The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-05-04

for the country at large. and an av-
erage as high as 1886 in some OF the
rural middle Western States.
Thirty-six per cen Of white farmers
of the South, and in large areas. SO
per cent Of them, are tenants. In
than SO. About SO per cent Of these
tenants move every year. In the en-
tire South more than one-third OF all
farmers move every year. In most OF
the rural communities, therefore. there
is a very large shifting, shiftless,
landless population. Only n that
owns it, lives IN it, and cultivates 1t,
eve loves and improves the soil and
gets most out Of it. The shifting,
shiftless, landless man, caught in the
ceaseleSs drudgery for scant subslst-
ence sinks into a hopeless state of dull
Indifference, and ofttimes despair,
from which it is almost impossible
to rouse him.. He feels but a pass
ing interest in anything, and takes
IN abiding interest in nothing. In
community building he is at best but
a negative influence and is often a
positive disintegrating and destruc-
tive influence. Only resident owners
of the soil can be interested and en-
listed in constructive and expensive
undertakings for the permanent inn
provement of conditions Of every sort
in the rural communities.
In many parts of the rural South
tenancy and absentee la~ndlordism are
increasing. Between 1890 and 1910,
the percentage of people living in the
country was decreased from 83 to 49,;
the percentage of people living in
towns and cities was increased from
II to 27. In the South, therefore,
urban population is increasing far
more rapidly than rural population.
Educational, Social and Religious
Conditions.
With this low productive power,
with this low per capita wealth, with
this meager net annual profit, pro-
vlding bu a meager individual and
community surplus from which to
draw for improving conditions; with
his large percentage Of tenants and
absentee landlordiSm, and the cOnse-
quent shifting, shiftless, landless, ir-
responsible and unreSpOnSive pOpula-
ton, it would be strange if the educa-
tional, social, n religious conditions
Of the rural South were not far from
satisfactory. Churches, schools, and
other means Of improving these
conditions must be provided anG
5 maintained out Of the community
surplus, and are dependent for thei1
success, permanency. and growth il
l SoNi community OPOu IIc SldO1l1Iy
interest, thrift and cooperation of tn,
population of the community.
Recent rural surveys in a numbe.
: Of counties in several States Of tn
rural South reveals these facts. Nine
e ty-eight per cent Of the countr,
: churches have services only once
f month. The country church ha
: largely lost it's old-time leadership
many of these churches, perhaps mos
n Of them, are either stationary, dyin,
or dead. Many Of the countr
T preachers have moved to town an,
g serve country churches once a month
Those residing in the country usual
: serve three OF four churches. Sala
g rles are too measer to command tn
e strongest men or to warrant them i
devOting their whole time to the
d work. but little pastoral work is don
e for the country church except to OF
hclate at burials and marriages. /
mary places UNCONVENTIONAL zeal
o multiplying weak churches and weak
en1ng strong ones. In many CONT
= ties hardly able to support one stron
church and pastor, there are sever:
g weak ones hat become distintegra1
ing instead af unifying community il
is fluences. The country church, lil
e the country school, is too often
N mere laboratory for novices or a
asylum for the decrepit and the inc.
le ficient.
al The following facts revealing ed,
cational conditions were compile
ct from a recent unpublished survey
ten Southern States between the p,
We tomac and the Mississippi River
made by the rural supervisors of the
t. States under the general direction
o. DR.. A. P. BOurland, then execute
h, secretary of the Southern Educate
ly Board and now executive secretary
p this conference. S2.4 per cent Of tt
lis schoolhouses in the cototn belt al
e. 7O.S per cent in the grain belt, ha,
only one room. The average value
n rural school houses is $676.50. 81
per cent Of the teacrers were teac
or ing their first term at their school
on 1872 their second term, 6.5 per ce
to their third term and only TO per &c
had taught three or more terms
the same place. Ills per cent of t
he teachers are women, ranging fro
IN 48.9 per cent to S0.4 per cent, abo
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