The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-07-16
FARM WOMEN ARE
BUSIEST OF EARTH,
FINDS INVESTIGATOR
BY WILLIAM r. SANBoRN

has discovered that farmers wives
have few vacations and that they keep
everlastfngly busy. She has discov-
cred that farm women are early risers
and that they put in many hours of
real work before they go tired and
early to bed
She states that the average working
day OF the farm wife is IL hours the
year around. but in summer her work
ing day is 1912 hours. She presents
all this as general proposition. con-
sidering farm homes "in the mass.
This young woman thinks that the
farmers wives and daughters are as
much in need, and are as much en-
titled to vacation as are any women
on the footstool. particularly the
mothers. To this we will unanimously
agree.
that now and again "downtrodden
farmer should be permitted fishing
or hunting vacation. or trip to the
mountains or sea. On these mountain,
seaside, or summer resort trips, he
will naturally and dutifully take his
wife. II not the whole family
But that is another story-we were
speaking Of vacations for the Missus;
OF her visits home to see mother, or
Martha, her sister, who married and
moved away. In such cases the farm
'er himself can go hang. 1t isn't his
vacation, anyway.
Has Very Little Leisure.
Miss Florence Ward, in charge of
extension work with women, repre-
sents the Department Of Agriculture at
Washington. Her Survey" covers
1905 homes, in SO northern and west
'ern states. Much of her data was OBJ
tanned by home demonstration agents,
representing agricultural colleges and
the department at Washington, as field
agents
Miss Ward summarizes by stating
that half Of the farm women are up
and at work at 5 o'clock Of mornings;
that they have but 6 hours of leisure
in summer and only "a hours in
winter. Moreover, the average farm
wife has seven room house to keep
in order. Only 30 per cent Of farm
homes have water in the kitchen, in
the remainder the good wife must trot
out to the spring or pump for all the
water used in the home.
Helping Their Husbands.
According to Miss Ward 60 per cent
of our farm women have churning to
do, they have most Of the feeding and
care Of the poultry on their hands, and,
surprising statement. "24 per cent Of
them spend more than six weeks IN
the year assisting in some part Of the
field work" They also help in the
care Of live stock, doing feeding, bed
cling, etc.
Should the farmers wife have an
annual vacation; a real breathing
spell amid new and different surround
81, or-I 1,ncy
discovered that but 10 out of 100 do
have these vacations, more's the pity.
There are so many reasons why this
going away isn't possible in millions
of farm homes. So many women are
content to rest in the shade at home
in fervid days, and to use the phone
in visiting.
NeedIessIy Wasted Efforts
The Survey" discloses the time
spent on kerosene lamps, the need for
modern kitchen and laundry conven-
fence "The engine used at the well
or barn should be hooked up to the
churn. the washer and some lighting
machinery" City women rebel al
marrying farmers and sequestering
themselves away from friends, with
so much to do and so little but main
strength to accomplish with, accord
ING 10 MISS Ndlu, dllu Sle OuSllL "
know.
She overlooks the fact that the auto
mobile has brought the town to the
farm; that the farm wife and children
often have vacation trips to town, ant
across the country for miles, visiting
friends, seeing new villages or cities
for the days Of isolation in the Older
and settled country have vanished. be
cause the old order changeth. But
there are still a million lonely spots
where farm homes have been set up
in our broad domain.
Two Sides to the Picture.
Miss Wards sensible conclusion Is
that there are two sides to the pic
ture. She tells of the "bessing anC
satisfactio Of living in the ope1
country" and says that the average
farm woman is more fortunately
placed than is her average city sister
In this, most of the women on ou
farms will agree. Farm life has man,
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