 17,963 farms in the six counties surveyed, more than one-third contain less than fifty acres, and as many as two-thirds are under one hundred acres. It can be asserted with confidence that within the six counties one farmer in every four has a farm too small to feed and clothe his family decently, and, of course, has nothing for the church. This condition is not helped by the purchase of extensive tracts of land by outside interests for purposes of speculation. In Athens, Vinton, and Lawrence counties the complaint against this practice is loud. Nearly 40,000 acres of Vinton County land is held in this way. With two or three notable exceptions, such purchasers have mani- fested no interest in agriculture, or in the development of the com- munities. By their holding of the land for a rise in price, they dis- courage its purchase by local buyers. On the one hand, they make it very hard for the farmhand or the farmer's boy to become the owner of a farm ; while, on the other hand, thfey make it comparatively easy for him to become the renter of a farm. 5. Tenantry. Tenantry, however, is not an alarming feature of the economic situation in Southeastern Ohio. Four-fifths (78.5%) of the farms of 11 the six counties are operated by their owners, thus leaving one farm in every five (20.7%) worked by a tenant. An insignificant number (0.8%) are cared for by hired managers. But here, as elsewhere, tenantry stands in most cases for a process of soil impoverishment and human deterioration. Most of the tenants are forced to occupy the poorest homes and to make use of the most decayed farm buildings. In order to meet the demands of the landlords for rentals, the tenants must turn everything marketable into immediate cash. Very little is given back to the soil for the replenishment of its exhausted strength. A concrete example will depict the result very vividly. Of two adjoining farms in Waterloo Township, Athens County, one, after having been rented for seventeen years, was sold for $15 per acre; the other, after having been operated all these years by its owner, was sold at about the same time for $38 per acre. The low- priced farm had been sapped of its fertility for the sake of rentals. Should the country church allow this form of immorality and sin to go on without at least lifting its voice in protest? With these conditions to face, it is not surprising to discover that many tenants are leaving. In all the counties, with the exception of Adams, the proportion of tenantry has declined appreciably (3.3%) during the last decade. Those who leave usually go to some town or city. The tenants who become owners, having bought farms with money made on the land they rented, are extremely few in number. Before leaving the subject of tenantry in Southeastern Ohio, spe- cial mention should be made of the pitiable condition existing among those tenants who grow tobacco. The crop, before it is harvested. is mortgaged, in most cases for all it is worth. If there chance to be any profits, the landlords and the local storekeepers pocket them all. Fortunately, tobacco is a crop that has been abandoned save in parts of Lawrence and Adams counties. 6. Marketing. . The cities along the Ohio River, especially Pittsburgh, Wheeling and Cincinnati, afford an excellent market for farm produce. The margin taken by middlemen is slightly larger than in some other dis- tricts of Ohio. As a rule, the farmers keep themselves informed as to the current market prices of livestock ; although in a few isolated districts their ignorance causes them oftentimes to become the victim of a "sharp deal" put through by some local trader. In the marketing of garden truck special mention must be made of the Marietta Truck Growers' Association, a highly successful co- 12 operative organization among the growers of garden truck in the Valley of the Muskingum River near Marietta. Formerly, the farm- ers in this section were victimized by local buyers who made out that the markets were continually poor. Finally, one farmer went to Pittsburgh, and watching the sales, telegraphed the prices back to his neighbors each day. The outcome of the surprise created was the forming of the organization just named. The Association has a con- tract with a Pittsburgh commission house for the taking of all pro- duce on a margin of 12j^%. A representative of the Association has access at all times to the books of the commission house, and possesses the right to trace any consignment to the men who purchased it. All goods are inspected carefully before shipment and refused unless they come up to the standard of quality indicated by the stamp the individual farmer puts upon them. Such an organization as the one we have just described has a profound religious significance. Most of the prosperity existing amoung the country churches of Washington County is to be found in the three townships covered by the operations of this co-operative enterprise. It cannot be denied that the success of the rural church is very closely related to what a farmer gets for his crops. 7. The Farmers' Income. Are the farmers of Southeastern Ohio making enough money to support adequately their churches, schools and community improve- ments? In order to afford some basis for an answer to this question, a farming community in Morgan County was selected, and the yearly income of forty of its families studied. The study was made for the season of 1912, which was favorable for Morgan County crops. We believe that this community is typical of the entire section. The forty families were divided on the basis of the findings of the investi- gation into four groups of ten families each, poor, medium-poor, com- fortable and prosperous. The following table gives the average per family for each group : What a family earned What it ate off the farm... What it spent to eat and live What it gave the church.. What it saved (cash and improvements) The Poor Ten $145.60 70.71 118.14 0.53 27.46 The Medium Poor Ten. 141.40 150.70 1.67 105.65 The Com- fortable Ten. $256.35 $456.10 144.75 304.10 The Pros- perous Ten. $791.05 187.80 162.00 ! 261.20 . 2.66 , 9.57 529.85 13 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. MARIETTA TRUCK GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. Article I. The Association shall be known as The Marietta Truck Growers' Association. Article II. The object of this association shall be to promote the interests of the growers in all possible ways. Article III. The officers of this association shall be a President, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary and an assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and an Executive Committee of three members. The terms of all officers shall be one year and the yearly meeting for the election of the officers shall be on the first Wednesday in Febru- ary of each year. The Executive Committee shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by a two-thirds vote at a called or regular meeting. The duties of the officers shall be such as usually devolve upon the officers and executive Committee of such associations. They shall act as mediators between growers and shippers, and shall interpret the meaning of any terms inserted in the speci- fications or rules for packing any fruits or vegetables or other regulations which may be adopted. They shall pass upon and allow all bills or claims against the association before the same shall be paid, and may authorize the expenditure of any funds which may be in the treasury for such expenses as they may consider necessary. Amendments may be made at any meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present, due notice of said meeting having been given to all members. Article IV. The membership in this association shall be limited to growers who market their produce through Marietta. The annual membership fee shall be One ($1.00) Dollar, payable at the annual meeting. All members shall sign the copy of the constitution and by-laws in the hands of the Secretary; and agree to abide by the rules and regulations of the association, in regard to packages, packing, identification marks and other rulings. Failure to comply with such regulations will render members liable to suspension from the association, by a majority of votes of the officers and executive committee sitting as a body; and such dismissal forfeits all right to use the name or stamp of the association. Any members having been dismissed can be admitted again only by a two-thirds vote at any called or regular meeting of the association. * BY-LAWS Packages shall be of standard size. Tomato baskets should weigh on an average of twenty-five pounds. Tomatoes should be graded in two sizes, designated as Fancy and Choice. Fancy shall be about 2}4 in. and up in diameter, smooth, sound and good form. Choice shall be from V/i up to 254 in. in diameter, smooth, sound and good form. Fancy tomatoes shall be placed individually in close and regular order ; and shall be faced as smoothly as possible ; not to be thrown in and shaken down. All stems shall be removed and no tomatoes shall be packed until they begin to turn. Cucumbers : Fancy should be of good color, smooth and six inches or above in length. Choice should have good color, exceed in length three inches and no small round nubs shall be put in. Cabbage: Each head solid without regard to size. Shall not be broken or crushed. June Pinks, Chalks Early Jewell, and other inferior colored varieties shall be packed separately from other standard varieties. Specifications for other kinds of vegetables or other regulations of interest will be adopted from time to time. 14 8. Summary. From our review of the economic situation in the rural sections of Southeastern Ohio, it would appear that the chief evils which its citizens should -seek to correct are: Soil depletion through over- cultivation; soil monopoly, which gives to a majority of the farmers an insufficient acreage for the adequate support of their families, and which also increases the wastes of tenantry; poor transportation facilities which shut the door to better markets; and the absence of sufficient mutual trust to bring the farmers together in co-operative associations for buying and selling. To suggest the antidotes for these evils is easy ; to remove them is harder. But, the task will be lighter if the country churches of the section see it as a religious task, commanded of God, and hence sure of accomplishment, if men will obey. '"(C.V Ig^x _^..^i^^ ..^ fe awBfiffl H Ik^HI wf^TTT ^* — 'liiS^M'^'T^W^^^^ 1 [m|^i« 1 THE HOME OF A PROSPEROUS FARMER 15 CHAPTER IV. SOCIAL CONDITIONS. 1. The Depletion of the Rural Population. The number of people in the rural districts of Southeastern Ohio is decreasing. According to the figures of the United States Census, the total population in 1910 of the six counties considered was 186,655. Of this number, more than three-fourths (146,513 or 78.5%) are classified as rural, that is, as living in the open country or in villages of less than 2,500 people. Of this rural population, fully five-sixths (121,062 or 65.5% of the total population) live on farms or in hamlets of less than 200 people. In these same country districts there was in 1900 a population of 122,024, or 70.1% of the total popula- tion of the six counties. This comparison reveals a loss for the de- cade from 1900 to 1910 of 4.6%, or 962 persons, from these strictly rural sections. This loss becomes interesting when we compare it with the fact that for the same period the towns and cities of more than 5,000 people show a total gain of 3,912, or 11.6%. The drift is evidently toward the cities. The farms have not been able to stand the competition of the factories and the mines bidding for the wage- earning class. Soil impoverishment and land monopoly have made farming less profitable and hence less attractive to the ambitious. The decrease in the number of farmers will not be checked until these economic evils have been corrected. 2. Means of Communication. The hilly nature of Southeastern Ohio has been an obstacle in the way of good road construction. Consequently, the mileage of im- proved roads in the district surveyed is comparatively small. The Ohio State Highway Department calls any road improved that is made of brick, stone or gravel. According to this definition, thirty-one per cent, of the ninety townships in the six counties do not have a foot of improved road. By grouping the ninety townships into four groups according to the number of improved roads they have, an in- teresting relation between good roads, growing populations and pros- pering churches discloses itself. Where the roads are poorest the population is decreasing; where they are best the population is in- creasing. Where the number of miles of improved roads is greatest, 16 both the church membership per township and the enrollment per church is greatest. These facts are shown in the following table: Miles of Change in Improved Population Road 1900-1910 Members Church Membership ! •""shir"! ^•^'^'■^^ Twenty-two townships with I the poorest roads 11.4% dec, 305 SS.9 Twenty three townships j with poor roads ' 44 6.7% dec. i 346 ! 56 Twenty-two townships with ! good roads 174 0.02% dec. 375 63.1 Twenty three townships with the best roads 490 6% inc. 501 100.3 This table is in no wise intended to teach that good roads are the only cause of growing churches and a thriving community. The prosperity and density of population which permits them to be built indicates a community with an income adequate for supporting a church. The roads in time increase the prosperity of the community and for that reason churches thrive and the population is not so apt to decline. The section is fairly well supplied with railroads, although the train service is far from being on par with the advertised schedules. In the building of electric car lines, the section is especially backward, there being only thirty-five miles of trolley in all the six counties. The Ohio and Muskingum rivers would seem to afford rather ready avenues of communication, but transportation by steamers is so slow and so undependable that they do not possess the advantages that would at first appear. Even with the locks and dams along the Ohio the traffic is still very irregular. For constancy of traffic the Muskingum is more dependable than the Ohio. For years past the steamboats on the former have been able to run throughout the year, whereas on the latter conditions have been such that boats could not run except for something like a half-year or less. Although the rivers can doubtless be made far more serviceable for purposes of transporta- tion than they are at present, yet we believe that the opening up of markets to the farmers of the district depends largely upon better rail- road service, the extension of trolley lines, and the building of im- proved roads. For the sake of completeness in this review of the means of com- munication, mention should be made of the telephone service made use of by a growing number of the farming families. The proportion of farm homes in which telephones are found ranges from thirty per 17 cent, in Adams County to ei.a;lity per cent, in Athens County. Tele- phones are not an unmixed lilessins;. Being on party lines, they be- come news-distributing agencies for the neighborhood. While, on the one hand they afiford many conveniences and facilitate business, the)- have, on the other hand, practically done awa)- with the old- fashioned all-day visits, which were such a fine expression of the social unity of a neighborhood. A RO.\D TI1.\T IIELrS 3. Community Leadership. In seventy-four out of the ninety communities studied, there could not be found any man or institution standing out conspicuousU' as a directing force. The church rebukes most cases of individual wrong- doing, but because of its lack of a resident minister is seldom effective in leading and assisting in the impro^'ement of the community. In its lack of a resident minister the church loses its opportunity for 18 A ROAD THAT HINDERS leadership. The reason wh}' leadership on the part of individtials is so rare is that the ablest of the farmers are not aware that thev need to work together under the guidance of trusted leaders. There is an absence of a common jnirpose. Each farmer is for himself. 'Tf I were planning to go to market tomorrow with a load of apples," said one farmer, "and an\- one of mv neighi.)ors were to find it out, he would get u]i before (la_\dight, load his wagon and beat me to town, in order to sell his stuff ahead of me." Middlemen take advantage of this individualism. Within a radius of four miles there was found a \'ariation of sixtv cents per barrel in the price of apfiroximately the same kind of apples, marketed at the same p)lace at about the same time. "Xov,- don't tell anyone around here, but I think- I got a little more than my neighljors," said the man who got the lowest price. The self-reliant individualism of these farmers, inherited from their pioneer fathers is, under new conditions, the greatest weakness of the sons of the men it once strengthened. At present there are some leveling influences at work against the stubborn individitalism of these communities. The pressure of un- just combinations, wdiich control the markets and against which the individual farmer is helpless, is tending to force the farmers to work together. The Marietta Truck Growers' Association is an instance 19 of a successful organization of farmers for the promotion of their own interests. 4. Community Meetings, Informal and Formal. More intermingling at friendly gatherings would tend to destroy the prevailing mutual distrust and narrow individualism, but as yet no institution in all the district studied is providing suitable places for the informal meetings of the rural people. At present they get together at the railway stations, livery barns, pool rooms, lodge halls, saloons, blacksmith shops, post offices, streets and stores. Neither the school nor the church of any village in the six counties has as yet taken advantage of this opportunity of providing a suitable social place for the farmer's boys and girls, or a rest room for the farmer's wife. But not only in providing suitable places for casual and informal meetings, can the churches and schools serve more adequately the rural population of Southeastern Ohio, but also they will meet an urgent need if they provide a larger number of gatherings where all the neighborhood can meet to develop a community spirit. The fol- lowing assemblies were found in rare instances to be so well attended as to be properly called meetings of the community: County Fairs, public school entertainments. Farmers' Institutes, Fourth of July celebrations, camp meetings, Sunday School conventions, Chautauquas, Memorial and Labor Day celebrations, Sunday School, Lodge and Grange picnics, Harvest Home celebrations. Old Soldiers' Reunions, funerals, and Home Comings. Picnics are the most popular of all diversions that form an opportunity for informal visiting, and for the meeting of whole families with one another. Before the people will co-operate, they must come to know each other. These com- munity gatherings give the people a chance to become acquainted with one another, and thus ^ve impetus to the spirit of unity and co-oper- ation. We desire, in this connection, to commend the Farmers' Qubs, which are doing such a good work in promoting the spirit of unity in some of the more prosperous sections of Washington County. Meeting once a month at the homes of their members, they contribute much to the social life of their respective communities. We believe that they could perform a still larger service by including co-operative bu3ring and selling among their activities, but we would not have them in any way lessen their endeavors along social and educational lines. On the following page we print the constitution and by-laws 20 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS Of a FARMERS' CLUB IN WASHINGTON COUNTY Constitution. Article I. This organization, which is for the mutual improvement of its members, shall be called "The Farmers' Qub." Article II. The members of this club shall consist of farmers of township and adjacent townships, with their families, as active members, to- gether with any others as associate members (Associate members not having a vote) who shall be elected by a two-thirds vote at any regular meeting, each of whom shall subscribe his name to this Constitution. Article III. All persons signing the Constitution this 13 day of August, 1904, and paying their annual dues, shall constitute the original membership. All members who are in arrears for more than one year's dues shall not be qualified members. Article IV. Each member over 16 years of age shall pay into the treasury 25 cents annually, and such additional sum as the club may see fit to assess not to exceed 25 cents. Article V. This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting, notice having been given in writing, at the previous meeting. By-Laws. Section 1. This Club shall meet at the residence of one of its members on the second Saturday of each month and have a picnic dinner. Section 2. The exercises of the Qub shall begin at 1 :30 P. M. The hour of serving dinner shall be 12 o'clock noon. Section 3. The literary exercises shall consist of recitations, essays, read- ings, criticisms, queries and discussions, which shall be so conducted as to exclude contention. And it shall be the duty of each member to prepare the work assigned them or provide a substitute. Section 4. Each member shall be privileged to invite friends to any meeting, and when this privilege is exercised shall provide for their lunch. 21 of one of these organizations. In glancing through the 1912 \ear Book of this club, we note the following as some of the subjects dis- cussed at its meetings: "Doctoring an Old Orchard", "Parcels Post", "Qualities of Shorthorn Cattle", "Potato Culture", "The Country School", "Music in the Home", "The Advantages of the Cream Sep- arator", "Feeding Cattle Economically." The mutual helpfulness ex- pressed in such an organization cannot help but do good to its com- munity. There are at least four such clubs in the county. Each country church would do well to inquire into the desirability of having a club of similar character as one of its regular organizations. 5. Recreation and Morals. The problem of recreation is one of difficulty in villages, and of extreme difficulty in the country communities. Many district schools do not have an attendance large enough for organized play of any sort. Baseball is the most popular game, yet few regular baseball teams are maintained. For instance, in all Morgan County, only two teams are kept going with other than, a very tentative organization. In this same county there is no gymnasium or public play ground, and it may be said that there is no investment whatever in any play apparatus. As a result, the country boys seek their recreation in the towns. Conditions of this sort prevail throughout the six counties. In consequence of the neglect on the part of the churches and schools to provide wholesome recreation, it generally falls into the hands of irresponsible interests and becomes degenerate. The cheap and im- THE HOME OF ,'\ roOR IWRMER 22 moral show, furnished by commercial agencies, filches the nickels from the country boys and girls. The motion picture shows are too fre- quently immoral in their appeal, although it should be said that in a growing number of cases they are in the hands of men who allow only high grade films, and that the moral tone of the average moving picture show is generally good. In West Union, Adams County, the business men furnish free motion picture shows on Saturday after- noons and evenings for the country people. Washington and Athens are the only counties of the six that have licensed saloons. But in neither of these counties can the presence of the saloon be charged to the people of the farming communities, who, for the most part, returned decided majorities against them in the recent Local Option elections. This is a reason for viewing the temperance situation in the district in an encouraging light. The moral conditions in any community have as one index the relation between the sexes, especially those prevailing between young men and young women. The church has a special duty here. It should seek to throw around young people during the mating period those wholesome religious influences that make for self-control and moral character. At present the young people meet for their courting under more or less unregulated conditions, such as prevail at public dances and on long and late buggy rides. Country girls find great embarrassment and monotony in entertaining their men friends in a parlor. The buggy ride and the dance hall are usually the only alternatives. If these places of meeting and forming friendships are considered unwholesome, then let the church provide healthy oppor- tunities for the young men to meet and get acquainted with their future wives. The pastor should not dissolve the young people's society because it turns out to be "nothing but a courting institution", but instead should give to this most sacred of its functions wise religious direction. The ministers throughout the section preach against dancing, but it does very little good because it is not always accompanied by the provision of a more wholesome form of social enjoyment. 23 CHAPTER V. RURAL SCHOOLS. 1. Reason for the Study. The ultimate purpose of the country school and the country church in their work for the young is one and the same. They are both seeking to equip the boys and girls for efficient and useful living in a rural society. But in their common task, there is a differentiation in function. The country school seeks to supply the youth with the intellectual tools for successful social intercourse, whereas the country church aims to give the growing boys and girls that religious dynamic which will impel them to use these tools for the glory of God, and for the highest welfare of the rural community. These two functions are closely related to one another. Neither institution can afford to be indifferent to the welfare of the other. This fact is the justification for the inclusion of a study of the rural schools of Southeastern Ohio in this report. The country churches of the district have a right to know whether or not the country schools are adequately performing their part of the common task. This part of our pamphlet seeks to supply them with an answer to this inquiry. 2. Scope of the Study. Unless otherwise indicated, whatever is here said about educational conditions in Southeastern Ohio, is based upon an investigation made during the summer of 1912 of 548 rural schools, distributed as fol- lows: Adams County, 119; Athens, 88; Lawrence, 117; Vinton, 74; and Washington, ISO. The schools of Morgan County have not been included in this report because they were studied in co-operation with the Ohio State School Survey Commission and have been reported upon by that organization. 3. Material Equipment. In point of material equipment, the rural schools of the five counties are as a rule sadly behind the times. Inadequacy appears almost everywhere. Of the 548 school buildings investigated, 526 (96%) are of frame, 18 of brick, 2 of concrete, and 2 of logs. Those having one room only number 475 ; two rooms, 45 ; three rooms, 3 ; four rooms, IS; five rooms, 2; and six or more rooms, 8. Of course, no 24 one has any complaint against frame and one-room school buildings in those places where the conditions would seem to demand their con- struction ; but what every patron of the schools has a right to demand is that the school building, of whatever material or of whatever size, shall be so constructed and so equipped as to minister most largely to the physical health and the intellectual growth of the scholars. But this is not the case with most of the rural school buildings throughout Southeastern Ohio. For instance, all the one-room school buildings have windows on both sides, a most unhealthy arrangement, since the location of win- dows on two opposite sides of the school room causes "cross lights" to work their damage upon the eyes of the scholars and teacher. The school room should be lighted from the left side or rear, or both, but never from the two opposite sides. Again, the one-room buildings are each heated by a single un- jacketed stove, a heating apparatus that succeeds in roasting those who have to sit near it and in freezing those who are obliged to sit far away from it. Again, let us take as an example of inadequate equipment the seating facilities offered by the rural schools. To be sure, they are ample enough, except in a few places; but their quality is poor. The old- fashioned double desks are found in 78% of the school rooms, the remaining 22% being furnished with the more modern single desks. But in only 15% of the school rooms were any adjustable desks found. In only 59 of the schools was there a cloak room separate from the class room. The equipment for instruction has been sorely neglected. Wall maps were found in only 38% of the schools, and a smaller number, only 32%, had charts of any kind. Libraries of varying sizes were found in seventy-nine schools. Twenty-one of the schools had either an organ or a piano, but it is an interesting note upon the barrenness of the rural schools to observe that only five of these twenty-one schools were situated in the open country. Little provision is made for the development of the children's sense of beauty. In less than half of the school rooms are there decora- tions of any sort. Most of these are unframed pictures, some of which are advertisements. But if the interior of the average country school in Southeastern Ohio is unattractive, its exterior is even farther from the ideal. An ugly school building surrounded by ill-kempt grounds is not only an eye-sore but also a direct means of lowering the moral tone of the 25 AN UNTIDY SCHOOL YARD community. The school property ought to be constantly and silently teaching high ideals of beauty, neatness, and carefulness to the entire neighborhood. But in most places in Southeastern Ohio the severely plain, or even shabby school room, is matched with grounds that receive little attention. Of all the school properties investigated, only 8% had good walks, and most of the schools in the open countr}' had no walks at all. Flower beds were found in only 2Jo of the school- yards, although trees lent their grace and their shade to the grounds of 64% of the schools. In most instances, the grounds are trodden out of all beauty by the children at their play. We would not stop the playing, but would urge the setting aside of a distinct place on the school property where the games could be played. The ground in close proximity to the school building could then be made beautiful without fear of molestation. The provision of such a playground in connection with most of the rural schools would perhaps necessitate the allotment of a larger amount of land to each school. Three-fifths of an acre is the average amount assigned at present throughout the section surveyed. Wells supply the water for the children in 86% of the schools ; 15% use the water from cisterns, filtering it in most cases; 7% get water from nearby springs ; and 2% carry it from creeks. The toilets arc for the most j.iart placed at a respectable distance from the school building, although onl\' a third of them can in any wise be called sanitary. Man_\ are not even decently closed. 26 4. Enrollment and Attendance. Every year an enumeration is made in each township of all persons of school age, that is, of all who are between the ages of 6 and 21 years. Those between the ages of 16 and 21 are not required to attend school, and of course many avail themselves of this liberty allowed by the law. On the other hand, some of the pupils enrolled in the schools are under 6 years. Not being able to make the proper allowance for these two groups, we cannot tell exactly what propor- tion of the children who should be in school are actually enrolled. The relation, however, between the enrollment and the average attend- ance affords a very satisfactory index of the efficiency of the schools. For the five counties covered by this section of our report, this rela- tion is given in the following table : County Adams Athens Lawrence Vinton Washington All Five Counties. Average Enrollment 29 25 28 24 24 26 Average Attendance 19 13 18 15 17 16 : % of Average At- tendance to Aver- age Enrollment 66 52 64 63 71 61.5 The rather low percentage of attendance to enrollment (61.5%) shows that many pupils are lax in attendance. According to the testimonies of teachers interviewed, a considerable number of boys and girls of school age do not attend at all. Some families send their children for a few days at the beginning of the term, and then let them drop out. Our investigators found one school which enrolled only three pupils during the winter of 1911-12. That there were other children of school age in this district is revealed by the fact that the children of at least three families living within its bounds did not attend at all. In another school the attendance for several days was one. The pupils did not come because of a "fall-out" with the teacher. A more extreme condition was found in a certain place in Athens County where the teacher "kept school" for twenty-seven consecutive days without a single pupil in attendance. In one town- ship in Adams County the attendance was less than 53% of the total number of children between the ages of 6 and 16 years. From our review of the situation, then, it would appear that the rural schools, as judged by the relation between their enrollment and attendance, are not as efficient as their loyal patrons would like to see them. 27 5. School Session. If there is a laxity in attendance upon school, one reason may be that the curriculum is not adapted to the lives of the pupils, or if adapted, then inadequately taught. Is this one of the causes operative in Southeastern Ohio? For our answer, let us take a glimpse at the rural schools in session. We find, in the first place, that the traditional country school cur- riculum still holds sway, with the addition of the study of agriculture, required by state law. This latter subject is taught almost entirely from books, there being very little field or experimental work done. Out of 463 schools reporting, 6 included Domestic Science in the cur- riculum, 4 Manual Training, 57 Music, and 76 Drawing. The small proportion of schools giving some attention to these subjects is a very evident fact. One cannot escape the conclusion that the course of study in most of the rural schools is designed only to prepare the pupils for high-school and college, and not necessarily for life in the community. In the second place, we find that although the session is of proper length, being eight months in most cases, the average number of reci- tations per day is far too many for efficient teaching. The following table gives the number of recitations per day in 387 schools reporting: No. Recitations No. Schools 1 to 9 1 5 10 to 14 1 14 IS to 19 ! 38 20 to 24 63 25 to 29 140 30 or more j 127 The table shows that the larger proportion of the schools have from 25 to 30 recitations per day. This means that only about twelve min- utes can be devoted to each recitation. This overcrowded condition results from the large number of grades that in the one-room schools are placed under the control of one teacher. The only remedy for this condition lies in some plan of township centralization whereby the children in one, two, or three grades can be placed economically under the instruction of one teacher. We find, in the third place, that in the work of most of the rural schools there is very little recognition of the immense educational value of play. Less than 3% of the schools have any play apparatus or recreation facilities. The teachers usually play with the pupils at recess, and thus some direction is given to this part of their activities. 28 NEED FOR CONSOLIDATION Five Cou-nties in /-\i 1? i i t ^ . . «s ., <. riL- Oh'o Kuril L>Jt ouTvey 6. The Teaching Force. Of the 612 teachers employed in the schools studied by our investi- gators, 269 were men, and 343 women. The training of 393 was ascertained. Of these : 120 Teachers have had only common school training. 46 Teachers have had some summer school work in addition to com- mon school. 67 Teachers have had nothing in advance of high school. 4 Teachers have had a correspondence course in addition to high school. 95 Teachers have had normal training in addition to high school. 44 Teachers have had summer school training in addition either to high school or to high school and normal training. 17 Teachers have attended college. It is gratifying to note that 58% of the 612 teachers have received at least a high school training. A state law requires that a minimum of $40 a month be paid to school teachers. Out of 400 teachers reporting, as many as 332 (83%) received for the year 1911-12 nothing more than this minimum wage. In one county where 55 reported, only 4 teachers received more than the $40; in another where 108 reported, only 7 received more. But none of these 11 fortunate ones taught in the open country. 29 The salaries paid to the 400 teachers are as follows : $40—44 paid to 332 teachers. 45 — 49 paid to 11 teachers. 50 — 54 paid to 24 teachers. 55 — 59 paid to 8 teachers. 60 — 64 paid to 4 teachers. 65 — 69 paid to 3 teachers. 70 — 74 paid to 2 teachers. 75 — 79 paid to 2 teachers. 80 — 84 paid to 1 teacher. 85 — 89 paid to 4 teachers. 90 — 94 paid to 4 teachers. 95 — ^99 paid to 1 teacher. 100 — or more paid to 4 teachers. 7. What one Teacher Has Done. We can make no better comment on what we mean by an efficient country school teacher than by telling the following true story about one of them: When he went to teach in one of the schools of Adams County eight years ago, the weather-boarding had been kicked off up as high as he could reach. Twenty-two window panes were broken. Every- thing was dirty. Tramps had used the building as a place for roasting corn and sleeping. He refused to teach until the building was put into shape. The Board furnished materials, and donating three days of his time, he made the proper repairs. He then taught this school for three years and had no trouble in keeping the property from being defaced or damaged. In his present school the walls are decorated with pictures of high artistic value, and there are maps and charts, some of which he furnished himself. The National flag waves from the flagstaff or hangs on the wall during the whole school term. The library contains one hundred and thirty volumes, all procured through the influence of the teacher. He is teaching his pupils the mixing of fertilizers and their value. He has them hunt up the old fertilizer sacks and find the proportion of phosphates and other elements in the composition. The class in agriculture was especially interested in the germination of seeds. All the pupils have taken a great interest in the breeding of different kinds of dairy cattle, their parents being engaged to a considerable extent in dairying. 30 On last Arbor Day an agricultural display was held in the school with the following exhibits: 50 agricultural bulletins; 8 agricultural papers taken in the district; pictures of fruits and grains taken from garden seed catalogues; 50 drawings by the children of farm animals, seeds and fruits; more than 50 kinds of farm and garden seeds in bottles ; a Babcock milk tester ; a seed tester with germinating seeds ; a collection of different kinds of soil, with litmus paper tests; a collection of seed-corn ears brought in by the children; a drinking fountain for small chickens, made by one of the boys; 36 flags and some good pictures hung on the walls. The teacher was planning an exhibition of various woods and a demonstration of their use for the pupils and parents, and expected to send to different parts of the United States for samples. As to his preparation, he has had a course of 4 terms (10 weeks each) at a normal college and has had 12 years of teaching experience. He is besides a practical farmer. Although he has never studied agri- culture, he has attended Farmers' Institutes and reads the best agri- cultural papers and bulletins that he can get. Besides newspapers and popular magazines, he takes five farm papers and four periodicals. He tries to keep up with the most modern methods of education. More young people have taken up teaching from the schools he has taught than from any others. AN IMPROVED SCHOOL BUILDING WITH W"ELL KEPT GROUNDS 31 8. The School as a Community Center. The school building, as the property of the entire community, can very properly be made the center of social joys and intellectual delights for all the families within its district. But in Southeastern Ohio this possibility has but very rarely been turned into actual fact. Of the 548 school buildings, studied as a basis for this report, 438 or 80% of them are used for nothing except the ordinary school purposes. And of the remaining 20%, only a very few can be called community- centers. The following list gives aiv idea of the other purposes for which this 20% of the school houses are used: 27 are used for Sunday School. 27 are used for preaching services. 7 are used for elections. 6 are used for Literary, Debating Societies and Reading Circles. 5 are used for temperance rallies. 5 are used for political meetings. 5 are used for School Board meetings. 4 are used for traveling shows. 2 are used for Fruit Growers' Association. 2 are used for Grange. 2 are used for meetings of Telephone Company. 2 are used for revivals. 2 are used for socials. 2 are used for Teachers' meetings. 1 is used for band practice. 1 is used for Farmers' Club. 1 is used for Lodge meetings. Occasional opportunities for social enjoyment are offered by the musical and literary entertainments which are given about once or twice a year by 55% of the schools. The attendance at these enter- tainments is usually good, showing that the people are appreciative of such efforts. 9. Summary, Need for Supervision. All of the shortcomings of the rural schools in Southeastern Ohio — inadequate material equipment, laxity in attendance, a curriculum unadapted to country life, insufficient time for satisfactory instruction, lack of provision for recreation, incomplete preparation of teachers — all of these call loudly for a closer supervision over the schools. Town- ship supervision has been found to be beneficial to the schools in 32 almost every place where it has been tried. One township in Adams County, having both a superintendent and a truant officer, shows for the year 1911-12 an average daily attendance of 72°/o of the children between the ages of 6 and 16 years. But only 8 out of the 76 townships in the 5 counties, according to the Ohio School Report for 1912, have township superintendents. As we write this report, word reaches us that the Ohio School Survey Commission has recommended the establishment in each county of the State of a board of education which will district the county for supervision purposes, and also elect a county superintendent who will nominate district superintendents for the various supervision dis- tricts, subject to confirmation by the local boards of education in these same districts. We also learn that a bill incorporating these recom- mendations of the Commission has been introduced into the State legislature. Without in the least attempting to pass judgment upon the details of this measure, we may be allowed to remark that in our opinion it represents a movement that is headed in the right direction. 33 CHAPTER VI. RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS AND ACTIVITIES. 1. Number and Distribution of Church Organizations. Churches were in almost every case the first community buildings to be erected in Southeastern Ohio. With very few exceptions they are spoken of respectfully, almost reverently, even in those com- munities which have ceased to support them. This report undertakes to set forth some of the important facts concerning the churches of the six counties which are located in the open country or in villages of less than 2,500 people. In the district surveyed, 520 churches were found. Of these, 143 (28%) are in villages and Zll (72%) are in the open country. They are distributed among the counties as follows: Number of Churches. Country Total 50 81 65 97 61 86 70 76 51 73 80 ; 107 m i 520 2. Church Membership and Population. The total membership of these churches is 33,230, or 22.4% of the population of the townships surveyed. The following table com- pares the population and the membership of each county : (-„.,_*„ 1 Population of Town- C°""'y I ships Surveyed County Village Adams Athens Lawrence Morgan Vinton Washington 31 32 25 6 22 27 Total 143 I Adams 24,755 Athens ....i 33,726 Lawrence . . 26,341 Morgan . . . Vinton Washington. Total .... Church Members % of Population 6,000 24.2% 4,431 13.1% 6,182 26.5% 4,937 36.7% 3,489 26.6% 6,791 24.3% 13,457 13,096 27,926 139,301 31,830 22.8% It will be seen that Athens County falls more than 11% below any of its neighbors in its proportion of church members. Morgan County on the other hand, is 10% above any of the rest. The difference in Athens County must be interpreted by the fact that a large number of coal miners live in its country villages. These people are chiefly 34 foreigners, and the church has thus far failed to present its appeal in a way to win them. In Morgan County, the good showing as to church membership seems to be based upon a greater evenness in the distribution of property. There are very few large farms, and in proportion to fer- tility, fewer small farms than in any of the other counties. In conse- quence democratic traditions have survived, and people feel them- selves on terms of social equality with one another, and hence meet together more freely in the church services. 3. Status of the Churches. Considering the churches of the six counties together, 27.8% show an increase in membership in the past ten years, 14.9% are standing still and 57.3% are losing ground. The following table compares the counties in this respect and shows how the country churches have lost especially : County Adams . . Athens Lawrence Morgan .. Vinton Washington Total .... Village j 42.8 30.0 30.0 58.3 18.2 37.5 34.2 Growing % Standing Still % Losing Ground Country ' Comb'd V^illage Country Comb'd Village Country Comb'd 21.0 ; 28.8 28.6 15.8 20.3 28.6 63.2 50.9 24.5 26.7 26.7 13.3 18.7 43.3 62.2 54.6 38.9 : 35.4 ' 16.7 12.5 70.0 44.4 52.1 26.1 , 32.5 8.3 i 8.7 9.1 33.3 65.2 58.4 20.0 ! 19.7 41.8 i 10.0 18.0 50.0 70.0 62.3 15.4 i 20.6 25.0 23.1 23.5 14.9 37.5 42.4 61.5 63.5 55.9 25.2 i 27.8 23.2 11.3 57.3 Rural Lnurch Decline in OoolKeastem Oh 10 Of (f 3 wilU^e Churches Sifc Counties Of 311 Countrij Churches are not Gi 35 rrowing Ohio nural Life Swrve*! The alarming fact that three- fourths (74.8%) of the country churches in the six counties surveyed are either standing still or losing ground, is one of sufficient magnitude to cause every Christian in Southeastern Ohio to stop and think. What are the causes of this arrest and decline? 4. Causes of Rural Church Decline. (a) A decreasing rural population. Is it due to the decrease in the rural population of this section of the state? Such an explanation sounds plausible, and is partly true. But it does not adequately ac- count for the decline of such a large proportion of the churches, be- cause, as a matter of fact, this decline has been more rapid than the decrease in the rural population. The six counties have lost during the last ten years 2.5% of their population, but of their church mem- bers they have lost 12%. These losses have been very unevenly dis- tributed, as the following table will show : County- Increase or Decrease in Population 6.0% Decrease 20.1% Increase 4.8% Decrease 11.3% Decrease 14.6% Decrease 6.9% Decrease 2.5% Decrease Increase or Decrease in Church Membership in Past 10 Years Adams Athens Lawrence Morgan Vinton Washington .... Total 10.8% Decrease 17.8% Decrease 6.1% Decrease 7.0% Decrease 26.8% Decrease 4.8% Decrease 12.0% Decrease The large increase in population in Athens County has been due to foreign immigrants who have come to work in the mines. The de- crease in church membership is largely caused by the removal of old American families. The churches of the county seem to be failing to adapt themselves to the needs of the new situation. Leaving Athens County out of our reckoning, owing to its peculiar conditions, we find that the other five counties combined show a decrease in population of 7.6%, but in church membership a decrease of 9.5%. In one town- ship in Adams County the population has decreased 22.2%, while the church membership has decreased 47.1% in ten years. We must admit that the decrease in rural population, though it has been a very potent factor in the decline of the country churches, does not completely explain it. Some other factors must be included in our explanation. (6) An absentee ministry. Is it due to the absence of efficient leadership ? Very largely so. That the success of any church depends to a considerable degree upon the ability of its pastor is a truism. 36 Changes m Popuktion'V Church fflembership AoLams Co. laoo - 1310 lo.%7. /^O 17. n.n m Athens Co cir. kawTente Co TTloT^an Co II Z7. 'mmmm w^M<,^^ lot ViTiton Co I'i.kt 'mmmmmmmm. Zkif. I Lnii«< th 5ix Countiss in SoutKeisteTTi Ohro Ohio T?UTll Lift Survey But even an able minister, if he does not live within his parish, can- not give to his church adequate direction. Churches do not thrive on absent treatment. Therefore, when we say, on the basis of our investi- gation, that 61% of the churches in the villages and open country of the six counties surveyed have non-resident ministers, we have a sure clue to their decline. At the time the survey was made, 21% of the churches were without a pastor, leaving only 18% that were being served by resident ministers. And yet, of this 18% having a resident 37 ministry, 47% were growing, while of the 61% having a non-resident ministry only 25% were growing. Of the 21% without ministers, 20% were growing. These results show that inadequate leadership, due to non-resident pastorates, is the cause of much of the decline in the rural churches. (c)- Over-churching. The ideal is that each church shall have a resident minister. But before this ideal can be accomplished in South- eastern Ohio, many of the smaller churches must be willing to fed- erate, that is, join with one another for worship and for work in bettering their own community. They will do this perhaps more readily, if they realize that in most cases a small church in communi- ties as old as those of Southeastern Ohio is a dying church. We can prove this fact. The average size of a church in the communities studied is 61.2 members, ranging from 45.2 in Athens County to 74.1 in Adams County. The following table shows that more than half (56.8%) of the churches of the six counties are small, that is, have a membership of 50 or less. Per Cent of Churches having from 1 to 25 members, 23.7% Per Cent of Churches having from 26 to 50 members, 33.1% Per Cent of Churches having from 51 to 100 members, 28.8% Per Cent of Churches having from 101 to 150 members, 8.3% Per Cent of Churches having from 151 to 200 members, 1.9% Per Cent of Churches having from 200 to — members, 4.2% The bearing of these figures upon church growth and decline is shown in the following table : Where the membership is 1 — 25 4.7% of the churches are growing. 26 — 50 21.3% of the churches are growing. 51 — 100 33.9% of the churches are growing. 101 — 150 53.1% of the churches are growing. 151 and over, 70.8% of the churches are growing. Over one-half of the churches have a membership of 50 or less, and three-fourths of these are losing ground. Surely this is a crying call for the adoption of some workable plan of federation. The fact that there are too many churches in the territory surveyed must be taken account of in reckoning the causes that have led to their decline. But, after all, over-churching is but a symptom. Its root lies in ecclesiastical selfishness and an unsocial view of religion. We will have occasion to describe these attitudes when we come to treat of sectarianism in Southeastern Ohio. Suffice it at this point to say that unless they are replaced by a willingness on the part of the churches 38 Re5idency or Ministers 520 Churches isr. Gir. 1\7. *»»v* h*yc. Have Resident ttlinJsTer lion- Resident JXo Tllia i ster G.TOirrii>J ^ 7l«t G^f Miinf 3f over-churching — all of the factors that enter into the problem of church decline in the rural districts of Southeastern Ohio? Doubtless there are many more. But we desire to make mention of only one other, and that a very important one. We refer to the poverty that prevails among such a large proportion of the rural population through- out the district. As asserted in the section of this report dealing with economic conditions (page 11), fully one- fourth of the farmers in the six counties are too poor to contribute anything to the church. The church in a prosperous community makes its appeal to people who have time and means for other things than a mere struggle for bread; and can, therefore, hire a more efficient pastor and furnish those advantages that will secure and hold the support of a large membership. But in a poverty-stricken community, the church bell sounds in the ears of men and women who are too tired to listen to it, and hence the church fails to win the people around its very doors. Many of the country churches of Southeastern Ohio are in communi- ties of this latter type. And, as a rule, they are dying. For instance, Vinton County's extreme poverty is paralleled by a loss of more than one-fourth of its church members during the last decade. The income of the families to which the country church must appeal for support is surely one of the keys to a solution of its problem. {e) Class distinctions. But not only does the failure of the entire 40 community to attend and support the church go back usually to pov- erty, but also in many cases to the invidious distinctions and the unwholesome prejudices which poverty brings in its train. Poor people do not like the feeling of subordination which comes from their inability to dress as well and mingle on terms of equality with the others who are connected with the church. As a result, the poor members of the community either join the throng of the churchless or form a weak and inefficient organization of their own. The situ- ation in Adams County is an apt illustration of this tendency, and shows its evil results. In that county, the laborers, small tenants, and owners of poor hill farms are treated as a distinctly inferior class. These poorer people, constituting as they do a large section of the total population, are struggling to develop a church life of their own. Lacking as yet the power to discriminate, and without the means to maintain trained leaders, religious stimulation runs frequently to excess in its temporary manifestations, but largely fails to build up congregations with a stable membership. A loss for the last decade of 10.8% in the number of its church members is not surprising. That those belonging to a certain social class will gravitate to one church and exclude those of other classes from its membership is inevitable. The only way to remedy the situation is to get rid of class distinctions by lifting all the people of the community to a plane of social equality. (/) Failure to see the economic value of religion. There seems to be one best way for the country church to survive. This lies through devising means for bringing prosperity to every family of the com- munity. The country minister who succeeds, as did John Frederick Oberlin, in making all the people prosperous, will be rewarded by reaching all the people for his church. The need is imperative. At the present rate of loss in membership, it will be but a few years until two-thirds of the country churches in Southeastern Ohio will be abandoned. This will not result in attendance elsewhere, but rather in the dying out of organized religion. Such communities exist already. The poverty that destroys the church lowers also the moral standards of the people. One community in Adams County and two or three in Lawrence County have reached levels which render their conduct unfit for publication. It is far easier for the church to in- spire its members to take an active hand in the restoration of pros- perity and the upbuilding of community life, before such stages are reached, than to recover these communities after integrity of char- acter among their people has been lost. 41 Before we close our discussion of this topic, we desire to caution the reader against a possible misunderstanding. In emphasizing the necessity of the church to pay attention to the material prosperity of its people, we do not desire to be interpreted as claiming that the success of the church is a material matter and rests upon "mere" economics. Nay, we believe that the success of the church is a spirit- ual matter and rests upon the consecrated endeavors of men and women who have been touched by the Holy Spirit. But God, who has given us our minds with which to think, is surely telling us in unmistakable terms that the economic prosperity of any people is one of the very real conditions upon which depends their spiritual wel- fare. Surely, he who is led by the Spirit of God will not ignore this revelation which He has vouchsafed to us, but will accept it and use it as a regulative principle in his work for the church. Too many people think of the Holy Spirit as being confined in His activities to revival meetings. If this were true, we could assert that He has signally failed in building up the rural churches of South- eastern Ohio. Of the rural churches in the six counties surveyed, 72% held revival meetings during the twelve months previous to the time of the survey, and most of these churches have been holding such meetings every year for many years past, and yet, the same propor- tion of them (72%) are either standing still or losing ground. The revival method has not succeeded in permanently building up the churches. We rejoice in all the good that these protracted meetings have accomplished. But let us have a broad and truly Christian view of the work of the Holy Spirit. Let us rejoice in the truth that the churches, in seeking to build up their communities and to bring an adequate income to every family, are therein following the leading of the Spirit of God. 5. Sectarianism. There are at least 40 denominations represented in the six counties, listed as follows : Denominations. No. of Churches. Apostolic Holiness 7 Baptist : Missionary Baptist 47 Free Will 14 Union 5 Colored 4 Regular 3 42 Primitive Baptist 1 Separate Baptist 1 Brethren 2 Brothers Society of America 1 Catholic ( Roman) 10 Christian 19 Christian Order 1 Christian Union 15 Church of Christ in Christian Union 2 Church of God (Saints) 4 Come Outers 1 Congregational 11 Disciples, Non-Progressive 7 Disciples, Progressive 40 Emanuel Mission 1 Episcopal 1 Evangelical Association 3 Evangelical Protestant 3 Friends 3 Latter Day Saints 4 Lutheran 7 Mennonite 2 Methodist : Methodist Episcopal 175 Methodist Protestant 33 Free Methodist 6 Wesleyan Methodist 2 German M. E 1 African M. E 1 Nazarenes 1 Presbyterian : Presbyterian U. S. A 36 United Presbyterian 5 United Brethren: United Brethren, Liberal 51 United Brethren, Radical 6 Universalist 4 43 ««i*^s .tmx:-^^^^ A DYING CHURrH. THE RESULT OF SECTARIANISM Southeastern Ohio has suffered greatly from sectarianism. Where ecclesiastical selfishness exists and each denomination looks after it- self, without any reference to what the other denominations are doing, there is bound to be over-churching in some communities and under- churching in others. In Adams County, one township with 36 square miles and 976 people, has seven churches, while an adjoining town- ship with 40 square miles and 1,332 people has but one church organi- zation of 35 members, and one other preaching place. One township in Lawrence County with 1,639 people has ten church buildings, one of which is abandoned. Another township, with 33 square miles and with a population of 950, has but one church building, and another organization meeting in a school house. Considering the si.x counties together, there is one church to every 268 people. Vinton and Mor- gan Counties have each one church for every 180 people. In 257o of the communities there is still some church strife. Adams County has been the scene of considerable dissension. A United Brethren congregation was divided twenty years ago over the question of secret societies. One of the resulting churches is now abandoned ; the other has less than twelve members. A Methodist Protestant church split off from a Methodist Episcopal church through a dis- pute over the erection of the church building. In a village of a dozen houses an .Vpostolic Holiness church was formed by dissatisfied mem- bers of the Christian Church, and a new church house was built. In 1910 a Pentacostal Nazarene preacher held meetings in the Holiness Church and organized a band of his own sect. A quarrel ensued, and 44 the Pentacostal Nazarenes tore off the locks put on by the other faction, put on locks of their own and nailed down the windows. They gained possession of the deed, but returned it later. Both con- gregations are now disorganized. In the words of one of the mem- bers, "The Devil got into the church and tore it up." Organized religion throughout the region has suffered considerably through the inroads of Holiness sects. These sects stand for emotion and excitement with little ethical content. Holiness preachers gen- erally come into a community well supplied with churches. The excitement of their meetings draws people from other churches, which then decline and possibly die from lack of support. The new church thrives for a while, but the people soon tire of the excitement, and lacking organization it falls to pieces, leaving the community in a worse state than before. Holiness sects thrive especially among the poorer and more ignorant classes. They attract the greatest following in places where the other churches are doing little to serve the com- munity. Indeed, the root of all the evils of sectarianism is a failure to see that religion has sigiiificance, not only for the individual, but also for the community as a whole. This sounds like a truism, and it is. But if the Christian people of Southeastern Ohio really believed it, five years would not pass before there would be a federation of churches in every over-churched rural community throughout the district. A common service for the welfare of their respective com- munities would soon bind them together in Christian love. Are there any evidences of a dawning spirit of active co-operation among the rural churches of this section of the state? Occasional union meetings are about the only sign that can be found at present. Such meetings have been held in 20% of the communities for the following purposes : Children's Day, Memorial Day, Sunday School Convention, Com- mencement, revivals and temperance meetings. The only instance found of regular union meetings was in a village of Adams County where the three churches met together on Sunday evenings during one of the summer months. Twelve union revival meetings were found to have been held during the winter previous to the time of making the survey. Six of these were held in villages of Adams County. In one of the villages the union character of the revival was such a novelty as to cause considerable comment. The people thought that such meetings could never be held. As a matter of fact, it proved to be the best revival in years. 45 6. Material Equipment of the Churches. The total value of the church buildings in the districts surveyed is $650,000. Nearly one-half of the edifices are valued at less than $1,000 each. The usual type of building is that of a one-room struc- ture. Out of 459 churches reporting: 378 have one room each 50 " two rooms " 18 " three " " 9 " four " " 3 " five " " 1 has seven " A one-room church building can hardly be regarded as adequate to serve as a community center. Federation of denominations in over- churched communities would result in church edifices more worthy of their high purpose and better designed for community service. A church in the open country in Morgan County has been built at a cost of $5,400, and has five rooms, three of which are used for library, kitchen and dining room. In the matter of heating, 90% of the churches have stoves, the remaining 10% being favored with furnaces. As to artificial lighting, 71% use oil, 15% gas, 9% gasoline, 4% elec- tricity, and 1% acetylene. It is a commendable fact that 84% of the buildings were found to be in good repair. But it is less commendable that only 68% of the grounds surrounding the churches were found in good condition. The country church should by all means provide a shelter for the farmer's team. But in all six counties, only 3% of the country churches had horse-sheds upon their grounds. 7. Classification of the Church Membership. In this report, we will make but two classifications of the church members : first, as to sex ; and second, as to their economic status. Southeastern Ohio shows a low percentage in the number of males within its churches. In the six counties surveyed, 38.7% of the church members are males, while 61.3% are females. In population, the six counties contain more males (50.7%) than females. Evidently, some- thing needs to be done to interest more men and boys in the work of the church. The church is not winning the tenant farmer to the same extent that it is winning the owner. Of the farm operators in the six coun- ties 20.7% are tenants and 78.5% are owners, while of the farmers on the church rolls only 15.4% are tenants and 84.6% are owners. While this discrepancy is not as large in Southeastern Ohio as in wealthier sections of the state, nevertheless it is another indication of the fact 46 MEN NEEDED! Popula-tion TTlale 50.7?: Femde^aa?: Cliurch rTlemters/i ip male j(?.7?: Female G (.3X Six Countiei in 5«uthei»teri Ohio Ohio T^ur«l l-iie SoTve^ 1 that where the church is not making a special effort to minister to all within its reach, it becomes the church of a class, and generally of that class which is better able to support it, in this case, the owning class. 8. Sunday Schools. The rural Sunday School plays a more important part in the life of the church than does the Sunday School of the city. This is espe- cially true where circuits are large and preaching services come only once or twice a month. The Sunday School services held every week give continuity to church life. The rural Sunday School is an institu- tion for old and young alike and generally includes all active church members. (a) Number and Distribution. A total of 536 churches in South- eastern Ohio were examined with reference to the Sunday School, the 16 rural churches in the four townships of Washington County, not included in the rest of the survey, being added to the 520 mentioned on page 34 of this pamphlet. Out of the 536 churches, 65 were found that had no Sunday School, leaving the total of churches with 47 Sunday Schools at 471. Adding to this, the 11 schools that were found existing independently of any church organization, we have a total of 482 Sunday Schools as the basis for this report. Of these schools, 142 are in villages of less than 2,500 people, and 340 are in the open country. Most of them (81.1%) are held the year around. The remaining 18.9% are held for less than 9 months of the year. Nine-tenths of the short term Sunday Schools are in the open country. (b) Enrollment and Attendance. The total enrollment of 113 vil- lage Sunday Schools is 10,648 or 94.2 members per Sunday School. In 284 country Sunday Schools there are enrolled 13,986 or an aver- age of 49.2 per school. On this basis the total enrollment of all the Sunday Schools is 30,000 or 19.3% of the population. In the statistics of 61 village and 127 country Sunday Schools, enrolling a total of 11,033, the pupils were classified by ages as follows : 4-S yrs. 6-8 yrs. 9-12 yrs. 13-16 yrs. 17-19 yrs. 14.3% 16.0% 20 yrs. & over Per Cent of Pupils — Village Country 12.9% 13.5% 14.3% 14.6% 18.2% 17.9% IS.5% 17.2% 24.8% 20.8% The pupils from 6 to 19 years inclusive represent 64% of the total enrollment of these 188 schools. On the basis of 30,000, as an esti- mated total enrollment for the 482 schools covered by the survey, the total number of Sunday School pupils between the ages of 6 and 19 years in these schools is 19,200, which is only 40.8% of 46,966, the total number of persons from 6 to 20 years inclusive in the six coun- DO^S and Girls Not in Sunday- School Sfx out of ever^ ten are on tKe outside H-i>,(jbb fVdm fctoiOi«. m IVic populition 19,5,00 («^o.6.%) from fc*o iq inc in the Sunday-Schools SiK. counties m Southeastern OKio Uhio nucal Life S urw/evj . 48 ties. Out of every ten boys and girls from 6 to 20 years of age, six are not enrolled in any Sunday School. The total average attendance of 110 village Sunday Schools report- ing is 6,594 or h9.9'Jo for each school; and of 286 country Sunday Schools reporting, 9,314 or 32.6% for each school. On this basis the number of pupils present in all Sunday Schools on an average Sunday throughout the rural sections of the six counties would be about 19,500. In villages the attendance is 63.6^0 of the enrollment; in the open country 66.3^0. This better attendance in the country, in spite of the greater distance to travel in getting to church, is an evidence of the higher place of the country Sunday School in church and community life. (c) The Curriculum. The course of study is generally the Uni- form International Lessons. In a very few cases the Bible alone with- out helps is studied because of objection to Sunday School literature. The Graded Lessons have been partially introduced in a few favored places, but no instance was found of a Sunday School using graded les,sons in all classes. Small schools, classes with wide range of ages and few trained teachers seem to be the principal difficulties in the way of a more extended use of the graded lessons. A very few schools, 14 in number, are seeking to do away with the last-named obstacle by having teacher training classes. (d) Equipment. Practically none of the church buildings exam- ined by our investigators are in any way adapted for Sunday School purposes. It should be evident to everyone that the ordinary one- room church building is not fitted for class instruction in the Sunday School. A few schools, about 20 in number, are trying to remedy the .situation by providing a few additional rooms, or by using curtains and screens to divide off portions of the auditorium. {e) Teachers. In the villages 36% of the teachers are men and 64% are women. In the country 39% . of the teachers are men and 61% are women. The minister teaches in 15% of the schools. (/) Social Activities. The principal and in many cases the only social event of the year in country churches is the Sunday School picnic. During the year previous to the time of the Survey, 40% of the village and 23% of the country Sunday Schools had picnics. Other social events, such as class socials, suppers, Christmas festivals, etc., were enjoyed, by 41% of the village and 28% of the country Sunday, Schools. A large proportion of the social life of the Sunday School is furnished by organized classes, of which we will speak later under the topic, "The Church and Social Life." The facts stated in this 49 SundaY Scliool 0utinj5 In Yi/?A|es It» Open CountTy 60?: have No Ticnics lit Oi% Counties >n 5outKeAstern Okio Oliio Kural LiJe 5 uTve> paragraph show that one-half of the churches in the villages and two- thirds of those in the open country are practically without any social life. 9. The Church and Social Life. Social events under the auspices of the churches are usually pro- vided by societies of one kind or another. The following table classi- fies church organizations of the six counties according to membership and social activities: No. Organizations Average Members Per Cent. Giving Socials No Socials Reported Per Cent, of Socials for Pay . . Young Peoples'! Women's Organization Other 108 38 41% 265 16% Organization Organizations 127 26 57% 281 47% 1 11 1 81 1 The young peoples' societies are principally the Christian Endeavor, Epworth League and B. Y. P. U. Two Boy Scout organizations were found. The women's societies are mainly Missionary and Ladies' Aid. Only four men's organizations were found, as follows: 2 Catholic clubs, a Fellowship club, and a Brotherhood. In this dearth of men's 50 Whv( tniS great dlfFerence ? 117 societies for women. f Societies for men In 53,0 chorcKes m Southeastern OniO Six. coonties Ohio floral Life Sorve^. societies within the churches we may have one explanation for the small proportion of men in the membership of the churches. As community social life has declined, many churches have come to look upon all amusements as sinful, or at least as something that the church as an institution should have nothing to do with. Religion is looked upon as something exclusive, and consisting in not doing certain things. One man said that when he had been converted the Lord saved him from fairs, festivals and ice cream suppers. "Base-ball is of hell!" exclaimed another. Yet in that same community one of the survey men on Saturday afternoon found 21 young men and boys between the ages of 13 and 30 playing base-ball. There was practi- cally nothing out of the way in their behavior, and they all wanted to act properly and honorably. Out of the 21 there was but one church member, although the young men expressed themselves in ways that indicated that they were in sympathy with religion. They were merely excluded from church membership by fanaticism on the part of church members. In a village of another county a young athlete helped the boys fur- nish a small gymnasium, and organize themselves into an enthusiastic club. Instead of encouraging and giving moral direction to the organization, the church people stood back and regarded it with suspicion. An old church building, needing paint badly and with broken win- dows, was deemed too sacred a place to be used for a young people's social, although the young people were very anxious to have one. A split occurred in another church because the young people held an ice cream social. The moral value of recreation is becoming appreciated by some of the churches through thoughtful leadership. It has been introduced 51 ?;•.;;;. ■■, ,-^ *. ■4' ."i ■■■■: - ' '■ -i W ■ ' * ■ 4.- ' III k!^ Lty-'M* -'*■'-'-}■•'''■' ■ 'i : - ■■■' 7-'.>.U ^^^^ A SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNIC largely through organized Sunday School classes. One of the pastors in Adams County has organized a men's Bible class with a present membership of 64. Men who had formerly been indifferent to reli- gion are now active in church work. During the summer the mem- bers chartered a boat and took their families on an excursion up the river. In the same village another pastor has a Sunday School class of boys whom he takes on a weekly excursion during vacation, one of these being a camping trip for a whole week. His wife meets her Sun- day School class of girls for a social afternoon every two weeks. A lady who was formerly a school teacher, but is now married, was unwilling to give up her work with young people. She brought to- gether a Sunday School class of 15 boys, opening her house to them and giving them a large room for their own to which they had acces.s at all times. The boys met her twice a week. In organizing them she had each one write what he thought a member of the club ought or ought not to do, and the points on which they had been unanimous became the rules of the organization. The enforcement of the rules was left in their hands and they developed excellent order and kept the room clean of their own accord. She has now the third club of this sort, the members of the others having grown to be useful men of good character. A young men's Bible class in Athens county managed a lecture course and paid the expenses of the speakers. They have regular 52 business meetings every four weeks, and always plan for a program. At one of the meetings a young ladies' class rendered the program after which the boys served ice cream on the lawn. On Mothers' Day the class furnished carnations for every mother present at Sunday School, and delivered a bunch of carnations to every mother in the village not able to attend. A splendid example of a church which has built up the spiritual life of the community through social service was found in Adams County. Among the features of the work of this church are : 1. Men's Meetings. 2. General social gatherings for all women of the community. 3. An active young people's society with a splendid social side. ■ 4. A musical festival for 12 days in the spring. 5. School house meetings : (1) For evangelism, (2) For social fellowship, (3) For the discussion of topics of special interest to the community. As a result of these activities 112 persons have united with the church in the last Syi years, a Sunday School has been organized in a needy district, and prayer meetings have been carried on without the help of the pastor. 10. The Minister. The total number of ordained ministers preaching in the six coun- ties is a little less than 222, or an average of 37' to each county. Of these ministers : 19% serve only one church 26% serve four churches 20% serve two churches 13% serve five churches 15% serve three churches 7% serve six or more churches A little over half the ministers with only one church have other occupations. Most of these are farmers, though among them were found teachers, mechanics, a lecturer, a probate judge, an undertaker and a mail carrier. A minister can have his home in only one community. But since 81% of the ministers at work in the six counties preach in more than one place, it is evident that the vast majority of the ministers live at a distance from most of their parishes. The great waste of time, energy, and money involved in the travelling about of ministers, many of them going along the same road or crossing one another's path, may be realized by the reader if he will glance at the maps on the following page or scan the following table : 53 VINTON CO., OHIO. X Mini»t«rt pesidente S CKortk with resilient minisfer O CliurcK wiHi^vtrtttltrit n>imjfer B OiukK wiYluvt minister f| AUndonea ckui-ch NumeriU indiciU mnnbEnt>i|< if c4iurch Inc., incrtiSiB^ ; Dec, decreasing ', St, stat»n»r«j B Baptist HF Friends (Hicksite) Br Brethren (German Baptist) L Lutheran BSA Brothers Society of America LDS Latter-Day Saints C Qiristian M Mennonite Ca Catholic (Roman) MB Missionary Baptist Co Congregational ME Methodist Episcopal CP Cumberland Presbyterian MP Methodist Protestant CS Christian Science N Nazarenes CU Christian Union OM Old Mennonite D Disciples P Presbyterian DM Defenseless Mennonite PB Primitive Baptist DNP Disciples, Non-Progressive R Reformed E Episcopal RM Reformed Mennonite EvA Evangelical Association RUB Radical U. B. EvL " Lutheran S Saints F Friends (Orthodox) U Union FM Free Methodist UB United grethren FWB Free Will Baptist UP United Presbyterian G Church of God Uv Universalist GME German M. E. USS Union Sunday School H Apostolic Holiness WM Wesleyan Methodist 55 A ONCE ABANDONED CHURCH REVIVED 26% of the churches have ministers hving less than 2 miles from church. •26% of the churches have ministers living 2 to 5 miles from church. 23% of the churches have ministers living 6 to 10 miles from church. 7% of the churches have ministers living 11 to 15 miles from church. 5% of the churches have ministers living 16 to 20 miles from church. 5%- of the churches have ministers living 21 to 30 miles from church. 3%. of the churches have ministers hving 31 to 50 miles from church. 5% of the churches have ministers living 51 or more miles from church. The Lord's money is heing squandered through our sectarian selfish- ness which makes the circuit sj'stem a necessity. Federation of churches in all over-churched communities would eliminate most of this waste. In the matter of salary, al.iout one-half of the ministers receive less than $600 per annum. The following tal>le shows the average amount received hy 157 ministers, divided into four groups: 40 receive an average salarv of $276. 39 receive an average salarv of 561. 39 receive an average salary of 712. 39 receive an average salarv of 927. Onl_\' about one-half of the ministers are supplied with manses. The scholastic preparation of the ministers in the six counties is sliown in the following table : 34% of the ministers have h.-id only a common school education. 56 22% of the ministers have had a higli school education. 19% of the ministers have had a coHege education. 9% of the ministers have liad seminary training (without college). 16% of the ministers have had both college and seminary training. The table shows that one-third of the ministers have had nothing more than an elementary education, and that over one-half (56%) have not gone in their schooling beyond the high school. That the man with more training comma':ds a higher salar)- is shown by the follow- ing facts about the ministers whose training has been given in the preceding table : Ministers with only common school training receive $409. Ministers with high school training receive $627. Alinisters with college training receive $635. Ministers with seminary training receive $644. Ministers with college and seminary training receive $876. Individual cases can be cited where the salary paid is in no way a measure of the minister's efficiency, luit when a large number of cases is taken, as in the present instance, it can be asserted that a low aver- age salary argues for a low grade of ministerial efficiency. For the six counties surveyed, the average yearly salary paid to a minister of the Gospel is about $500, a low enough figure to make one believe, in view of the remark just made, that Southeastern Ohio needs a corps of church leaders of a broader and deeper training. .Vs has been said A rnuRni at the cross roads 57 before, an efficient ministry is surely one of the conditions of an efficient church. Southeastern Ohio waits for ministers of sufficient training to enable them both to have a clear vision of the problems facing its churches, and to work most advantageously for their solu- tion. 58 CHAPTER VII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS. The religious and educational workers in Ohio have in these South- eastern Counties the task of ministering to a diminished farm popula- tion and a growing mining population. We make no reference to the cities or large towns not included in the Survey. We have in mind a definite program of service to the rural population of farmers and miners when we make the following recommendations: First. Evangelistic work must be varied in its methods, according to whether it is employed in a diminishing farm population or in a growing population of miners. In the former, evangelism should be used only by settled pastors. The type of evangelism that is not followed by any pastoral service has done more harm than good in Southeastern Ohio. Ministers among a farm population should within their own parishes hold regular evangelistic services each year, but we believe that it is a waste of religious energy and a detriment to both religious and educational work to "burn over the ground" with ungovemed, inflammatory preaching among a people all too inclined to emotional expression. There are a few townships referred to in this Survey in which definite evangelistic work, aiming at the organizing of Sunday Schools and the building, perhaps, of a few new churches, is needed. But generally speaking, among a diminishing farm population professional evangelism is not to be commended. It is a method to be used only by the settled pastor. With the churches located in a growing population of miners, the case is different. In these churches, professional evangelists may be wisely employed. For the need of evangelistic preaching, even of professional evangelists, among the miners is great, because their number is increasing and they are a shifting population. Their social character is different from that of the farmer and the preaching of a gospel of personal salvation has greater value among them. This evangelistic work, however, should be followed, as quickly as possible, by the patient and faithful care of resident ministers. We recommend, too, that among the mining population churches should extend their ministry along the lines of Young Men's Christian Association work. There is need of reading rooms, of recreative 59 facilities and of educational work; and the working pastor will find himself a social service secretary quite as much as a preacher. Second. The reconstruction of the common schools is, religiously speaking, necessary in Southeastern Ohio. Until better common schools are provided there cannot be better churches. Trained intelli- gence is in greater demand throughout these counties than aroused emotion. Religious institutions need a better school policy more than they need an increased emphasis upon evangelism. The Protestant church depends quite as much upon the teacher as upon the preacher. We must not forget this. Because the majority of the people living in these counties are Protestant, and because their denominations do not provide parochial schools, their gospel becomes vitally dependent upon the teaching in the public schools. The public school is the right hand of the free Protestant church. Therefore, church leaders in Southeastern Ohio should use every influence to bring about a better school policy by the State. Ministers should study the books on the country school problem and church officers should be alert, especially at the present time when the State of Ohio, under a far-seeing admin- istration, is moving to the betterment of the standards of public school teaching. A better public school will not give us a better church, but so long as we have an inferior public school an improved country church is impossible. The schools cannot build us up, but they can keep us back. The inferior country school is a great religious obstacle in Southeastern Ohio. Third. A method must be studied out and used diligently by con- ferences, synods and presbyteries, which will absorb the emotion of the population, restrain the religious scourge of pietism, which thrives upon ignorance and monotony. We commend for this purpose a union between Sunday School work and recreation. We suggest that this union take the form of organized Sunday School classes that meet for social purposes during the week. The study of the Bible on the Lord's Day and the social organization meeting throughout the week is the best method of working off emotional tension, of making people acquainted, of putting an end to neighborhood bitterness and of creat- ing a sense of community oneness. The churches in Southeastern Ohio have been split to pieces and neighborhoods have been embittered by pietism. "Holiness" has made life almost intolerable in many communities. Its dominance is due to the neglect of social life by the churches and to the lack of intelligent use of the Bible and the Chris- tian tradition. These sectarian movements which wield the lash of frantic excitement cannot get a hearing in communities, as a rule, 60 where legitimate social life and organized play are provided for all. They are the reaction against dead monotony, divided "cliques" and sour, embittered neighborhood feeling. They are an expression of the same spirit which creates feuds. They will be healed with the same medium. Rev. Harvey S. Murdock, who in 1913 received over one hundred persons on confession of faith in a mountain church in Kentucky, declared, "that his two arms of evangelism were base-ball and the fighting of illicit whiskey." Of course he preached the gospel and led his people in Bible study, but he used recreation and civic leadership as a means of winning the population, and of extending the influence of his Bible teaching. Fourth. It is very important to introduce into Southeastern Ohio the rural method of co-operation in order to provide the farmers with a form of organization in which they can combine. One great danger in this section is seen in the invasion of the open country by capitalistic ownership. Land is passing into the hands of those who do not till the soil, but hold it for an increased price. The farmers must defend themselves and in the interest of the churches they must defend their way of life by a method of combination. In all parts of the country and of the world farmers have tried to combine without success on the method pursued by townsmen. The only method generally suitable to farmers' needs goes under the name of co-operation. Every minister and church leader should study this method. And the books of Sir Horace Plunkett and the recently issued Senate Document No. 214 should be possessed by every rural minister and school teacher and diligently studied. Co-operation will enable the farmer to hold the land. . It will give him something to say in the market as to the price of what he buys or what he sells. It will enable him to manufacture his own products and get the profit of such manufacture. It will enable him to keep his young people in the country community and to employ them in factories owned by farmers. It will enable the farmer to organize banks for the use of country money in farm loans at a low rate of interest. This method of combination is essential to the welfare of the country population and the welfare of the church is bound up in the permanence and self respect of the country population. We entertain hopes also that the practice of co-operation in daily life will make possible a higher co-operation in religious life. When men become accustomed to getting their daily bread together they may be more willing to seek heavenly bread in common. 61 Fifth. Education of the ministers for the purpose of creating a new rural idealism, based on a new intelligence as to country life, should be provided in this region. The minister, as an educated man, requires graduate study to keep him abreast of his work. Whether he is a graduate of college and seminary or not, by the nature of his work he needs the training of the teacher and the discipline of the schools. Country life conferences and institutes are excellent. Their value is, however, for the layman. They belong with the farmer's institute, in which ministers should take part as learners and helpers; but for the minister schools of Christian learning not less than two weeks in length should be held twice a year ; one in winter and one in summer, for graduate discipline of the working pastor. If theological seminaries or religious colleges will do this work, it woud be profitable for the ministers and for those schools that they provide graduate study. But if they will not, we urge upon the state imiversities that this is a duty not unworthy of their consideration. The training needed is not theological nor necessarily Biblical. These factors in graduate education can be supplied by the denominations. It should be training in pedagogy and in social service. The pedagogy is to train the minister as a teacher ; the sociology is to train him as a pastor. Both these topics are nowadays taught by state educators. The Extension System of the various State Universities of Ohio could serve the state, we believe, in no better way than by holding for these thirteen counties at suitable centres three or four schools, each school being two or three weeks long and the pupils being ministers of religion. Sixth. This Survey concerns churches and it approaches the study of the church by analysis of social conditions. We are making no report upon personal or individual character. Rural Ohio is proverb- ially rich in individuals of the highest character. But churches, as well as souls, are vehicles of the divine Spirit. Indeed churches, that is, corporate religion, in scripture and in history are presented as "the body of Christ." It is obvious from this study that a strong church is a necessary means of evangelism. Through such a church more persons are brought to confession and the character of Christians is conserved. The Survey shows that unless more attention is paid to saving churches there will be less of religion for souls. As churches fail, fewer persons give evidence to a hope of heaven. This situation indicates that each church should be as large as the community, and all matters that concern the whole community should have a place in the church. Since the church lives or dies with the 62 life of the community, no matter what its denomination, it is obvious that ministry to the whole community is a means of ministering to each or any soul. So that both the social and the economic and educa- tional life of the community are of prime concern to the church. Seventh. Federation, or comity of churches, should be actively pursued in this region. The following method of organizing federa- tion among the churches is suggested : Let a deputation, made up of one or two representatives of each of the leading denominations in these counties; that is, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Disciples, Congregational, United Brethren, travel through these thirteen coun- ties once in each two years, holding conferences, addressing churches, urging co-operation, organizing local federations, advising as to local instances of church competition. The influence of such a delegation would be far-reaching. The mere spectacle of a Methodist Presiding Elder, a Presbyterian Pastor Evangelist, a Baptist or Disciple Con- ference Chairman, and a Bishop of the United Brethren Church teaching the same thing and advising recognition of common religious duties, would effect a salutary change in the feelings of church mem- bers. It would also enlist the men, especially the business men and men of weight, as nothing else can enlist them, in effective leadership and support of the churches. Furthermore, the gospel which such a delegation could teach in common is basic and fundamental in all these churches. Upon this gospel alone can community churches be con- structed. Eighth. There is need of money for church buildings of a new type and probably some of this money should come from outside the region. The community church, which is the embodiment of church federation, comity and Christian unity, without which these ideals cannot live, requires a building appropriate to its needs. Old church-houses should be reconstructed and enlarged and new ones erected in the place of some which have a congregation and a future, but are unsuited to the work required. If some one denomination should institute a campaign of church reconstruction throughout this region, it would have a great influence upon all the churches of the county. It would bring its rewards, moreover, to the denomination which takes the lead. Ninth. At bottom, the decline in the rural church organizations of Southeastern Ohio, which is the outstanding fact revealed by the Survey, is due to the mistakes of the unenlightened mind and to the sins of the unregenerated human heart. The poverty of the people, resting as it does upon the evils of soil depletion and land monopoly, has its ultimate basis in the ignorance of the many and in the selfish- 63 ness of the few. The over-multipUcation of churches and a non- resident ministry, both of which spring from sectarianism, are the out- growth of an excKisively individuaHstic view of religion, which, in the final analysis, rests upon human selfishness. The only remedy for the trouble lies in the regeneration of the human heart and the enlightenment of the human mind. Only thus can the rural churches of Southeastern Ohio be saved from extinction. And this regeneration can only come through the preaching and the practicing of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. A living faith in this Evangel is the only power that will give vitality to the suggestions offered in this chapter of recommendations. As proclaimed by Jesus, this Evangel emphasizes the regnancy of a God of love and sacrifice in the whole of human life. Ministers and church leaders, who fully accept this Gospel, will see the spiritual significance of directing the young people in their social activities or taking means to promote the material prosperity of all the families in the community. Such church leaders will seek, not to perpetuate their organizations as such, but to give them in service for the up-building of their respective communities. They will aim to make their churches the centers for all the healthy interests of their neighborhoods. To carry out this ideal in Southeastern Ohio, some of the individual churches may have to die, others will have to federate. But in either case, they will be doing less than their Master did. He gave his life for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. The churches that profess His name should be willing to do the same. 64 ^Wimxf €mntil W. C. ThoifipsdH, ChaiR»asi, President. Ohio State University President, Olilo Church Federation Columbus. Ohio J. O. Ashenhurst, Secretary, Cominitiee on Kara! Churches, Uiiited Presbyterian Oimrch George P. Bareis, Ghainman, Board of Trustees iieidelbecg College Edward Eyers, A.M., Sc.D. Sohooi of Education, Deflancu College 1. J. Cahill Sec y, Ohio Christian Missionary Society H. y. Chiisiman, President, Central Theological Seminary W. G. CUppinger, Presideat, Otterbein Ualverisity Charles William Dabney, President, ■University of Cincinnati G. Walter Fiske, Junior Beaa, Oberlin TheologieaJ Seminary L. H. Goddard, Chief, Depr. Cooperation, Ohio ExperUnent Station A. B. Graham, Superintendent of Agricultural Estenaon. Ohio State Univ. George J. Henderson, Supt. Central Districi, American S. S. Union Walter E. Houston, Supt. presbjl^rian Home MisaJonsi, Synod of Ohio C. W. Kurtz, Pr^idlng Elder, United Brethren OhuroJi Frederick C. Landsittei, .state Normal College, Cibio Unlvcrsicy Charles Marstoa, Pastiir, Prcsbytsriaa Churcb. Millei-sburg, uhlo E. A. Miller, Oborlin College T. Knoi Montgomery, President, Sluskingum College S. K. Mosiman, President, Central Mennonlte College J. O. Kotestein, University of Wooster W. W. Mills, lioard of Trustees, Marietta CoUefce H. C. Pricfe, Dean, College of Agriculture, Ohio State Univ. O. W. Powers, Home Mission Sec'y, Christian Church President, Ohio State ChrisciaE Assoclatlou C. J. Rose, Secretary, Ohio Baptist Convention E. S. &othroek. State Superintendent, Cougregatloria! Conference ot Ohio B. R. Rya% Secretary, "S . M. C. A. of OWo, County work 0ept. A. C. Shumsii Pastor. Reformed Church, Tiffin, Ohio T. K. Shelleaberger, Sec'y of the Brotherhood, Disciples of Christ Worthingtoa B. Slutz, District Supt., Methocfist EaisoonaJ Church J. Warren Saiith, Director. V. 8. Weather Bureau George S*. Smythe, Keayon College George Stibitz, Centra! Seminary N. W. Stroup, District Supt., Methodist Epssconal Church Omer S. Thomas, Secretary of Miami Christian Conference Samuel Tyler, Chairman, Socja! Service CouiailsgiOB Diocese of Southern Ohio ProtBBtant HpLscopai O&ureh Selby H. Vence, Ijaoe Seminary Paul L. Vogt, Professor of Sociology, Miami University Ralph J. White, Missionary Superintendent of East Oiiio Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church G. P. Williams, Superintendent of Missions American Sunday School Union Warren H. WUson. Supt.. Presbyterian Department of Church and Country Life Production Note Cornell University Library produced this volume to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. It was scanned at 600 dots per inch resolution and compressed prior to storage using CCnT/mJ Group 4 compression. The digital data were used to create Cornell's replacement volume on paper tiiat meets die ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992. The production of this volume was supported by the United States Department of Education, Higher Education Act, Tide II-C. Scanned as part of the A. R. Mann Library project to preserve and enhance access to the Core Historical Literature of the Agricultural Sciences. Titles included in this collection are listed in the volumes published by the Cornell University Press in the series The Literature of the Agricultural Sciences, 1991-1996, Wallace C. Olsen, series editor. DIRECTED BY The Department of Church and G)untry Life BOARD OF HOME MISSIONS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U.S. A. Wanen H. Wilson, Dheetor Ralph A.FeIton, Field Director 1 56 Fifth Avenue, New York A Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio PAUL L. VOGT, PH. D. Professor of Sociology, Miami University Oxford, Ohio Published fay the University April, 19 J3 PREFACE [.The discussion of rural social conditions included in the fol- lowing pages is the result of the co-operation of Miami Universitj' with other educational and religious agencies of the State of Ohio in the Ohio Rural Life Survej'. This survey was carried on under the direction of the Department of Church and Country Life of the Presbyterian Church, during the year 191 2, twenty-one coun- ties in the state being visited during that time. The present dis- cussion presiuts the results of the survey of Darke, Montgomery, Preble and Butler Counties in Southwestern OhioJ Among those to whom credit is due for the collection of material and assistance iu the preparation of the discussion are: the field workers and office assistants of the Department of Church and Country Life of the Presbyterian Church, who furnished the schedule, took part in the field investigations and did the major part of the tabulation of results; J. B. Glick, Field Surve}' Agent of the United Brethren Church, who made the survey of Darke County and assisted in compiling results; W. B. Holliday, Secre- tary County Y. M. C. A., Montgomery County, who contributed the use of material collected during the survey of his field of work; E. E. Schwarztrauber,a graduate of Miami University, who assisted in the field work. The data as to farm incomes was collected by J. V. Ankeney, C. E. Miller, Orville Powers, and W. E. Steiner, Senior students at Miami University, as a part of their work in a seminar course in statistics. The writer wishes to express his thanks to the farmers, ministers, teachers, public officials and others who bj' furnishing information have assisted in this effort to obtain an adequate basis in knowledge for the improvement of rural social life. Paul L. Vogt. Miami Universit}'. Oxford, Ohio, 1913. CONTENTS CHAPTER I Introduction Page Origin and Purpose of the Survey . 9 Scope of the Discussion lo Method of the Survey lo CHAPTER II Economic Conditions 1 Topography 12 2 Climatic Conditions 12 3 Principal Products 13 4 Tendencies in Size of Farms 14 5 Changes in Value of Land and Equipment 14 6 Farm Incomes 16 7 Transportaion Facilities 17 S Markets i « CHAPTER III Social Conditions, General 1 Origin of Population . 19 2 Movements of Population in Cities, Villages, and Rural Districts Compared 21 3 Density 23 4 Health 24 5 Dependency and Defectiveness 25 6 Morality 27 7 Housing Conditions 29 8 Community lycadership 30 9 lyines of Social Cleavage 31 Page 10 Influences Tending to Lessen Community Life . . 33 1 1 Influences Operating to Revive Community Life. . . 35 1 2 Places of Informal Meetings 36 1 3 County and Street Fairs 38 14 Family Reunions 39 15 Other Social Gatherings 40 16 Farmers' and Fraternal Organizations 41 CHAPTER IV The Church 1 Changes in Membership 44 2 Distribution of Membership as to Age and Sex .... 45 3 Denominations Represented 48 4 Location of Churches 50 5 Residence of Pastors 50 5 Sunday Schools ' 51 7 Church Organizations other than Sunday Schools. . 54 8 Advantages of "Town" over "Country" Church. . . 54 6 Sectarianism 56 10 Abandoned Churches 59 1 1 The Social Function of the Churches 61 CHAPTER V Rural School. 1 Illiteracy in Southwestern Ohio 63 2 Material Equipment 64 3 Preparation of Teachers 69 4 Permanency of Teaching Force 70 5 Salaries y i 6 Recitations per Day 71 7 Rural School Recreation 73 8 The School and Community 76 9 Secondary Education 78 10 Township Supervision 80 1 1 Recommendations 81 Page CHAPTER VI Ownership and Tenantry 1 Increase in Tenantry in Southwestern Ohio 82 2 Ages of Owners and Tenants S3 3 Terms of Occupancy of Farm 84 4 Size of Farms 86 5 Church and Lodge Membership 87 6 Periodicals Taken 89 7 Dangers of Increase in Tenantry 90 CHAPTER VH Conclusion. 1 Rural Problems 91 2 Tendencies Toward Better Conditions 92 3 Suggestions 93 MAP OF OHIO. THE COUNTIES SURVEYED ARE INDICATED BY A STAR COUNTIESUDISCUSSED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Institutions exist only to bring the maximum of well-being to those for whose service they were created. When an institution ceases to oe of service to the people, but one of two things should be done, either destroy it or reorganize it so that it will again become a vital force in the life of che communitj'. In the course of years conditions change, .so that the service an institution is accustomed to offer is no longer adapted to the demands upon it of a new environment, and the result is that it is either abandoned or retained through force of habit as a hindrance to true prog- ress. The service offered by an institution must be adapted to the needs of the community if it hopes to continue as a useful factor in the life of the community. ^t is unnecessary to go into detail in the discussion of the changes which have brought about the lack of adjustment between the needs of the people who live in the rural districts and the agen- cies intend to meet those needs. Continuous decrease in rural population, abandonment of land even in the fertile Mississippi Valley, increase in tenantry, rise of land values and deterioration of the soil owing to mining methods inherited from a pioneer stage and perpetuated through the combined influence of the absentee landlord and the short term tenant, and the national intere.st in the regeneration of country life because of the vital relation of agriculture as a basic industry to the welfare of the whole people all demand that every effort be made to hasten a readjustment that will again insure contentment and permanent prosperity to the rural community.^ It is out of the recognition that a changed environment has brought new burdens to the institutions of the rural communities that the Ohio Rural L,ife Survey has grown. i^Churches, public schools and farmers' organizations were planned to meet condi- tions and in accordance with ideals that prevailed in a pioneer stage of society. Thedemands of the twentieth centur}' civilization 9 lo Miami University are such that these agencies are found to be inadequate and the call for readjustments becomes increasingly imperative. Such read- justments can be wisely made only in so far as existing conditions are known ;only as it is understood what the demands of the present are and in what ways inherited institutions fail to meet these de- mands?} The study of rural communities of the state made during the year 1912 was undertaken in the belief that the knowl- edge gained would help those who wished to bring the school, the church, and the farmers' organization into harmony with new demands. Miami University, the Ohio Experiment Station, Ohio State University, Ohio University, the Department of Church and County Life of the Presbyterian church, and several other scholastic and religious agencies have co-operated in making the survey and in getting constructive results from the work done. The present discussion presents conditions in Butler, Preble, Montgomery and Darke Counties, which are typical of the South- western part of the state. In conducting the field work of the investigation two sched- ules were used. The one was intended to give a general view of life from the point of view of the institution concerned in serving the people. The other schedule was designed for more intensive study of economic conditions in their relation to social life through information secured from as many families as possible in typical areas. rWhile the point of approach to the problem was different the aim of each schedule was the same, i. e. to secure the fullest and most reliable picture of conditions existing in rural commu- nities as a basis for constructive efforts toward read justment and improvement.^ The field work was done by men who were prepared by train- ing and experience to collect data as to conditions of living in the country. Many of them were college and seminary graduates who entered the work because they were specially interested in problems of country life. The data secured were taken from the records of organized groups such as churches, schools, fraternal or- ganizations and from public records. Where it was impossible, from the nature of the material, to secure written returns, the infor- mation was gained by personal conferences, verified by further Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio ii inquiry from other members of the community. The effort was made to secure the highest degree of accuracy possible and to interpret the information secured in the fairest possible way. If estimates were used, these were carefully noted as such and their probable accuracy weighed in making use of them. 0*he field work in Southwestern Ohio included an extensive survey of all of Butler County, thirteen townships in Darke and ten townships in Montgomery Counties and an intensive or house to house canvass of Oxford Township in Butler County, and Twin and Jackson Townships in Preble County.'70wing to similarities in conditions in these counties it was tfiought that through an extensive survey of the three counties mentioned, together with intensive studies of typical townships in the district, a reliable picture of the entire district would be obtained. (The four counties studied have an approximate area of 1909 square miles. The areas of the individual counties are as follows: Darke, .586 sq. mi.; Montgomery, 455; Butler, 452; and Preble, 416. There is a total of 59 townships. Of this number the survey covered 38 townships, or 64% of the total numberH Darke and Preble Counties have no large cities within their limits; in the other counties studied are located the three cities of Dayton, Middletown and Hamilton. These exert some influence upon their immediate environment. Cincinnati also influences to a certain extent the southern part of Butler County. In the survey no unit could be adopted which would include all the interests of any given aggregation of people. The eco- nomic life of a community may center around a group of stores in a country village. At the same time the political life of the community may be divided among town.ships, counties or even states or any combination of these. Further, the religious com- munity may not be coterminous with any of the other units and any one of these njay be more far-readiing in its influence than distance, race, property-ownership, relationship, or similar factor. The political unit as represented by the township and the county was finally chosen as being the most satisfactory for the purposes of the survey. CHAPTER II Economic Conditions The general topograph3' and soil conditions of the section vary considerably. A large part of Darke, Preble, and Mont- gomery Counties is quite level. Butler County and the southern parts of Preble County and Montgomery County on the other hand are more irregular owing to their closer proximity to the Ohio River. The northern part of the district falls into a division of the state described by the United States Census as "an elevated rolling plateau which has been heavily glaciated, and whose sur- face soils are derived directly from the glacial till." The section has "black, mucky soils, or dark colored loams which are found in the depressions and upon the more level tracts. ' ' In the south- ern portion of the district the soils "are derived principally from a thin covering of loess overlying both the glacial till and the consolidated rock of the region, and are brown to yellow, silty loams, not remarkable for their fertility." Climate conditions in this section are favorable to agriculture. Practically all of the four counties except the northern half of Darke County lie between the isotherms 51" and 54" F.* The average dates of the last killing frosts in spring for most of But- ler County, practically all of Montgomery, and parts of Darke and Preble are not later than April 30, and for a large part of Preble and Darke Counties not later than May 5. These dates are favorable for the planting of early corn and of vegetables. The dates of killing frosts in Butler and Montgomery Counties com- pare favorably with the record in the nothern part of the state where the temperature is influenced by the waters of Lake Erie, and where the fruit industry has been highly developed. The dates of average earliest killing frosts in autumn have a relation to the maturing of corn and tobacco. The average date for the first killing frost in the upper half of Darke County is ^OTiio E.xperiment Stiitioii Bn) . '235, p. W". 12 RuRAi, Survey ix Southwestern Ohio 13 October lo; for Preble County, the western half of Montgomery and the northern third of Butler is not earlier than October 15; and for a large part of the remainder of the county it is not earlier than October 20. Again, the date of killing frost in the autumn compares favorably with that of the fruit districts of the northern part of the state. The average number of days in the crop growing season varies between 160 and 170. This compares favorably with other sections of the state, in some of which the average is as low as 140. In the river counties the average is higher, running in some places as high as 190 but other factors tend to lessen the value of these counties as agricultural producers. The precipita- tion for all of Butler County, a large part of Preble and for the southern portion of Montgomery is between 38 and 40 inches. This is about the average for the entire state. All of Darke County, about three-fourths of Montgomery and a small portion of Preble have a rainfall of between 36 and 38 inches, or some- what less than that for Butler and the other parts mentioned. The four counties mentioned are above the average for the state in the production of corn per acre, and, with the exception of Montgomerj- County, are above the average in production of hay and forage. Only Darke County exceeded average acerage production in pounds of tobacco for the state in 1909. The yield of oats and wheat per acre for each county is below the average for the state. Butler County produces relatively a smaller amount of tobacco than the others, but ranks second in the amount produced per acre. In the production of live stock, with the exception of Butler and Preble Counties, in the production of hogs, and in the production of cattle, the section falls below the average for the state. 14 Miami University The tendency in size of farms is shown by the following table: TABLE I. Size of Farms, 1910 and 1900 — Southwest Section.* Size of Farms Number of Farms Acres 1910 1900 2 and under 3 K>9 lo to 19 ?o to 49 50 to 99 1 00 to 1 74 17510259 -. 260 to 499 500 to 599 1000 and over 58 17.^2 1386 3543 5422 3387 694 183 6 266 148a 1833 3521 4400 2770 623 201 9 3 The tendency in the district at large is toward the medium sized farm ranging from 50 to 175 A. The greatest increase was in farms between 50 and 99 A. in size. Local conditions vary from these statistics. Butler County and Montgomery County shows an increase in 3-9 A. plots. Butler County also shows a decrease in farms of 50 to 175 A. and an increase in farms of 175 A. and above. With the exception of Butler County the average number of acres per farm decreased in the past decade. The gradual improvement in agriculture is indicated by statistics of investment. Land values almost doubled during the past decade, yet the relative value of land as compared with buildings, machinery, etc., has, with the exception of Darke County, decreased. These figures indicate that many improve- ments in buildings and machinery were made during the period. TABLE II Distribution of Investment, F'arm Property 1900 and 19 lu. Per Cent, of Value of Butler 1910 1900 Darke Montgomery 1910 igoo Preble all Property in 1910 1900 1910 1900 Land Buildings Machinery Domestic Animals, Poultry, Bees 68.3 72.06 20.6 17.28 2-5 2.54 8.6 8.12 71.0 69.80 18.2 17.77 2.6 3.89 8.2 8.54 66.0 67.32 25.7 21.84 2.8 3.44 7-5 740 67.7 69.24 19,7 17.60 2-8 3 34 9.8 9.82 •This term ■will be used to include Butler, Darlie, Montgomery and Hreble Counties Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 15 The mortgage situation indicates the same tendency. In all four counties the rat'o of the amount of the mortgage to the value of the land and buildings decreased absolutely, from 1890 to 1910. In Darke and Butler Counties both the total number of farms reporting mortgages and the amount of the mortgage debt has decreased while in Preble and Montgomery Counties these items have increased. The ratio of the mortgage to the value of the plant however, is the important figure and as h.is been shown in every case the mortgage burden has decreased. The data from 1890 and 1910 are not exactly comparable because in one case they refer to families and in the other to farms but the discrepancy is not sufficient to invalidate the evidence as to a general tendency. EIGHTEEN TYPICAL FARMS BUTLER COUNTY TweiUy-oiie twenty-ninths of value of all sales represent live stock. 1 6 Miami University During the year 1912-1913 four students of Agricultural Education and of Sociology at Miami University made an inten- sive study of incomes of eighteen farmers in Oxford, Milford and Riley Townships, Butler County. The schedules used were identical with those used by the State Experiment Station and the United State Department of Agriculture. The farms studied were among the best in the district and consequently cannot be considered as average but as representative of maximum income with a given plant. The men interviewed gave the fullest co-operation in the study and the results obtained represent the most accurate results possible from persons working under most favorable conditions. The following table presents a summarj' of labor incomes of farmers after interest on capital invested, labor and other expenses have been deducted. The total i ncludes the element of profit as a part of the labor income. ^•.'VBLE It) LABOR INCOME OF FABM OPERATORS 16 Farmers Oxford, Riley, and Milford Townsliips, Butler County, Ohio. -, LABOR INCOME NUMBER OF FARMS $ I to 1 249 250 to 499 500 to 999 1000 to J 499 1500 and above 3 2 ?. 6 2 These totals run considerably higher than totals from inves- tigations in other fields. The distribution of the farms as to value of plant will throw light on the capital basis for these results. Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 17 TABLE III VALUE OF PLANT 18 Farms Butler County, Ohio: CAPITAI, NUMBER OF INVESTED FARMS Less than $ 5000 2 1 5000 to gqgg 2 loooo to 14999 3 15000 to 19999 5 20000 to 24999 2 25000 to 29999 30000 to 39999 2 Southwestern Ohio is fairly well supplied with railway transportation facilities. The northern part of Butler County is traversed by the Pennsylvania R. R. and the Cincinnati, Ham- ilton and Indianapolis R. R., the southwestern part by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, while the eastern part of the county is reached by the Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Dayton, the Cleve- land, Chicago, Cincinnati and St. Louis, the Pennsylvania and the interurban lines of the Ohio Electric Railwa}'. Thus transportation facilities are available to within four or five miles of almost any part of the county. The other counties are better equipped with railway and traction facilities than Butler County. The wagon roads in all the counties in the southwestern part of the state are well improved. According to the records of the State Highway Commission the proportion of improved roads in Butler, Preble and Darke Counties for the year 19 10 was as follows: Table IV Road Improvement County Total Miles Butler Preble Darke Montgomery . 933 931 1257 1064 Brick I Stone Gravel 82 788 44 585 16 744 60 938 Per cent. Improved 93-35 67.56 60.46 93.80 Butler and Montgomery Counties have done much more in the way of improving roads than have the other counties under consideration. 1 8 Miami Unr'ersity Butler Count J- is also fortunate in the plan of wagon roads. Instead of all roads being laid out on section lines as in certain other parts of the country, they run diagonally from the principal shipping points thus saving distance and adding to the convenience of travel. The principal difficulty of wagon transportation is the hilly topography of the country. The investigation brought out the fact that in a number of cases the farmers preferred hauling their grain and other produce directly to the central market to selling it at the way stations of the railroads. From the southern ])art of the county some of the farmers haul grain and live stock directly to Cincinnati, fifteen or twenty miles away. Stock .ship- pers from Milford Township in the northern part of Butler County deliver directly to the Cincinnati market. Oxford Township sells largely to local buyers. From many parts of the section milk is shipped to creameries located in Indiana. For a large part of Butler County the only market for perishable products is the local grocery. The .same is true of Darke and Preble Counties. Owing to the development of traction lines the farmers of Montgomery county have excellent facilities for selling their produce on the Dayton market, which also becomes the selling point for many farmers who cannot take advantage of the traction lines. One lady is reported who lived "T,yi miles from a traction line and 12 miles from Dayton" and who "sold $goo.oo worth of produce on the Dayton market last year over and above travelling expenses." Many farmers drive to Dayton three times a week, some of them for distances of 14 or 15 miles to dispose of their produce. Tobacco raising is the only important type of specialized farm- ing in the section. The problem of marketing the tobacco crop has not yet been worked out to the entire satisfaction of the producers. Beginnings have been made in the effort to sell the crop on a co-operative basis. The great majority of families in southwestern Ohio have free mail delivery. Theextension of the u.seof the telephone has also been very rapid in the past few years. In some of the townshij-s as high as ninety per cent, of the families have telephone service. In none of the townships does the service fall below fifty percent. CHAPTER III Social Conditions, General The origin of the population in these counties is widely' dis- tributed. The early settlers came principall)' from the older col- onies east of the mountains. Pennsylvania sent the largest pro- portion into all the counties, but many families came from New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. The section also received its share of the German migration of the thirties and of the Irish im- migration of the middle of the past century. In recent years such movement into the section as has occurred has been into the towns rather than into the country districts. According to the census records the present population of the section is largely of native birth. The statistics of the four counties under con.sideralion for the period iSSo to 1910 are as follows: Table V Population as to Nalivity Native Born h oreign Bo rn County 1880 1910* Per cent. Increase 1880 5943 1940 12297 1027 1910 5778 1021 '6534 471 Percent. Decrease Butler 36636 38556 66253 23506 64482 41912 147200 23363 76.0 8.7 122.0 —0.7 27 .s Darke Montijoniery. ... Preble 47-4 +34-5 54-1 'Ne^ro population considered as Native Born. While each county has had an absolute increase in popula' tion, with the exception of Montgomery Countj- the number of foreign born has absoluteh' decreased. The data as to the number of colored people, indicate their relatively small importance in the country districts. Miami University Table VI Population as to Race County Butler Darke Moutgoiner}'. Preble White 1 880 1910 Per cent Increase 41435 399 '7 77234 24051 68479 42557 158253 23569 65.3 6.6 104.9 — 2.0 Colored 1880 1910 Per cent Increase 1 140 579 1310 482 1781 376 5481 265 56.2 —35 I 318 4 — 45-0 This table shows that in the rural counties there has been an absolute decrease in the colored population. The onlj' marked increase has been in Montgomery County where the colored population has been increasing at a more rapid ratio than the white population. In Butler County while there has been an absolute increase in colored population, the relative in- crease has not been so rapid as that of the whites. That the colored population is to be found principally in the larger centres is indicated by the fact that in 19 10, 4,842 of the 5,481 colored people in Montgomery County were living in the city of Dayton ;in Butler Count}' i , 1 30 of the 1,781 were located in Hamilton and Middletown and probably three hundred more in the village of Oxford. According to the report of the United States census 1910 there were 16 colored farmers in Butler County. The village of Eaton had 60 out of the total of 265 in Preble County; and Greenville 38 out of a total of 376 in Darke County. Darke County appears to have the colored population scattered over a larger territory than the other counties under consideration. All these counties have a very large proportion of the pop- ulation consisting of descendants of settlers from the older col- onies or of the older immigration. The foreign immigration and the colored population is to be found in the cities rather than in the country districts. The rural communities present a homo- geneity of race interests training and ideals that should serve as the basis of healthy development of social life. A comparison of changes in population in the decades begin- ning with 1870 and the following show that the movements which have attracted such wides-pread attention during the past Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 21 decade began as far back as j88o. A comparison of the rural population of that year with the figures for the previous de- cade indicates that in most parts of the district the countrj' districts were still increasing in population. During the 80' s, however, many of the townships showed a rapid decrease, and in this part of the state the maximum rate of decrease occurred during the decade beginning with 1880. From 1880 to 1890 every township of Butler County for which the figures are comparable, lost in population from 134 to 365 ; with the exception of two townships Preble County shows the same tendency; only one township gained in population in Darke County and but two townships in Montgomery County. In the last decade, 1900-1910, one of the townships in Butler County, three in Preble, six in Darke and three in Montgomery show an increase. The record of the decade 1870- 1880 indicates that the general movement towards decrease had not yet begun to make it.s appearance except in a few instances. The slower rate of decrease of the later decades indicates that the rural population is gradu- ally adjusting itself to the changed conditions and that any policies of social reconstruction which may be introduced will find a more permanent period of adaptability to those conditions. The effect of depopulation of the rural district on the countr}' village is shown by the following table. TABLE VII Increase of population for 28 villages for which continuous record is given United States Census 1880-1910 and for the three cities Middletown , Hamilton and Dayton for the same period. Villages and Cities I. Total 28 villages ( 21 villages less than looopopula- ^ I. tion 1S80 ( 8 villages having over 1000 popu- 3- \lation 1880 4. Middletown, Butler Co., O 5 . Hamilton, Butler Co. , O 6. Dayton, Montgomery Co., O. . . POPULATION 1880 1910 Number Per cent 23825 9187 32306 9797 14638 22509 4538 13152 12122 35279 38678 116577 Increase 8481 610 7871 8614 23157 77899 356 6.6 53-7 189. c 192.0 201 .0 22 Miami University With the exception of Montgomery County the total rural population during the same period has absolutely decreased. There appears to be a law that the community increases or decreases in population in proportion to its initial density. THE LARGER THE TOWN THE FASTER IT GROWS. OPEN COUNTRY LOSING POPULATION. CHANGES IX POPULATION 1880-1910 n¥v$' PS I860 1910 1880 1910 1880 BIO 1660 1910 S^ CITIES ^^ VILLAGES WITH OVER 1000 POPULATION IN 1880 mmi: VILLAGES WITH UNDER 1000 POPULATION in 1660 HSl COUNTRY D1STRICX5 The records of the census show that in general the country village has just about held its own in population. The census for 1870 records a number of small villages which are not men- tioned in-the later census reports. Those villages which are situated away from means of steam or electric railway communi- cation have not generally grown rapidly. Villages having Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 23 the advantages of railway or electric line communication have in many instances had a vigorous growth. Illustrations of this influence are to be found in the villages Bradford and Union in Darke Countj', West Alexandria in Preble County, Brookville and Miamisburg and West Carrolton in Montgomery Count}'. It is important to notice that in the last census a number of new villages are first recorded. This change may be indicative of a tendency toward a renewal of the village as a phase of rural life. The testimony of the people remaining in the country dis- tricts is that those who have left have been attracted in the majority of cases to the neighboring cities. The rapid develop- ment of manufacturing interests has had much to do with the movement of people from the cotuitry districts into these towns. The fact that the increase of foreign population has been so small in these counties is further evidence that a large part of their increase has come from the surrounding rural districts. In manv cases, however, the farmers have left the country to try their for- tunes in the opening, more attractive farming territory of the northwestern United States or of southern Canada. This western movement will probably not be of increasing importance in the future and further drains on rural population must be in the direction of the cities rather than to other farming districts. The majority of the few families that have moved into the rural districts have come from neighboring counties in the State of Ohio or of Indiana. A number of families from Kentucky have moved into the the townships in the southern and south- western part of Butler County. A number of Polish, Slavonians, Hungarians and Italians are to be found in the vicinit}- of the larger cities. Table 8 shows the density of population in the counties under consideration. T.\BLE VIII Density of Population in Rural Communities, igio. County Density per square mile State 5J 6 Butler 48.3 Darke 59.9 Montgomery 94.3 Preble , 49.6 24 Miami University Butler and Preble Counties are both below the average density ivhile Darke and Montgomery Counties are considerably above the average. For some time to come, distance evidently will con- tinue to be a factor in the social life of the country. The following table indicates the more important causes of death in the rural districts. TA.BLE IX Number of Deaths, Principal Causes of Death, Township Districts, 1909.'' OJ >^ V >^ c V '5 _& u V >-> a; en 5 c S t2 (U u ■5, 1 3 •St CO m .2 3 a. 0, m cfi Butler 44 l6 20 2 2^ II 18 10 25 23 18 13 12 13 26 Darke 88 ,6 40 19 27 12 46 34 34 23 32 17 21 13 17 Wont. 134 4 55 29 116 45 89 69 49 3S 63 56 21 5 36 Preble 33 2 13 5 39 11 28 20 21 14 24 >3 7 2 13 •Reiiovt State Biireiiu of Vital Stntlstles, li)09. ^he country districts are especially afflicted with tuberculosis and pneumonia. Exposure and housing conditions have much to do with this high rate. The death rate from typhoid fever is not high. That the vitality of country people is at a high standard is shown by the age distribution of deaths in township districts."! TABLE X Deaths according to age groups Butler County, Calendar j-ear 1911* Age group No. Per cent. Total 235 56 10 6 62 76 25 Under i '-4 5-14 23.80 4.2*? 2.59 26.38 32.34 10.63 15-59 60-79 80 or above •Compllpcl from iwonN of State Bureau of Vital Statisiie- Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 25 The vitality of the rural population is indicated by the fact that of the total deaths recorded for the year 191 1, 42.97 percent, were 60 years of age and over, and of these, six were past ninety years of age. In this total is not included the deaths occurring at the county infirmary, where out of 13 deaths 2 were past 90, 3 between 80 and 90, 3 between 70 and 80 and 2 between 60 and 70. The others were between 40 and 50 with the exception of one child 2 years of age. The records from the infirmary were not included because the population of the institution comes both from the city agd from the rural communities. The data for Darke County furnishes further evidence of the vitality of the rural population. In the 13 townships studied in that county there were 122 persons over 80 years of age and a much larger number between 70 and 80 years. Outside of the larger cities no special provision is made for care of the sick. These are cared for in their homes. The country people, however, do not find the problem of securing medical attendance the serious one it once was in days when the only means of transportation was by wagon and when if the services of the physician were demanded it was first necessary to drive to the neighboring village to seek for aid. At the present time the telephone and the automobile place the services of competent physicians within twenty minutes' to a half hour's call from the countrj' home. This advantage has removed one of the once serious objections to living in the country. [People living in the country generally prefer caring for their sick in their own homes to having them removed to some distant hospital. In many instances a prejudice exists among them against the hospitals. This is shown by the feeling that hospital treatment is not to be compared to that given by members of one's own family. J The rural communities have very few people who are in actual want. Typical cases of pathological conditions are as follows: In one instance, within sight of a village lives a family composed of father, mother, and four children ranging in age from 5 to 14 years. The father is afflicted with locomotor ataxia, is 47 years of age, and is unable to do any work. The family lives in a shack about 18 by 18 with one room on the ground floor and one room above. 26 Miami "University A small shed is attached to the rear for a kitchen. The mother helps to support the family by taking in washing and by going out to work. The boy, now 14 years of age, is able to assist by farming the i>2 acre garden. The family is in constant danger of becoming a public charge and the surroundings of the home are not suitable for the care of a growing family according to the present standards of living. Another case is that of "two old people, a brother and sister, the former 82 years of age and the latter 70. The brother li\es in a small house by himself and does his own housekeeping while his sister, who is feebleminded, lives in a small eight bj- ten sepa- rate building in the yard. In her little room are a bed, table, stove and chair and such cooking utensils as are necessarj- to supply her simple wants. ' ' Still another case is that of a "family of four who are living in a tumble down house said by the inves- tigator to be equal to the worst to be found in the cities. One of the sons, now a grown man, is insane and the other is feeble- minded. The father is now 81 years old. The wife of the second son is filthy and dirty in appearance." In another instance "an old Irishman and his wife live in a little two roomed log house which has long since sunk its foundation deep into the ground. Both are in dotage and are simply existing awaiting the inevitable end. They are being .supported by a son, single, who works out by the month." These are but a few of the conditions found in the countrj' districts. Generally poverty affects the aged and generally it is to be found in the log house remains of a pioneer civilization. It is a question whether conditions such as these should be permitted to continue simply because the neighbors are ignorant or indifferent or because the cases in any one community are too few to attract public attention. Some county agency should be responsible for the care of these cases and should have the power to prevent violations of decent community standards. In Preble and Butler Counties data as to marriage age were obtained for the entire county, including the cities. The average age of marriage for males is about 24 while that for women is 21. These figures correspond with dates as to age of mothers published by the State Bureau of Vital Statistics. In Butler Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 27 County, of 1400 births registered in 1909, 9 were born to mothers under 17 years of age and 222 to mothers under 21 years of age. In Darke County of 10)32 births, but 4 were to mothers under 17 and 152 to mothers under 21; in Preble County 436 births were recorded, 8 to mothers under 17, and 82 to mothers under 21. There is no evidence available as to whether the age of marriage is rising or falling. The question of morality is one that cannot be discussed with any degree of accuracj'. Certain conditions are suggestive of tendencies. ^omeofthe physicians interviewed commented upon the prev- alence of venereal disease or the effects of it among elements of the rural population. The impression given by them is that diseases of this kind are more prevalent than is generally supposed.^ One indication of conditions is the number of illegitmate biiihs in a district. According to the report of the Bureau of Vital Statistics for the State in 1909, the rates of illegitimacy for the state and for Butler and neighboring counties is as follows: TABLE II Rate Illegilimacy Per 100,000 Population 1909 Division No. Per 100,000 State 47-7 Butler Co. 31-1 Darke Co. 47. u Montgomery Co. 40-3 Preble Co. 25.0 Hamilton City 26.1 Middletown Citv 56.6 Dayton City 4b. LNo relationship between rural conditions and illegitimacy seems to exist in these figure^except that Darke County, with a large portion of its population living in the country districts or the villages has a high rate, and in Butler county the rate for Hamilton, O., is lower than that for the county at large. On the other hand, the rate for Preble County is far below the average for the state and the rate for Middletown city and Dayton is high. 28 Miami Universitv The rate in each of the counties mentioned is below the average for the state. fr /The most careful investigation possible under the circum- stances appears to point conclusively to the fact that moral condi- tions are constantly improving in the rural districts of Butler Countj-and of the other counties mentioned. The decrease of rural population in Ohio does not indicate degeneration, but a rising standard of living for a more limited but financially better equipped population. "7 No better way can be used to present graphically moral tendencies than by quoting the reports of the field agents as to conditions in the several townships, (i) "Saloons v^oted out, dry from four to eight years; more interest in schools; less row- dyism." (2) "Better language; less drinking." (3) "Religious; no graft; little drinking and profane language." (4) "Growing .sentiment against the saloons." (5) "Saloon patronized less, church more." (6) "Few arrests, little drunkenness or rowdyism." In a few of the townships the reports are not so satisfactory. These are in cases where there is some centre of immoral infection. Here "Little interest in church;" "More drinking and profanit}';" "Churches dead;" "Less care for the training of children" is the typical condition. In those communities where the cross road saloon still e.x:ists influence on the life of the communitj' is quite noticeable. In one case in particular, in the neighborhood of one of the larger cities a resort is operated on Saturdays and Sundaj's. Beer is sold without restriction, a dancing platform is maintained and the place is operated without restriction as to age. Here a few of the foreign families congregate for the day's outing. This in itself would not be so objectionable, but the evidence is that the place also becomes the gathering place of the more cor- rupt elements of the .'^ocial life of the neighboring city. Thus the good and the bad are thrown together and the results cannot be helpful to the community. J^n interesting phase of the problem of morality in relation to the religious life of these communities is that while the churches in many instances are losing membership, the tone of the commu- nity is improving. The suggestion is that other fundamental for- ces are at work tending to raise the social standards of the com- Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 29 munities to a higher plane. These forces appear to be (i) the leavening of the rural community through contact with the higher culture of the cities. The crudeness of an earlier civilization ap- pears to be passing away. The better and not the worse elements in the cities appear to exert the greatest influence. The resident in the countr\' district who has had his habits formed and his love of the good fixed before coming into contact with city life copies the good of the urban community. Thus urban culture is grad- ually raising the standards of the country. (2) The greater force with which the moral influence operates in the country through the development of means of communication isolated rudeness disappears before the closer relationships of modern life. (3) The public schools. The introduction several years ago of courses on hygiene, of the study of the evils of the use of liquor has had its effects. The younger generation has been put on its guard against the dangers of many things that were formerly regarded with indifference. (4) The farm magazine and other peri- odicals. (5) The extension work of the colleges and experiment stations. The past few years have witnessed a wonderful ad- vance in the point of view upon life by the country people through the ideas disseminated in the farm journals, and farmers' institutes. Culture is at a higher stage than it once was and the forces at work including the religious agencies are tending to bring it to a still higher level/J ^Housing conditions generally conform to the relative prosper ity of the community J In the southern part of Butler County, for example, the "housing conditions are good. Practically every home has the ordinary household conveniences, many have bath, plumbing in the kitchen, furnace, one of the modern lighting sys- tems, etc. ' ' The newer houses erected in sections of Preble, Darke and Montgomery Counties, where tobacco is raised, have every modern convenience and in many cases are superior to the average city home. In other parts of the section where the more progres- sive farmers live, the homes are also well improved. In some places owing to the fact that the community has been .settled for many years, the houses are old and lack most of the mod- ern improvements, ^n the majority of homes lighting is still 30 Miami University with oil lamps and heating is by means of stoves instead of furnaces. As a rule the houses do not have water or plumbing of any kind, the soft water being drawn from cisterns. Mo.st of the homes, however, are plainly but well furnished with carpets, pictures, curtains, musical instruments and modern equi]v ment for caring for the milk supply. They are generally well kept and the sanitary conditions are good. The principal difficulty is in the lack of protection against the inclemencies of the weather. The death rate from pneumonia in the rural districts is evidence of the effect of this condition^ (Community leadership in southwestern Ohio is generally lack- ing. This lack of leadership seems to be a survival of the extreme individualism which has characterized the life of rural commu- nities in the .state during their entire history J Examples of this individualizing tendency are to be found in the ease with which small village communities could become incorporated; in the ex- treme localization of control of the common or district schools under a locally elected board of directors; in the provision for the formation of special .school districts; in the multiplying of small denominational church units. This influence has broken up the life of the community so that no one man or group of men can be said to be the leaders of the community. The political leaders are a different group from the leaders in the churches; those teach- ers who have done efficient work in the district schools are influ- ential only in their own districts or at lea.st only indirecth* in a larger field through voluntary organization with other teachers. The "Rural Community" can hardh- be said to exist in the .south- western part of the state. There are rural districts but not rural communities. The "Rural Community' ' we are told once existed but owing to changes which have been going on has disappeared. Such social life as exists is found in small exclusive groups and many of these groups have but little in them that promises well for the regeneration of the life of the country. It is difficult to estimate accurately the social forces operating in a rural community. Differences in amount of propert}- owned do not appear to exercise an important influence in breaking uj) the community into classes. The fact of property ownership or Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 31 of being attached to a family that owns property is a guarantee of social standing in the community. With the increase in tenan- try and the change in the tyge of laborers employed some social cleavage becomes evident. "JThe transition to modern profit seek- ing agriculture, however, has had an indirect effect on social life in that it has emphasized the property acquiring motive until it has broken down many of the social tendencies of an earlier time. Families associate less because the struggle for wealth has tended to take more of their time. Increased family isolation accom- panying the struggle has intensified the unsocial tendencies in the country J It speaks well for the rural population that the dividing lines, so far as they exist between groups, are more along lines of ethical standards than along lines of property ownership. For instance, the fact that one individual is a "wet" and another is ' 'dry, ' ' has more to do in determining group sympathy than that the one owns one hundred acres And the other but forty. The dividing lines in rural communities are that one is a frequenter of a saloon while another is not; that one family attends dances while another does not; or that one family is a staunch adherent of the church while another is not; these are of more importance than actual accumulations of wealth. ^his ethical basis of rating friends in the country is distinctly favorable to the rural population and suggests that if the problem of reorganization is undertaken in time much of the evil in standards prevailing in cities may be avoided. Although there is extreme lack of social life, the country is nearer democracy than the cities, and prompt action may make it the leader in the renewal of the democratic spirit .3 No sets or cliques exist other than those which are formed on the perfectly natural basis of clo.se acquaintanceship and friend- ship arising out of co-operation in the work of harvesting crops, of carrying on the work of the church or of the farmers' organi- zation. In many parts of Butler County "thresher's rings" are found. These rings afford a dividing line for invitation to social affairs which gives a group of convenient size for the average country home. These, however, cannot be called cliques in the M U B 8 32 Miami University undesirable sense of the word. In Montgomery and Preble Counties are to be found a number of special religious groups belonging to the Brethren Church. These dress differently from the general community but in most other respects are assimilated into the community. In certain parts of Montgomery County the foreign elements moving into the county have not yet been assim- ilated. The democratic spirit of the country still generally includes the hired help. Hired hands are treated as equals. The demand for help is such that any other treatment would result in not be- ing able to secure any assistance. The only place where there is any tendency to depart from the time honored custom of equal treatment is in those districts where the farmers have accumulated considerable property and where the help is of a foreign or widely different type from the landlords. Here is to be found evidence of class differentiation. So far the farmers as a group do not appear to have developed an effective class consciousness. This lack of recognition of com- mon interests shows itself in the broken social life; in the exclu- sive attention to personal economic advancement regardless of the welfare of the group; in the lack of interest in public affairs; in the lack of interest in co-operative projects; and in the wide- spread dissatisfaction with farm life, especially among the younger people. The farmer shows his attitude toward his work by desiring to train his son or daughter to teach school or to enter a city profession and in his open or secret lack of respect for the young person who, having gone to college, should show himself so unworthy of the confidence placed in him as to return to the farm, /parents thus inadvertently admit that the life of the farmer is in the estimation of the farmer himself of a lower grade than the life of other groups in the community. This lack of commu- nity interest is prevalent in the southwestern part of the state, just as it is in rural communities elsewhere, and the existence of tliis spirit is one of the most serious hindrances to social reorganization. The farmer must come to a realization of the dignity of his labor and of his work; he must recognize that the farmers as a group Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 33 have certain common interests and that these interests must be worked for by the farmers through co-operative effort J /There are certain forces still at work tending to break down the social life of the country districts. Among these are, first, the telephone.^lWhen first introduced the telephone becomes an agency for communication between friends and neighbors. People like to call up their neighbors to try the new invention. So long as the novelty of the telephone exists it is quite popular. What is at first used frequently as a novelty In the end becomes a factor to prevent close personal relationship. The telephone eliminates those friendly personal chats that were almost inevi- table when the farmer had to walk or drive to his neighbors on matters of business. In some cases the telephone may be the means of perma- nentlj' increasing social life, but its influence generally seems to be in the other direction. /The second disintegrating influence is the rural free deli very 3 Once it was necessary to drive to town at least once a week to get the mail and many farmers often found an excuse to go oftener than once a week for the same purpose. Or it might have been a trip to the neighboring country store to get some tobacco and the mail and stop to talk a few minutes with the store keeper or the others gathered around the stove. With the coming of the rural free delivery, with the daily paper from the county seat and with the introduction of the parcel post so that small packages may be carried from home to town for a nominal sum, the older agencies for bringing people together are fewer than ever and unless other forces are brought to bear upon the situation the life of the farmer will be still more isolated. The farmer's relation to the city and the outside world is closer than to his neighbor on the adjoining farm. '25.2 3.5 14 M14 4 7 lOO.O 40.0 -»4oo A20.0 The data for Darke County show that the total percentage of country churches either standing still or losing ground is greater than that of the "town-country" group. The percentage of ' 'town-counry' ' churches actually losing ground is greater for the churches in this county than for the country churches. This is accounted for in part by the fact that the two types of churches are more nearly on an equality as to resident pastor, there being thirteen resident pastors in the country districts in Darke County as against none at all in Butler County. However, eleven of these belong to the old order Brethren churches and do not correspond to the professional pastor of the modern church. The change in church membership of the people in the country is shown also by the results of a study of church affilia- tions in three townships of Butler and Preble Counties, O. The following table shows the distribution of membership according to age, by totals and by sex: 46 Miami University table xiv Distribution Persons according to Age and Sex. Age Group Number Per cent. Total Male Female Total Male Female Total 2069 810 297 962 152 501 1035 428 145 462 loo.o 39° 14.6 46.4 100 36.9 14-3 48.8 20 and under. . . 21 to 29 30 and over 41 4 14-1 44-5 TABLE XV Distribution Church Members according to Age and Sex. Age Group Number Per cent. Total Male Female Total Male Female Total 729 154 1.36 439 379 71 68 240 450 83 68 299 100. 21.1 18.8 60.1 100. 18.7 18.0 633 20 and under 21 to 29 18.4 15 2 66.4 30 and over These figures, while limited in the field represented, are significant in that they indicate a fundamental movement going on in the age of those belonging to the church. The percentages show that while 39 per cent, of the group studied are imder 21 3-ears of age, but 21 per cent, of the church members belong to this group while over 60 per cent, of the church members belong to the group over 30 years of age which represents but 46.4 per cent, of the population studied. Almost three times as large a proportion belong to the second group as to the first. These figures apply to both men and women. As a matter of fact it appears that the change in relative proportions is affecting the female population more seriously than the male. 18.7 per cent, of all the male members reported belong to the group under 21 years of age while but 36.9 per cent, of the males be- long to this group. On the other hand, 18.4 per cent, of the females belong to this group as to membership while over 41 per cent, of all the women belong to this group. Those 30 years of age and over show a larger comparative proportion of women be- RCRAL SCRVEY IN SOUTHWESTERN OhIO 47 longing to the church. It maj* be that modern life is bringing inter- ests to women that compete with the church for their attention more than they once did, thus bringing men and women more on a basis of equality- as to the influence of the church upon them. CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IN INVERSE RATIO TO DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION MEMBERSHIP DISTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO AGE 30AND0VER,-60.1% UNDER 30,-39.9% POPULATION DISTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO A6E,1900 30AND0VER,-48.8% 10 TO 30,- 51.2% J Is the Church reaching the young people? When the.se results are compared with the distribution of the population according to age their significance is further empha- sized. Of the 57,500,000 people 10 years of age and over in the United States in 1900, 51.2 per cent, were under 30 j'ears of age and 48.8 per cent, were over 30 years of age. Less than 27 per cent, of all the persons studied in the group under 30 years of age were church members while 45.6 per cent, of the group 30 \-ears and over were members of the church. JXhe indications are that the membership of the church is like an inverted pjramid. The question inevitably rises as to what will be the status of church membership when the present 27 per cent, pass into the group of those 30 years of age and over. The evidence as to the age at which church membership is recruited further emphasi/.es the im- portance of these figures. O £398 cases for which data were obtained iM V B 4 48 Miami University in Butler County 309 joined the church while still under 21 years of age; 65 between 20 and 31; and but 24 after having reached the age of 31. 77 6 per cent, of all come into the church at the period of life where the evidence shows the falling in church membership is most marked. Truh' the problem of the church is a serious one and if the coming generation is to be saved by the church, means must be devised to reach the young people as they are passing through the critical period of their religious experi- ence. I A number of conditions exist which cause this tendencj-. In the first place the village ministers in Butler County receive on an average $776.00 per year salary while the country- minister is receiving $528.00. Again not a single countrj^ church in Butler County reported a resident pastor while 35 of the village churches had resident pastors. The village church also has the advantage of having a larger number of services per month. In 65 per cent, of the village churches in Butler Count}- services are held weekly while in nearly 65 per cent, of the rural churches services are held not more then once in two weeks. In Darke County 41.6 percent, of the "town-country" churches have services weekly while but 24 per cent, of the country churches have weekly ser- vices. Further, 30 per cent, of the village churches in Butler County have a minister on full time while not a single country church is so supplied. The ministers who serve the rural charges are in general about as well prepared as those who serve in the village. The number of denominations represented in the country districts is also of importance. Exclu.sive of the colored congre- gations which are made up very largeh" of village and cit},- resi- dents there are eleven different denominations represented b>' church buildings and organized societies in Butler Count.\-. Thev are Baptist, Congregational, Christian, Catholic, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist Episopal, Mennonite, German Reformed, Presbyterian, United Presbyterian, and United Brethren. In thirteen townships of Darke Count.\- there were 17 different de- nominations represented, as follows: United Brethren, Christian, Church of the Brethren, Methodist Episcopal, Universalist, Old RuRAi, Survey in Southwestern Ohio 49 Order German Baptist, Reformed, Presbj-terian , Lutheran, Dis- ciple, Mennonite, Wesleyan M. E. , Baptist, African M. E., York- ers or Amish Church of Christ, Brethren in Christ. In 9 town- ships of Montgomery County, 16 denominations were found as follows: Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Lutheran, Christian, United Brethren, Reformed, Progressive Brethren, Brethren in Christ, Old Order Brethren, Catholic, Conservative Brethren, Radical United Brethren, Liberal United Brethren, Evangelical, Menn- onite, Presbyterian. These churches were organized and located not in reference to the social needs of the community at large, but in reference to the desires of a certain portion of the communit}-. The accompan3'ing map page 50 indicates the results of this indiscriminate planting of churches in accord with the demands of a limited number of the community. This map shows that the churches have been located generally in places considered most convenient for the membership of the resj^ective denominations. The tendenc)- has been to ])lant the church buildings in the villages. The result of this tendenc}' is that a number of churches of different denominations are located in the same communitj' and there is a consequent over-churching of that community. In other instances, not so frequent, one finds l)arts of the county in which no church is within convenient driv- ing distance of the i^eople. The map is also intended to show where the preachers live. It is significant that of all the preachers serving rural congregations in Butler Count>', fourteen come into the count}- from outside. Some of them have their residence in Cincinnati, some in Da>-ton and others in the neighboring counties. In but one in.stance did the minister live in the open country. In this instance; the minister was also engaged in operating a farm and li\-ed just outside the limits of a village, several miles distant from the parish he served. The location of the church and the residence of the ministers both suggest problems which it appears must be dealt with in a construc- tive \va\' before the country church can ho]5e to be of the greatest .service to the communit}'. Owing to the fact that membership in any church is not limited to the town.ship in which that church is located, accurate Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 51 data as to the proportion of the population that belongs to the church cannot be given. However, the following table will suggest the approximate situation since what is lost to churches outside the district will be to a large extent balanced by outside membership in churches within the district. The total church membership in relation to population in the townships studied in Butler, Darke and Montgomery Counties is as follows: Ttable xvi] ■^ Rural Church Membership in Relation to Total Population County Total Membership Rural Population Per cent. Membership of Population Butler 10 townships "TDarke 13 townships ** Montgomery 9 townships 4229 5951 6904 15333 20248 29145 -•27.6 -•29.4 •»20.2 These conclusions from the institutional survej- corresjiond with results of the house to house canvass made in typical communities. The data as to the condition of Sunday Schools in the coun- ties for which data was obtained is as follows: TABLE XVII Sunday Schools But'.er and Darke County Total number of Sunday Schools Number having services 12 months Number churches without Sunday Schools.. Number Sunday Schools without churches . Number Sunday Schools in villages Number of Sunday Schools in country Average enrollment per Sunday School . . . Average attendance per Sunday School .... Per cent, of attendance of total enrollment. Butler Darke 43 57 41 S3 9 6 I 36 28 9 29 68.5 82.4 45-1 54.8 66.2 66.5 The number of persons enrolled in the Sunday Schools of the count\' as compared with the total population or with the average membership of the churches is small. The data as to the distribu- tion of members according to their rank in the Sunday School as given in tables XVIII and XIX indicates that the proportion of children compared with the adult membership is .small. 52 Miami University The data for 15 "village " and 4 "rural" Sunday Schools in Butler County which reported their enrollment b>- grade.s are as follows: TABLE XVIII Sunday School Enrolment Grade Beginners Primary Junior Intermediate .... Seniors Adults Total enrolment. Average "Town -Country" 1 Total Enrol- Per ment Cent. 173 14-81 104 189 Q.O 16.2 ■59-7 229 I9-7J 254 2'. 8 215 18.5 1 1 64 100. : 77 7 Country" Total Enrol- Per ment Cent. 29 17 30 49 65 61 H.51 19-5. 25 9 24.4 251 62.7 100.0 In the "village" churches a larger proportion of the young people are reached. The per cent, of children in the grades below the senior in the "village" is 59.7 while in the "rural" it is but 49.7. The intermediate enrolment in both cases is about the same, which would indicate that during the critical period of Sunda}' School life the "rural" church has about the same advantages as the "village." The average total enrolment of the Sunday Schools that reported their enrolment by grades is above the average for all the Sunda}' Schools in the count>-. RuKAT, Survey in Southwestern Ohio 53 The corresponding data for Darke County are as follows; TABLE XIX Enrolment Thirteen "Town-Country" and Fourteen "Country" Sunday Schools, Darke County Grade 'Town-Country' Total Beginners Primary Junior Intermediate Senior Adult Total P^nrolment Average Enrolment Enrol- ment 142 192 170 243 146 272 1165 89 Per Cent. 12.2 1 20 8J 12 6 23-3 "Country" Total Enrol- ment Per Cent. 82 6.01 240 17-4 1 236 17. 1 1 229 16.6 j 209 15-2 382 27.7 378 lOO.O 98 157. Conditions in Drake County are similar to those in Butler Count.\-. The graded country schools have a higher average enrolment than do the town-countr>- schools. A larger percentage of the enrolment in Darke County is in lower grades. In Montgomer>- Count>- there was an average attendance of 3855 for 48 Sunday Schools. This was an average of 80 students per school. 71 per cent, of these as compared with 64 per cent, or less in other counties are enrolled in the senior or adult classes. The activities of the church outside of the regular church service and the Sunda>- Schools are to be found principally in connection with the j-oung people's societies and the societies for women. The following table shows conditions as to organization in a total of 52 churches considered in Butler County and 62 in Darke County. 54 Miami University Church Organizations other than Sunday Schools Organization. Number Butler 1 Darke ^Xo. of churches considered i No. young people's organizations No . women's organizations 52 ' 62 26 29 47 ; 35 No . other organizations No. churches without any organization - No. without any organziation foryoungpeople No. without any organization for women No. without any organization for men 4 3 32 14 52 37 31 61 The characteristic feature of this table is the almost entire absence of men's organization and the predominance' of organizations for women. The number of women's organiza- tions is almost double the number for 3'oung people. Onlj- three churches report no organizations of anj' kind. The social activities of these organizations is shown in the following table: TABLE XXI Social Activities of Church Organizations Type of organization Young people's organizations. Membership Average membership Total No. socials reported . . . . Socials for pay Not giving socials Women's organizations. Membership Average membership. . Socials Socials for pay Not giving socials Men's organizations. Other organizations. Membership No. socials No. socials for pay . . 'Town-country" "Country" Butler County 23 517* 27.2 32 13 39 930 1 27-3 8r 76 13 3 6.^ o o Darke County 15 345 17 4 24 394 17 17 Butler County 3 78 26 I I 2 134 18 17 '3 4 2 45 4 Darke County 14 243 4 I II 174 12 12 ♦ 19 societies T S4 societies J 2 soc'ietie.s Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 03 It should be noted that in all the different societies the number of socials for pay reported form a large proportion of the total. This is particularly true of the social functions of women's organizations. Of 98 socials reported 93 were for pay in the ' 'town- country ' ' group and of 29 reported for the country group 2 5 were for pay. The number of socials for pay is not so large in the young people's social life. But one men's organization was reported. The figures indicate that in the smaller communities the social life of the church is subordinated to the task of financing the work of the church. The distribution of church expenses in the counties where such data were obtained is very similar. TABLE XXII Distribution of Expenses Per cent. For what expended Total Pastor's salary . . Benevolences . . Sunday School Other expenses. B utler Co. (28 churches) 100 55 6 17 2 5 : 22 I Darke Co. "Town-couii'.ry' {26 churches) 100.0 53-3 17.8 "■3 17.6 ' Country" (36 churches) 1 00.0 54 •« 19.4 11.9 13 9 The marked variation in the two counties is the relatively large amount of money spent for the Sunday School in Darke County. ^A consideration of the statistics of churches in southwestern Ohio as a whole leads to the conclusion that the church in the open country is slowly but surely losing ground and that in many of the villages the church is following in the same path. J As between the two the village church appears to have the advantage in the strug- gle and the data are sufficiently striking to suggest that the solu- tion of the country church problem is the encouragement of the congregation located in the village and the ultimate abandonment ofthe church in the open country. This movement toward thevil- Miami I^xia-krsitv PROVISION FOR TEAMS AS WELL AS MEN Horsesheds, Methoilist Kpiscopal Church, Darrtown, Oliio. lage as the centre of the rehgious as well as of the educational and social life of the community will probably continue in most sections. In the consideration of the problem of readjustment of the church to the life of the community the question has arisen as to whether it should be in the direction of formation of union churches or the abandonment of the organization of certain denominations and the union of all the ])eople in one remaining denominational organization. The data secured indicate that the latter policy will yield the better results. The union church has no affiliations with the larger church life of the nation or of the world and is in danger of losing all incentive to progress. A few typical instances will illustrate the problem presented. "Onechurch ( Butler County ) , isniadeupof Methodists. Bap- tists, Presbyterians, and Christians. At first the Baptists were the strongest and took matters in charge and everything went well. Now the Christians are a little the .strongest but they (the church) RuRAi. Survey in Southwestern Ohio 57 are a little more equally divided than formerly. There has been no preaching service for two years. The Sunday School is also losing in membership." In this case it would probably be better if the union organization, which today has no direct connection with outside life of any large organization, were abandoned and the district assigned to one of the regular denominations by agree- ment of the church boards. Union services carried on by two denominations in the same community have worked successfully in a number of instances. At one centre (Butler County), the United Presbyterian and Meth- odist Episcopal churches have been holding union services for the past fifteen years. These are held alternately in the two churches and the most cordial feeling has always existed. This cordiality has been attributed in large part to the presence of a pastor of one of the churches who has been a resident of the town for many years and who enjoys the confidence of all the people. In this case affiliation with both larger organizations is maintained. In another instance two churches (Lutheran and Methodist Episcopal) have conducted a Union Sunday School for about twenty years with good success. Services are held in one church for one Sunday and in the other on the next. The superintendent is elected according to qualifications regardless of church affiliations. The supplies of one church are used for six months and then the sup- plies of the other are purchased. Some years ago, one of the pastors is said to have attempted to break up this harmonious relation by the organization of a separate Sunday School, but the people refused to abandon their union organization. At one time, when one of the church buildings was partially destroyed, many of the leaders of the two churches wished to have all members of the community use the same church building, but sectarianism on the part of the pastors was too strong to permit this movement toward a community church. At the present time the village has two pastors, neither of whom lives in the community, and neither of whom receives a large enough salary to justify him in devoting his entire time to this charge. Both churches when considered in the light of ten years ago have been losing ground. The conclusion appears to be inevitable that the church lite of the communit 58 Miami University would be placed on a much stronger basis if one of the churches were abandoned and the divided salaries were united into one for the payment of a minister who could live in the community and become the permanent pastor of the entire countryside. Another instance of a somewhat similar tj'pe is in two neigh- boring villages, each of which has a Methodist and a Presb3'terian church. In one of the villages lives the Methodist minister and in the other the Presbyterian minister, each of whom has two charges, one located in each village. It happens that the particu- lar charge of each minister is the strongest in the village in which he lives. The effort has been made to get the weak church of each denomination to close and join with the stronger church, thus enabling the pastor in each instance to devote all his time to a single organization. In this case the sentiment of the people is still too strong to permit the union of churches into a commu ■ nity oganization. In still another instance a Presbyterian, a United Brethren and a General Reformed church are located in a village too small to be incorporated. None of the churches are •Strong, and all have non-resident pastors. Enough salar}- is sent out of the community to these men to justify the selection of a good resident pastor, if the three group.s would get together. The first step in the movement toward the community church is the education of the people to the realization that religions con- ditions in many of our communities are the result of ideals that existed in a period when people still placed great emphasis upon dogmatic statements of religious belief. Only the firm belief that Methodism or Presbyterianism or Baptistism was the true religion could have justiefid the the duplication of plants in communi- ties not large enough to support one as it should have been sup- ported. It is only too true that even yet some of the leaders of our churches actually believe and teacfi that the brand of religion repre. sented by their particular organization is the only one that will in- sure a safe entrance into the heavenly kingdom. Happily, how- ever, the number of ministers who have larger views is increasing, and this increase promises a more prosperous and more efficient future for the church. Rural Strvey in Southwestern Ohio 59 The leaders of some of our churches must also recognize that the church exists for the people and not the people for the church. The time has passed when the mass of the people believe that the church holds over them such a power of life and death that uialess they conform to its demands they will be eternally damned. Like all other institutions it must fill a real need in the commu- nity life. It is the place of the church to reach the people and to take the lead in the moral and social uplift of the community. Another problem that faces the country church has been brought about by the development of trolley lines and the use of automobiles. In many cases the trolley line and the automobile take to the neighboring city the families most capable financially and leave to the country church those who are not so able to support a strong ministry. This tends toward the progressive destruction of the life of the country church. In many cases, the abandonment of the country church from this cause does not bring with it a corresponding increase in the membenship of the citj' church, because many families, willing to go to church in the country, do not as yet feel at home in thee ity church and consequently drop out of the church and neither the parents nor their children have the benefit of church life. ^The problem of abandoned churches is one that has aroused much interest in recent years. So far as the investigation was able to determine Butler County has at least 27 abandoned churches within its limits. 3 These chuches are located as follows: TABLE XXIII Abandoned Churches, Butler County Township Number Total Fairfield . Liberty . , Madison . Milford . , Lemon . . Oxford . Reily St. Clair. Waynft. . 27 3 3 6 I I 5 2 2 4 Denominations represented M. E., U. B., Univ. M. E., U. B., Baptist M. E., U. B., Bapt.,Prim. Bapt., Ger. Ref. M. E. Baptist M. E., Baptist Baptist, Univ. Mennonite, Luth., Reformed M. E., U. B., Ref., Luth. 6o Miami University The other counties report a somewhat smaller number of abandoned organizations. Recent discussions in the periodicals in regard to abandoned churches have had a tendency to lead the general reader to look upon church abandonment in a more serious light than it really deserves. The fact that at least 27 churches in Butler Counts- have been abandoned might be considered of itself a serious matter , but when taken in connection with other conditions it is found to be in most cases an evidence of progress rather than of retrogression in social and religious life. A brief statement as to the cause of abandonment of several of these churches will indicate the real .significance of the movement. In Oxford township there once existed 4 different Methodist churches that no longer have any place in the religious life of the community. One of these was abandoned, it is said, about 55 years ago, another about 45 years ago, still another about 35 years ago, and the last about 20 years ago. In each case the abandonment of the church was coincident with the shifting of population and with the growth of means of transportation enab- ling the members to affiliate with larger organizations. The other church in the township which has been abandoned was a primitive Baptist organization within the limits of Oxford. The passing away of the old members and the failure of the new ones to take their places finally forced the disbanding of the church. The same story is told of several other organizations that at one time met a need in the conimunits' but owing to changed conditions lost their influence. Some of the German congregations have been displaced b\- a >ounger generation of English .speaking peo- ple and the old church has been abandoned. In other cases the membership find it more convenient to attend another church of the same denomination and the older organization is disbanded. In some cases the shifting of population bringing in people of another religious faith has gradualh' cau.sed the old church to lose its hold. In many instances the abandonment of churches has not meant a decline of religious spirit but merely a shifting of influence from one denomination to another. The modern decline in church influence is related to cau.ses much more fundamental Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 6i and serious than the causes that are accountable for the abandoned churches. In a few instances the churches were abandoned because of internal dissensions, but the evidence is that in the majority of cases the abandonment was made in the interest of a larger relig- ious life elsewhere. In times past the church stood preeminently as the represen- tativeof the moral and religious forces of the communit\-, but in modern times other agencies have come to the front and much of this increase in general culture is to be attributed directly to the public schools and the leavening influence of means of commun- ication which have brought the countr>- districts into touch with the culture of the cities. One illustration will indicate the demand for social life in the country and the opportunity for the church to do a positive social service. An abandoned Methodist Episcopal church in Butler Countj' has been used for a dance hall during the summer seasons. Here ever}- two weeks the j^oung people, and the older ones too, of the communit>- have come together. The gathering has been stricth- rural and has been conducted along lines that have merited the approbation of the best people in the community. Men who would hesitate to go to their neigh- bor's house for a visit went to the dance hall because it was a semi-public place where the>- could meet others on a basis of equality. fi^he suggestion from this incident is that the country people are demanding more of the social in their lives; that this social demand will find expression in some way or other or the people will move to the city; that the church, which has to the present time contented itself with the pra>'er meeting and the church service as the principal means of grace, has before it a golden opportunit>- to enter into the life of the community, and to lead the community to look upon it as the agenc>' for increasing its happi- ness in every way that is conducive to moral, .social and religious uplift. The church has the opportunity to make it.self the .social centre of the communit\-. If it does not embrace this opportunity now, the .school will in time take the field and the church will have lo.st one of its greatest opportunities for usefulness. J 62 MlA^II T'Nn-J-.RSITY A COMMUNITY CENTER Abandoned ^lethodist Episcopal Churcli, Butler Co. Oluo. Used as a dance hall. The e\'icletice indicates that so far as the cluirches are con- cerned it would be advisable for an interdenominational committee to be formed in the count>" or district to go o^•er the church situ- ation and to recommend to the respecti\'e cluirch conferences, a policy of reorganization and reconstruction. These policies should 1)6 agreeable to the denominations concerned and a cam- paign of education should be carried on among the people to show them the neces,sit\ of taking hold of the problem in a constructive way in order to save the church as a u.seful institution in countr\ life. The church, the school, and the farmers' organ- izations are all e.ssential to the best life of the communit^•, and conditions should be made most fa\-orable for the thriftv growth of each of these institutions. CHAPTER IV The Rural School The rural population generalh" has had the opportunity to secure the rudiments of an education. Table 24 gives the total illiterac\' of the combined rural and urban populations of each of the four counties — Butler, Preble, Darke, and Montgomery-, for the year 19 10. The data as to rural illiteracy are not published separatel\' by the United States Census. TABLE XXIV Illiteracy, Persons 10 years old and over, 1910 County 'iotal Illiterate Butler Darke Moutiiouiery Preble 1044 3465 988 407 Native White Foreign Born While Negro 527 335 683 "55 347 42 283 1646 167 30 22 655 Although in comparison with the total population of the different counties these figures for illiteracy seen unimportant, >et when one considers the relativeh' very large proportion of the illiterate who are children of parents born and raised in America, the conclusion must be that there are serious defects in our edu- cational system. In each case except that of Preble Count}- the illiterate of the foreign born population and of the colored race forms a large part of the total. Intensive study of school conditions was made in Butler county only, and in di.scussing educational condition.s it is thought best to present the data collected for this county as typical of the entire .section. Other agencies have frequently described the consoli- dated schools which are gradually being introduced. The dis- cussion in this report will be devoted principall}- to the sub-district schools and to the relation of secondar}- education in the country to the district school system. 63 n r B 5 64 Miami University A description of. the school situation in Butler count\' will require in part a discussion of conditions that are passing awa>'. Many phases of material equipment are representative of a time when but little attention was paid to the ph}-sical environment of the child and when the financial ability of the districts was not sufficient to enable the patrons of the school to furnish the equip- ment demanded b}' modern life. A statement of the facts as to present conditions is necessary as a basis for determining whether the changes to be made in the next few j'ears shall be in the direction of following out present school policies or whether the several townships shall adopt some sj'stem of centralization or consolidation of schools. According to the reports of the State Commission of Schools for the year ending 191 1 there were 97 elementary and i high school township districts in the county and 28 elementary and 6 high school separate districts. The present investigation covered 93 districts including 3 special districts and i high school. The total number of schools reporting on each of the several points included in the investigation is noted. Practically all the buildings are of brick. Of 90 schools reporting 86 were of brick and 4 were of wood. Most of the buildings are still in good condition. 74 of 88 buildings reported had but X room, 8 had 2 rooms, 4 had 3 and 2 had 4 or more. 85 of the 93 buildings were reported as having light from both sides of the building. Of 87 schools 69 reported heating with unjack- eted stoves, 5 with jacketed stoves and 13 with furnace. Of the 1 3 reporting furnaces 7 were 2 room structures and 5 were i room. I school with furnace did not report number of rooms. 83 schools reported non-adjustable single seats and 3 reported adjust- able seating. Of 85 schools 49 reported cloak rooms and 36 re]iorted none. The evidence from these figures is that the little red school house with light from all sides, with old-fashioned seats not adap- ted to the student, with stove that is too hot for those near it and too cold for those at a distance from it, is still the prevailing type of building. The one modern feature that appears to have been Ri'KAi, SrkVEv IX SouTinvKSTERx Ohio 65 introduced into the newer tjuildings is the cloak room. Over half of the buildings have this extra equipment. rTIlJTY \'ERSrS BliAUTY Coal shed mars jin otherwise fitlractive school yard. The outside e(|uipnient presents a remarkable uniformitx-. Sr of the scliools re|)ort wells. Practically all the country schools ha^■e outside toilets. These in nearly all cases are separate for the sexes and in 74 out of So cases they are reported as decenth' placed. The difficulty with the outside toilet in the country school is that it is hard to keep in a sanitary condition. In a numljer of instances tlie toilets were not clean and the walls were covered with obscene writing and drawing. £In at least one case the old t\ pe double building with one apartment for the bovs and an other for the girls still exists. This is a survival of an earlier period and like all the other relics of a past age, would do credit to the community if it were removed. In another instance, either the entrance to the school building is from 66 Miami University ONE OF THE BEST COUNTRY SCHOOUS IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO Consolidated school, Jackson Towiisliip, Preble County, Ohio. the back yard or the outbuildings are in the front yard. In either ca.se, the crudity of builders at an earlier period and their willingness to sacrifice the beautiful to the con^-enient is exemplified. The same tendency to sacrifice the aesthetic lo the useful is to be found in the custom of placing the coal shed in the front yard of the school grounds. In nianv cases, otherwise attracti\-e school grounds ha\-e their beautv permanently marred by the coal shed standing in the foreground^ Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 67 The data as to the size of the school grounds are as follows: TABLE XXV Size of School Grounds Number of schools having Number Per Cent Total Less than i acre 88 12 69 7 64 (included in 69 above ) 100. 13.6 78.4 8.0 0,0 I or under 2 acres 2 or under 3 3 or more Reported as having i acre 59 out of 80 were reported as fenced; 46 out of 61 as having good walks; 84 as having trees; only 6 were reported as having flower beds. In general the grounds are very satisfactory as to topography and natural possibilities for beautification. The rolling ground in Butler County lends itself especially to the artist's task. The figures as to the size of the grounds indicate that the average country school was planned under the influence of radically different ideals than those which prevail in rural education at the present time. 76 out of 88 or over 86 per cent, are reported as having one acre or less of ground for the school building. The progressive country school of the future which hopes to utilize the school as a practice ground for teaching the principles of agriculture and for experimental work under the direction of the instructor must provide more ground for laboratory pur- poses. The country people must soon decide whether it will be cheaper to buy from ten to forty acres of ground for each district school or whether it will be better to equip a central plant efficiently and abandon the equipment which found its origin in earlier ideals of education. The equipment inside the school buildings does not compare with similar rooms in the villages or cities. In many cases the rooms are in poor repair and there is but little attempt to keep them in attractive condition. 57 out of 71 of the schools report pictures of .some kind on the walls. These are generally histori- 68 Miami University cal, biographical or representations of natural scenery. 14 schools reported no decorations of any kind on the walls. 72 out of 81 report globes, 71 out of 80 report maps, 76 out of 81 report charts, 9 out of 77 report an organ, and 2 out of 70 report a piano. The library equipment of 72 schools reporting is as follows: TABLE XXVI Library Equipment Nuiiiber of Books Number Total Schools None reported . . . Under 50 50 or under 100 . 100 or under 150 , 150 or under 200 200 or over 72 18I 28 f 12 9 2 3 Plt Cent. 63 9 16.7 2.6 4 3 This table shows that the library equipment of the inajoritN- oE country schools is not at all adequate to the demands of a modern system of education. While it is impossible to give an accurate .statement of the value of the libraries, the estimates of the teachers placed the great majority of them under $25.00 and many of them under $10.00. The class of books embrace ency- clopedias, historj', biograph3% fiction, and an occasional text on agriculture. A number of the libraries contain books intended specifically as reading supplementary to the studies. There is but little difference in the number of men and women emplo>-ed in the township districts of the county. In 191 1 there were 52 males and 63 females employed in the elemen- tar\- townshi]! .schools. Data were not secured as to the grades of cer- tificates carried b\- all the teachers, but the educational standard is indicated b\- the proportion of certificates of the different grades granted during 1911 by the county board of examiners. RfRAL Survey in Southwestern Ohio 69 TABLE XXVII Educational Preparation of Teachers, Buller County, 1910-1911. Number of Certificates Ciranteil Total l-'or 8 years. " 5 years. ■' 3 years. " 2 years. " I )'ear.. Males Females Total 70 118 188 2 3 5 4 4 8 24 3.S 59 40 76 116 Per Cent. lO.OD 2.7 0.0 4.2 3[-4 61.7 61.7 iJer cent, of the total number of certificates were granted for I \ear and 93. i per cent, for not to exceed two 3'ears. The relative!)- larger proportion of lower grade certificates points to the fact that the teaching force is made up largel)- of two groups, i.e., those who are in the teaching profession only as a temporary occupation and those who have entered the profes.sion without adequate preparation for the work. CERTIFICATES GRANTED TO TEACHERS BUTLER Co. 1911 arRCERTIFICATES,2r% 3yR. CERTIFICATES, 42,% ^Y(?.CERTinCATE5, 314^ lYR. CERTIFICATES, 617% Nearly two-thirds for one year only. That the educational preparation of the teachers is not so low as is indicated b)- the record of examinations is shown by the fact that out of 71 teachers reporting 48 had a high school, nor- mal or college diploma. In a number of cases the teachers were 70 Miami University reported as having been taking courses in summer schools. ProlD- ably the rapid change in the personnel of the teaching force has more to do with the low record made on examinations than deficienc}' in scholastic preparation. High school courses, how- ever, do not fit prospective teachers to pass examinations with high marks. The low standard of educational qualifications of the teachers will be eliminated in large part bj- the ultimate consolidation of school districts and the centralization of the financial energy of the communit}- upon a smaller number of teachers working in a more advantageous environment. Another factor of importance in the relation of the teacher to the schools is the number of changes from school to school. Of 35 schools for which data were obtained the record of changes for a five >-ear jieriod was as follows: (22 cases were for five years including the engagements for the year 1912-13, 13 cases for the five years ending June 19 12.) TABLE XXVIII Changes in Teaching Force Schools hav- ing in 5 years Number Per Cent. I 2 3 4 5 6 teacher leachers 2 II 10 9 2 I 5 31 28 25 5 2 100 7 4 6 teachers 7 7 ± Over one-third of the schools have had four or more teach- ers in the five year period. Sixtj- per cent, have had two or three teachers in the period; while in only 5.7 per cent, of the cases did the teachers remain for the full period. One of the most serious difficulties to be met by a teacher in the district school is the number of recitations iiecessar}- owing to the number of grades to be controlled by one teacher. For sixty- sex-en schools reporting the average number of recitations per da>- is twent\--eight. The recitation period rarely exceeds fifteen Ri-RAL Survey in Southwestern Ohio 71 minutes and in many cases is not so long as that. Countr}- teachers soon learn to run three or four classes at the same time in order to get through with the day's work. The following table will .show the distribution of schools according to the number of recitation periods per day: TABLE XXIX Recitation Period's per Day Number of recitations Total Under 20 20 or under 25 . 25 or under 30 30 or under 35 35 or under 40 . 40 or more No. of schools 1 Per Cent. reporling 67 1 100. 4 1 6.0 13 1 19.4 25 37-3 15 22.4 6 8.9 4 1 6.0 The larger proportion of the schools have a number of recita- tions of twenty-five or under thirty per day. 37.3 percent, have thirt\- or more recitations per da}-. Four schools report over forty recitations jier day. The growing curriculum of the country school has had its complement in the decreasing length of the recitation period and the increasing number of recitations. This tendency can onh- end in the breakdown of the efficiency of the school. This is particularh- true in cases when it is taught by a graduate from a village school where the number of recitation ])eriods per day is much more limited. Decrease in population in the rural districts has seriously affected school attendance. In Butler County during the year 191 1- 1 2 there were at least 1 7 schools which had an average attendance of ID or less. Three schools had an average attendance of five or le.ss \-et these teachers received the regular salar\' of $55 to $60 jier month and required the usual expenditures for repairs to building, fuel, etc. Only an unorganized system of rural educa- tion such as exi.sts in the State of Ohio would permit such condi- tions to continue. As compared with other parts of the .state the salaries of country teachers in Butler County are above the average. In the last few years there has been a gradual rise in salaries. Ten \ears 7-' Miami Unu'ersitv ago 3S out of a total of 55 teachers reported recei\-ed from $45 to J50 per month, while at the present time 66 out of 92 reporting receive $55 to S60 per month. The situation is such, however, that a permanent and most efficient teaching force cannot be secured without such an increa.se in salary as most district commu- nities would not feel ju.stified in paying. ORGANIZED RECREATION MONTGOMERY COUNTY Y. M. C. A. More than 3U0 boys ami ^u's 'participaled in ]il.\y dt'nionstration for coiuitry school teacliers in Montgomery County nniltr auspices of V. M. C A. 27 new games taught. No data were secured as to the number of teachers who reside within the school district while the school is in session. It is a matter of common knowledge, however, that in the vast majority of cases the onl\- point of contact the teacher has with the district is during school hours. The teacher does practically nothing in assuming the leadership of the communitx in the larger work of Rural Survey in vSouthwestern Ohio 73 social betterment. The courses of study in the school have but little direct relation to the life of the communitj- and as a result the parents have but little interest in what is taught in the schools. Owing to recent legislation in the state providing for the teaching of agriculture in the public schools the rural schools are now attempting to teach the subject from two to five periods per week. In a few cases, particularly in Reily Township, Butler County, effort has been made to introduce vegetable and flower gardening during the spring months. Verj' little has been accomplished throughout the county generalh' in this direction. There is practically no formal instruction in music, drawing, manual training, or domestic .science in any of the country schools and the teaching of hygiene in many cases consists of formal dis- cussion of the framework of the body with a minimum of instruc- tion as to jDersonal hygiene, foods, household sanitation, etc. Evidenth' the time has come for a radical revision of the curri- culum of the countr\- school and a change of emphasis upon the relative importance of the material taught. Schools in the township districts of the county are in session on an average of 35 weeks in the year. Pupils still generally walk to and from school although there is now a tendency on the part of some of the parents to drive to school with the little ones in extremely bad weather. This ten- denc\- has become more pronounced since the older children have been transferred to the high schools. The play activities of the children and the relation of the teacher to them are of importance because of the emphasis now being placed upon play as an educational agenc\-. As yet in the countr\- .schools little provision is made of apparatus for play such as is to be found in the schools of the villages or larger cities. In 45 out of 61 cases reporting the teacher played with the children. In a number of the.se the teacher plaj^ed verj- little. The standard games played are "ball," "blackman," and "dare- base. ' ' Thirt\-one schools reported ' 'ball' ' as one of their games, twent.N'-four "blackman," and fourteen "dare-base." In numbers var>ing from one to four each the following games are reported and are noted here to show the variety of games that find an 74 Miami University occasional place in the countr}- community. "Cricket," "Hide and Seek," "Flinch," "Drop the Handkerchief," "Blindman," "Sta J- in School," "Football," "Skating," "Fox and Geese," "Ten Stop," "Crack the Whip," "Marble," "Miller Boy," "Catcher," "Rabbit," "Wolf," "Wood-tag," "Deer," "Blind- fold," "Shinney," "Sixty," "Anthony Over." No one school reported all of these but all are to be found in one school or another in Butler County and doubtless if an exhaustive study of the games were to be made man>- more would be discovered. The fact that the greater number of pupils adhere to a few standard games indicates that in general there is but little incentive toward novelty in play in the country- community. Children are not interested in learning the details of new games but in master- ing the art of pla>ing the old ones well. Owing to changes in enrollment and ages of school children some of the games adapted to older children are disappearing. One phase of the play activities of the county district that is often overlooked should be noted. This is the psychical effect of organized play such as is usually found in the country. This topic is of the greater importance at the present time because of a manifest tendency in some of our smaller communities to imi- tate tli3 inventions intended to solve the problem of play in the crowded sections of the larger cities. There, in some small park, are to be found poles with ropes attached, smooth boards for sliding, swings, etc. This equipment is probably the best pro- vision for play in crowded parks. The unfortunate tendency developing is to allow the devices used in a city's extremity to displace the better adapted play activities of the village and country district. The activities of the playground should teach groups of children how to co-operate in an organized form for the attain- ment of a couunou end. They should give opportunity for the development of initiative and leadership; for the overcoming of personal weakness in social intercourse; for the development of will to give and take. Ball, blackniau,dare base offer this opportu- nity and are incomparably better for this purpose than sliding down a board or swinging from a rope. The country and village .schools need more play space rather than more equipment. The Ri'KAi. SuR\'Kv oi" SorriiwEsTEKN' Ohio THE BOYS' CROP, MONTCOMlvRV COUNTY Y. M. C. A. CORX CONTEST Tlif V. JI. C. A. prepares the way for agencies 110', yet organized for progressive activity in tlie rural commiinitv. 76 Miami Uxu-ersity country school may lie weak in its curriculum Ijut it is strong in the naturalness and freedom of its play activities in the recon- struction of countr\- scliool life these should be preserved. Changes in school enrolment have injured or broken down some of the standard games. Provision should be made for other games meeting the same ends but suited to smaller groups. CORN CONTEST EXHIBIT RURAL SCHOOLS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY The social acti\'ities of the coinitry school at the pi-eseut tune are \'ery linuted. Of 73 schools rei.)orting 4S rep irted no social acti\-ities during the year, 13 reported i, 9 reported 2. 2 reported 3, and I reported 4 entertainments. Rural Survex in Southwestern Ohio 77 ^ABLE XXxJ "^ 7 School Entertainments Reporfel for 1911-12, 73 Schools, Butler County. At one time the school house was the centre for many of the social activities of the community. Now, more than ever, it is limited to the formal task of imparting book knowledge to the young people of the community and the oldtime point of contact between teacher and district has disappeared. Those schools that report one or two entertainments in the year generally have a Christmas entertainment and another entertainment at the close of the year. These entertainments are almost uniformly well attended by the country people and indicate an interest in this phase of school life. [Jn 60 cases the .school house was definitely reported as hav- ing been used for no other purpose than that of having the school sessions in it. ^Pn one case the Board of Education held a monthly meeting in the room and in another it was used as a Sunday School room. In Reily Township under the leadership of the township superintendent there has been an effort to have a nionthly gather- ing of all the schools of the township at the township high school. Each school is expected to furnish a part of the monthly program. These gatherings have met with considerable success in bringing about a community spirit among the people of the township and affording an opportunity not only of providing entertainment for the people but also for the discussion of school problems such as courses of study, consolidation, the teaching of agriculture, and the relation of the school to the farm. J 78 Miami Univertity The relation of high schools to the district schools of the county is shown by the following tables: TABLE XXXI Record of Attendance in High Schools of Butler County from Township and Special Districts in the County, 191 1-12 Hamilton 76 ) Middletown 47 [ Oxford (Ciiy) , 22 j Oxford (McGuffey) 19 J Monroe 24 Sevenmile 4 Somerville 5 Reily, Township High vSi.hool 14* Millville o Okeana, Mortfan Twp. H. S 14 New Iiondoji o Venice >! Trenton 10 Wayne Township H. S 14 Darrtown, Milford Twp. H. S o College Corner 3 252 64 *Reily Dist. excluded. 188, or 74.6 par cent, of all the pupils in high school from the township and special districts not maintaining high schools of their own are to be found in the high schools of Hamilton, Middletown, Oxford, and Monroe. 91.2 per cent, of all the students are in the.se high scoools and the three townshi]) high schools of Reiley, Morgan, and Wayne Townships. 91.2 per cent, of the country high school childern are in 50 per cent, of the schools. The ver}- large proportion of all students enrolled in the .schools of the three cities mentioned indicates that the young people from the country districts prefer the better equipped schools and it also indicates that the existence of good schools is in itself a factor in increasing school attendance. The attendance at the different township high schools indicates that these are doing a good service for their respective districts. Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 79 The distribution of the students according to townships is shown iu the following table: TABLE XXXII Number of Students from the Different Township High Schools in Butler County, 1911-1912. t CO 53 '6 a _a; V Eh 5 a g 1 3f > > a; en "s > 0) Total Fairfield Hanover.. . . Lemon Liberty Madison Milford Morgan Oxford Reily Ross St. Clair Union* Wayne Outside county.. . . From other states 14 14 16 I 26 28 14 14 10 10 I 14 14 275 27 17 34 14 26 14 14 33 19 3 17 o 24 26 *Union Township reports 11 students attending Loekland, Hamilton County, High School. Union Township has among the best equipped dis- trict schools in the county. A comparison of total students in high schools from the township with other townships indicates the need of provision of high school facilities there. The evidence is that proximity to a good high school has a very definite and a very important relation to high school atten- dance. Oxford Township has two high schools located within its limits. One characteristic of the present high school training in relation to the country districts is that it becomes a means of tran- sition for young people from country to urban life. The testimony }1 u B 8o Miami University of high school principals is that rarely does the high school girl expect to become a farmer's wife or the high school boy expect to return to the country. On the other hand there are a number of boys in the villages and cities who are looking forward to farm life. This indicates that our high .schools should have a wide enough vocational basis to facilitate the movement of students in either direction. This type of school will come nearer serving the people than will the high school for farmers and the high school for the townsman. Such a scheme in the educational sys- tem would tend to develop a farming class and a town class. Such a training should be provided as will permit the young people the fullest freedom in their choice of means of earning a liveli- hood so that class distinctions will not be encouraged. In the conclusion of the study of the schools in Butler County reference to particularly bad and good conditions will make more real the changes going on. The bad conditions are mentioned only to emphasize the fact that in an extremely individualistic educational system such as exists in the state of Ohio evils may develop and persist that under the direction of a competent town- ship or county superintendent would not be permitted. While a number of the individual teachers in the several town- ships have been making progress in their own schools, three of the townships, i. e., Reily, Morgan, end Union, deserve special mention because of the organized efforts they are putting forth for the improvement of the rural schools. Union Township is mentioned especially for its advance in the material improvement of the rural schools of district type. The newer school buildings are equipped with furnaces and are erected according to the latest models of school architecture. It is possible that the expendi- ture of funds on expensive single buildings may ultimately act as a hindrance to real progress in the direction of consolidation of the schools of the township. Morgan Township has a township superintendent, who is also principal of the township high school. He endeavors to cor- relate the work of the teachers of the entire township. Once a month the teachers gather at the high school to discuss questions related to their work. The township has a large library at the RukAL Survey in Southwestern Ohio 8i high school and the books from this library are lent to the local schools for a certain length of time and then passed on to some other school. The books are selected by the teachers, partly in accordance with the suggestions of the State Commissioner of Education. Reily Township has succeeded under township superintend- ency in providing a uniform course of study, in raising the stan- dards of efficiency among teachers; in arousing interest in town- ship school exhibits, contests, and literary entertainments, and in getting results in the teaching of agriculture. The results of the supervisory system in these townships indicate that it is an improvement over the unregulated district system. As an inter- mediate stage between the district school and the centralized school or as a permanent institution where centralization is impractica- Ijle, supervisiou is undoubtedly desirable. The results of this survey of the conditions in the country .schools of Butler County suggest the need of a definite construc- tive program-. Among the points to be considered are: 1. The appointment of either a county superintendent of schools or of district supervi.sors who can co-ordinate educational interests. 2. Reorganization of schools which will result in: a. Curriculum adapted to country b. Better physical equipment c. Better library facilities d. More permanent teaching force e. Better prepared teaching force 3. Formation of educational districts that will conform to convenience of the people rather than to traditional political divid- ing lines. 4. Provision of adequate and convenient secondary educa- tion for every district pupil in the county. 5. Ultimate centralization of schools. This work cannot be done unless some unifying and co-ordi- nating agency is created. The country school teacher has a very responsible part in the program of rural social reorganization. The progress of the country will depend very much upon the efficiency with which that work is done. CHAPTER VI Tenantry in Southwestern Ohio The problem of increase in tenantry is one of vital importance to the southwestern part of the state. According to the census returns of 1910 the ten counties in the state which had over 40 per cent, of their farms operated by tenants were in this section. Table 33 shows the changes that have taken place in the amount of tenantry in these counties .since 1900: TAHLE XXXIII Per cent, farms operated by tenants in Counties County Buller Darke Madison Miami Montgomery Pickaway . . . Preble Warren Champaign . . Favette Increase 1910 1900 or Decrease 41. 42-5 —I 5 46.8 39-5 +7-3 46.8 47.8 — I 51-7 46.8 +4-9 42.3 42.4 —0.1 43-9 43 4 +0.5 44 8 37.1 + 7-7 43- 1 41 .0 +2.r 40 6 37-7 42.9 40.2 38.6 + 1.6 The evidence is that tenantry is on the increase in the more productive areas of diversified agriculture and that in the sections where truck gardening or specialized farming is in vogue the change from ownership operation to tenant ojDeration is not so marked. In the study of the social effects of this transition from owner- ship to tenantry, a house to house investigation was made in Oxford Township, Butler County, and in Jackson and Twin Townships, Preble County. 82 RuKAi, Survey in Southwestern Ohio 83 Table 34 shows the comparative age of owners and tenants in the three townships studied: TABLE XXXIV Comparative Ages — Owners and Tenants Township Number Owners considered Average Age Number Tenants considered Average Age Total Oxford, Butler County Jackson, Preble County... Twin, Preble County 288 83 124 81 54.3 61.4 5r.6 51-2 219 43 116 60 389 39-0 37-7 41.0 The average age of the owners is over 15 years greater than that of the tenants. The fact that the average age of the tenants is near 40 also indicates that the coming year will find fewer of these men passing into the owner class and that, contrarj- to the con- clusions of some of the writers on these topics, tenantr}' is becom- ing a permanent phase of American agriculture. Moreover the high average age of the owners is evidence that comparatively few young men are becoming owners. Oxford Township, Butler County, is especially noticeable in its average age of 61. 4 )'ears for farmers operating their own farms. The result of the United States Census for Butler County for 1910 shows the tendency as to age of owners and tenants. TABLE XXXV Farmers Classified according to Tenure and Age Groups, Butler County Number Per Cent. Years Total Owners Tenants Total Owners Tenants All ages 24 and under. . 25 to 34 35 to44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 and over. . . Unknown 2288 61 402 576 603 383 256 7 1220 II 85 251 363 282 223 5 1068 50 317 325 240 lOI 33 2 100. 2.7 17.6 25-1 26.3 16.8 II. 2 0-3 100. •9 7.0 20.6 29.8 23,1 18.2 0.4 100. 4-7 29.7 30-4 22.5 9-5 3.0 0.2 This table does not include 272 part owners nor 46 man- agers. It should be noted thatyi.i per cent, of the owners are forty-five years of age or older, while but 35 per cent, of the tenants belong to this group. 84 Miami University Tables 36 and 37 show the relative permanency of occupancy of farms, bj' owners and tenants. TABLE XXXVI Term of Ojcupancy — Present Farm Township Number , Owners Considered Average Number Years Tenants Number Considered Average Number Years Total 2«6 . i 80 : 127 . 1 79 14.89 12.4 14.9 17.4 210 39 u6 55 4-49 3-1 51 4.4 Oxford Twin Jackson TABLE XXXVII Number Having Occupied Farms Specified Number of Years Owners Tenants Number Years Number Considered Per Cent. Number Considered 206 69 31 58 25 23 Per Cent. Total 1st 2nd 3-5 6-10 1 1 or more 273 25 18 54 43 133 100. 91 6.6 19.8 15.8 48.7 loo.o 33-5 15- 1 28.2 12.1 n.i The average number of years the farms have been occupied b\- owners as shown in table 36 is 14.89. It should be noted in table 37 that 33.5 percent, of the tenants were on the farms occupied for the first year, and that nearly half were on their farms for not more than the second year. 51 per cent, had been on the farm for 3 or more years. The data as to term of occupancy of farm operators in Butler County reported by the United States Census Bureau give a somewhat higher average term. Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio WHAT EFFECT WILL THE TRANSIENT FARMER HAVE ON THE FARM? §TENArvrn5,45YRS! W//////////////////////////, Relative time of occupation of farms, Owners and tenants. TABLE XXXVIII Term of Occupancy of Farm Operators, Butler County, 1910 Tenure No. Reporting Total Owners free Owners mortgaged . Part owners Cash tenant Unknown tenant . . Share tenant Share cash tenant. Managers 2487 780 354 262 194 9 768 77 43 Average No. Years 9.0 15-5 7-8 10. 1 4.8 6.7 4-5 5-2 3-1 The shifting from farm to farm by tenants shown in table 37 does not necessarily mean a shifting from community to commu- nity. Table 39 shows that while there is greater shifting from community to community among tenants the majority of them remain in the same community. TABLE XXXIX Number of Years Lived in Present Community Township Number Owners Considered Average Number Years Number Tenants Considered Average Number Years Total Oxford Twin Jackson 253 69 109 75 33-7 31-8 35 -o 35 190 98 56 20.58 23-3 233 14. 1 86 Miami University TABLE XL Number Having Lived in Community Specified N umber of Years Owners Tenants Number Years Number Owners Considered Per Cent. Number Tenants Considered Per Cent. Total 1st 255 9 4 18 18 206 100. 3-5 1-5 7-1 7-1 80.0 183 20 12 23 19 109 100 10.9 6.5 12.6 10.4 59-6 2nd 3-5 The average number of years in the community for owners is 33.7 and for tenants is 20.58. 80.8 per cent, of the owners and 59.6 per cent, of the tenants have been in the communities in which they now live for eleven or more years. The problem of socialization then is not one of assimilating new individuals or groups but of properly utilizing the social interests already at hand. Table 41 gives the data as to comparative size of farms opera- ted by owners and tenants. TABLE XLI Size of Farms Operated by Owners and Tenants Township Total . . . Oxford .. Twin . . . Jackson . Owners Number Considered 286 93 108 85 Average Size Farms (Acres) 87.4 78.4 82.5 103-7 Tenants Number Considered 212 41 "5 56 [ Average I Size Farms I (Acres) i 101.4 99.0 92.9 121.0 It should be noted that the average size of the tenant farm is lot. 4 acres while that of the farms operated by the owners is 87. 4 acres. Jackson township in Preble County has an unusually large number of farms above the average in size. The data for all owners and tenants of Butler County as reported by the United States Census Bureau show that the RuRAi, Survey in Southwestern Ohio 87 tendencies in the three townships mentioned above are general throughout the section. TABLE XUI Farms Classified by Tenure of Farmer and by Size of Farm, Butler County. Size of Farm Number Per Cent. Acres Total Owners Tenants Total Owners Tenants Total farms . . 2288 1220 1068 100. 100. 100. 19 and under. 291 212 79 12.8 17-4 7-4 20 to 49 275 188 87 12.0 15-5 8.2 SO to 99 572 359 213 25.0 29.4 20.0 100 to 174 832 358 474 36-4 29.4 44.4 175 to 499 ••• 3i6 lOI 215 13-8 8.3 20.0 500 to 999 . . . 2 2 0.0 0.0 0.0 1000 acres and over 0.0 0.0 0.0 This table does not include 272 part owners or 46 managers in the county. It should be noted that 62.3 of the owners' farms are under 100 acres in size while 64.4 of the tenants' farms are over 100 acres in size. The great proportion of both owners' and tenants' farms are between 50 and 174 acres. That the church still remains the prime factor in the social life of the community is indicated by table 43. &ABLE XUlO 9^ Membership in Church and iodge Compared Types of Membership Owneis Tenants Total No. Per cent. loo.o 26.9 7.8 65.3 No. 136 30 21 85 Per cent . No. 329 82 36 211 Per cent. Total Belonging both to church and to lodge or club Belonging to lodge or club but not to church Belonging to church but not to lodge or club 193 52 1,5 126 100. 22.1 15-4 62.5 100. 24.9 10.9 64.2 This table shows that a comparatively small number of either tenants or owners who belong to organizations of any kind belong to lodge or club alone. Less than 25 per cent, belong both to Miami University SHALL THE CHURCH BECOME AN OWNERS' INSTITUTION? FARM OPERATORS CHURCH MEMBERS TENANTS 41% TENANTS 7.Z% CZl FARM OWNERS mnnii tenant5 church and lodge or club, while a total of 64.2 percent, belong to church but do not belong to lodge or club. These percentages apply only to those who are reported as having affiliations with organizations of some kind or other and do not apply to the total number of persons concerning whom data were obtained. The figures show that a large proportion of owners belong to both lodge and church and that the large proportion of those belonging to lodge but not to church is to be found among the tenants. The percentage of those of both groups belonging to church but not to lodge is about the same. Rural Survey ix Southwestern Ohio 89 Tables 44 and 45 give the comparative data as to the periodical literature taken by owners and tenants. /table xliv] ^ Number of Periodicals Reported, Owners' and Tenants' Families Number taking Owners Tenants Number 271 43 59 119 50 Per cent. Number I Per cent. Total 1 paper only 2 papers 3-5 papers 6 or more 100. 15 9 21.8 43-9 18.4 193 ' TOO.O 50 i 259 57 ; 295 71 ' 36-8 15 i 7.8 ^3.9 per cent, of the owners take from 3 to 5 papers while but 3"6 per cent, of the tenants take this number. 62 per cent, of the owners take 3 or more papers while but 43 per cent, of the tenants take this number. 24.9 per cent, of the tenants take but one paper as against 15.9 per cent, of the owners.J The data as to the kinds of papers taken throw light on the amount and quantitj- of periodical reading matter available to the farmer's famih-. ^TABLE XLV"^ ^^ Kinds of Papers Taken, Owners and Tenants Kind of Papers Taken Owners (273 Considered) Tenants (203 Considered) N umber Per Cent. Number Per Cent Agriculture Religious News i=;8 36 259 74 39 37 57-9 13-2 94-9 27.1 14-3 ■3.6 87 10 182 44 24 9 42.8 4-9 89.7 21 7 11,8 4.4 Women's Magazines.. Cheap Advertising Standard Magazines.. The owners report 94.9 per cent, taking a newspaper while the tenants report 89.7. Neither group is conspicuous for the number of religious papers taken or for the number of standard magazines. The owning group report 57.9 per cent, taking agricultural periodicals while the tenant group report but 42.8 per cent. Women's magazines are reported as 27. i per cent for the owners and 21.7 per cent, for the tenants. go Miami University t/The two groups do not differ materially in the number of telephones used. Of 275 owners reporting 190 or 69.1 per cent, have telephones and of 212 tenants 128 or 60 per cent, report, telephones. T In conclusion, it may be said that the problems of tenantry affect the sbcial life of the countrj- community in the lower stan- dards of social responsibility of the renting class; in the lower standards of education as shown bj' the small number of agricultural and other periodicals taken; in the decreasing permanencj' of occu- pation of the farm by the operator; and the threatened depletion of the soil through introduction of means of production which will j'ield the largest immediate returns at the expense of the farm; and finally in the outlook for a permanent tenant class. This tendencj' towards a permanent tenantry is just now working out its economic and social influences and the lines of cleavage that may result have not as j-et clearl}' defined themselves. The tendency seems to be indicated by the relative interest in the church and in the lodge bj^ owners and tenants, and it maj' be that in time the renter and owner distinction will pervade the entire life of the countrj' communit}'. CHAPTER VII Summary and Conclusion £A survey of the results of the study of rural life in south- western Ohio indicates that the following are among the principal problems awaiting solution at the present time-^ J I Declining membership of the rural church. This decline in some cases is an evidence of absolute decrease of religious influence. In others it is an accompaniment of the decrease of rural population and consequently brings with it problems of church finance which in some communities tend to become serious. J 2 Smaller proportion of >'Oung people belonging to church. The proportion of church membership according to age appears to be lowest in that period when church affiliation should normally be the greatest. 3 Non-resident ministry . With the increasing emphasis upon the pastoral function of the minister non-residence becomes a serious handicap. When public worship occupied a larger place in church life non-residence was not recog- nized as an influence limiting the minister's usefulness. 4 Survival of sectarianism resulting in over-churching in many communities. •I5 Lack of organized rural recreation. Influence of commercial- ized village and city amusement. ■*6 Declining influence of secret organizations. 7 Inadequate rural school equipment. 8 Transient and non-resident teaching force. *9 Lack of correlation of school with life of people, "^lo. In some places tendency to break up homogeneity of rural population through growth of tenantr}-, increase of foreign population, and change in t.\pe of farm labor. 1 1 . Persistence of traditional methods of farm management. The recognition of a problem is the first step towards its solution and already measures are being taken in southwestern Ohio to deal in a constructive way with existing conditions. Some of the tendencies which indicate that rural life has alreadj- passed the low ebb and i.s moving toward a much higher plane are: 91 92 Miami University 1 Gradual rise in rural economic welfare. This appears to be due to industrial changes affecting the entire population rather than to anj' rapid increase in efficiencA' in farming methods. 2 Gradual increase in rural culture, through influence of news- papers, means of transportation and communication, farmers' institutes, educational institutions and religious organizations. 3 Increasing interest in problems of rural life. 4 Increasing interest in co-operative enterprises. In conclusion the following suggestions ma}- be made as to changes to be brought about in rural life. 1 Re-organization of the church on a community basis, prefer- ably in connection, however, with one of the national reli- gious bodies instead of the "union" plan; abandonment of sectarianism; provision for resident pastors, preferablj- of "town-country" churches. 2 Re-organization of rural school to provide for proper correla tion of school with life of people; adequate material equip- ment and permanent teaching force; and convenient and efficient secondar}- as well as primarj" education. 3 Encouragement of farmers' organizations for protection and advancement of farmers' interest and for the discussion of community problems. 4 Development of pride in rural life and rural institutions. 5 Establishment of adequate facilities for bringing to the farmer the work of federal and state departments of agriculture, experiment station and educational institutions. 6 Provision for social and recreational life of the rural com- munity. 7 Further development of co-operative activity. Other problems exist in the different communities, but these must be worked out by the people within the communit>- and must be solved in a constructive wa}- by developing co-operation along lines that affect the life of the community at large. The first step in making improvements is the determination of con- ditions as they exist. The relation of the institutions to each other should be determined; the service performed by each; serv- ices which are being duplicated b\- different agencies less efficiently than if they were performed by one ; needs of the community that are not being met b}' anj- agency; standards of community life that are good and standards that should be readjusted to meet Rural Survey in Southwestern Ohio 93 modern conditions. All these things should be known bj- the people who are most interested in the community and should be dealt with in a constructive way because the readjustment which comes as a result of knowledge will bring increased happiness to the community. The discussion in the fore- going pages has covered in a general waj- certain areas of south- western Ohio but it cannot be taken for a substitute for intensive study of community life by each of the communities concerned. With the fullest co-operation of religious, educational and agri- cultural agencies rural life ma>- be brought to the highest stan- dards and farm life will again assume that place in the respect of the people that it once held.