New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-08-27
WHY THE GIRLS
LEAVE THE FARM
THEIR HOURS OF WORK ARE
LONG AND THE EQUIPMENT
FOR IT is NOT SUFFICIENT.
DETAILS OF OFFICIAL SURVEY
Facts That Are Not Complimentary
to the Men Are Brought Out by
Questioning the Women in 10000
Farm Homes.
BY JAMES p.

BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY.
WaslIingtOn.-"Is il any wonder girls
leave tls' farm:" said AN official in the
agricultural department the other day.
after he had acquainted himself with
The details of n survey of ten thousand
farm homes in the thirty-three north
ern aud western states, recently com
pleted by the department in co-opera-
ton with the state agricultural col
leg's and farm bureaus. More than
half of the wonen interviewed, al
though classei by the census office
with those having no occupation,"
are up and at work by j O'Clock in
the morning. The working day of the
average woman is 11.3 hours the year
round. and in sumnle it is 13.l2 hours.
And 81 out of each 100 women have
no regular vacation in the year.
There is man "hired help IN the
farm. hut not much oma hired
help" Only II per rent of the wome
included in the survey reported hired
help and that only for about three and
a half months each year. Yet ~ per
rent or the women made part or all
OF the family bread. GO per cent churn-
ed their W butter: in 6 cases out
OF 100 they did the family washing.
AZ per cent having no washing ma
chimes and only b per cent hrving
running water in their homes; ~ per
cent did all the family sewing, and
otherwise looked after their families.
the average numbering five persons.
and their homes, meaning in the ma
jOriiy of eases n 7-rOom house.
Many Help With Mems Work.
In addition. ~ per cent Of the women
assist In the field work, - per cent
help 10 feed aud bed the livestock.
~ per cent assist IN the milking, 500
include milk pals In their dish wash
ing and 5.1W wash the separatOrs.
Eighty-one per cent attend Ia the p0ul-
try. meaning on an average no hens.
and 10 per cent spend part Of their
time wedding. hoeing. and tending the
vegetable and flower gardens.
=" ""a"h' fN'e""" " Ni'"" NUN
Der OF chi'"ren III the faftl homes,
1887 reports showing an average OF
ohiy ''io nhner Ten years of age Tor
each home. and only OBS between ten
and sixteen years Of age. In The rural
MONIES OF the cas- the number of emit
'reh '''i pei"w me 'ohhtfs-wlhe aN-
erhge' whiIe mat III The western sec
non proven me hiehest' WIN W under
u year II WIZ chiidr"n a home be-
tween ten II sixteen years. The ar-
erage farm home is more ll'ah hv"
IND one-haif miles from the family
doctor, twelve o n trained nurse
n fourteen from a hospital.
POWER Seldom GIVEN the Home.
usually considers modern farm equip
ment MS so much currency with which
U" bny efh'lency. OF the total num-
her answering The question. ~ per
cent reported power Tor operating fhrm
machinery. when we consider ilmi II
$ u simple matter I" '"niie"t The "n-
gihe used AT the farm with household
equipment. " seems Il singular Tact
ina "u' = per Gem "l 'h' 'hrin homes
r'P"'''hv nave mus au'ai''ae'' rover
Tor s"'h frequently recurring 'hsks
hs 'h"'"''S ""' "S""s 'h' ""shlhe
.'"rh'hf """'" frequently renew" me
'ar,n "oi'h"'
nu'n'he WHIT - me P4N" upon
'"," sun n'"'''" ""n,'''''.""s "r-
l""" = ..'n' "1"',"s' WI! D.
"" u" "'"'> nave running
".'' W. '' INV ""'' w w"
~ !" :" p' w" =" 'he
"'"' 80" ""' wv" '" Va"
W" 'H ~ ""'"'"'
'"s
~ a."
,., ,.a'". .n 'r'"uo"'
- - ~
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Iii, yr,,,,.,. n
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