It's common to have woodstoves for heating rather than gas or electric. The city water doesn't extend to many properties, so a water well must be dug. This doesn't mean it's primitive. There are McDonalds, Wal-Mart and Auto Dealers. Of course, there are TVs, phones and the Internet to keep in touch with all the global happenings.
Schools measure well in academic testing.
Some of America's greatest leaders have been educated in small schools teaching the basics and requiring the best of both students and teachers. When you come here, the first thing unnerving that happens is that people in cars and trucks start waving at oncoming traffic. In a city, such actions are usually signals of a flat tire or a lack of courtesy. Nothing is wrong here in the Ozarks. Friendly people wave at everybody, because they just might know them.