Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 9, Number 47, DeMotte, Jasper County, 12 October 1939 — FARM TOPICS [ARTICLE]

FARM TOPICS

U. S. FARMERS JOIN FEW ORGANIZATIONS Church Ranks First Among Rural Groups.

By PROF. W. A. ANDERSON

The belief that most farmers belong to a large number of organizations is discounted by studies of the department of rural social organization at Cornell university. In a study of nearly 3,000 farmers in a typical United States rural neighborhood, it was found that they belong to only one or two organizations, on the average, but are loyal to them. Twenty per cent of the farmers belong to no organizations, and 30 per cent belong to only one. Membership in three organizations appears to be the upper limit for most farm operators. Organizations in which memberships are held in order of their numerical importance, he says, are: the church, grange, dairymen’s league, farm bureau, lodge, other co-operatives, and a social-civic group. Membership in the church leads among farmers who belong to only one or two organizations. The “joiners,” those who belong to “several organizations, appear to have these characteristics: they own rather than rent their farm; they operate a large farm rather than a small one: their farms have a higher assessment value than others; they are more stable as to residence and do not shift frequently; and they have had, in general, better schooling. Another point is that “orgamza-tion-mindedness” is more noted in men past 3b years of age than in those younger. Fewer of the younger group belonged to organizations. Two causes explain this. First, the younger men are just getting established and need time to enter organizations; and second, they are somewhat overlooked by the older men in organizations. More might join if they were invited.