Rural electrification did not become popular until after World War 11. Horses and other farm animals pulled the plows, planters, reapers and other farm equipment. Gasoline or other petroleum powered Farm tractors were slow and clumsy and were used mainly for their belt power. Steam engines were commonly used for threshing and other Belt powered operations such as Saw Mills. Farmers used Steam engines to pull out tree stumps after they had cut down the trees, these Engines were huge and heavy and well suited for this task.
College goes to war.