San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-18
The u. S. Department of Agriculture Makes Some
Movie Reels to Show Dissatisfied Farmers
Wives Houu Wretched People Are

the farmhouse and move to the city. But
{ everybody deserted the farms and went
TO live in the cities, we would starve to
death-the farmer is the backbone of the
country.
And so it has come about that among
the various activities of the United States
Department of Agriculture in Washington,
it has undertaken to do something to make
the farmers wife better satisfied with her
farm life and to show her that she is con-
siderably better off than her sister who
lives in stuffy tenement OF small apart
ment in the hot, noisy and dirty city.
In the old days before the telephone, the
automobile or the motion pictures. life on
the farm was mOnotonous and lonely. But
this is not true any longer. Fiction writ
ers still represent things as they were IN
bygone days, and it is to give the farmers
wife better balanced idea of her own
good fortune, and the true picture of city
life, that Miss Grace Frysinger of the ''eX-
tension work" activities of the Department
of Agriculture and her associates have
prepared movie film which is to be sent
out and shown to farm women all over the
country.
The farm scenes were filmed in nearby
Maryland; the outdoor city scenes in the
streets of Washington; the interiors" IN
the movie building of the Department of
Agriculture.
1t was to be a human interest picture
in four reels called "Poor Mrs. Jones.
Mrs. Jones was the farm wife, who. weary
of the task of managing farm home,
tending to the chickens, caring for tn.
garden, and performing incidental do
mestic duties, in addition to rearing fam
ily. was "tired of it ALL" and begged her
husband to sell the farm and move to the
city.
Her husband is half persuaded. Per-
haps Jane is right. But he thinks that she
has been working too hard and needs
rest. Why not send her for visit to her
married sister in the city? In the mean
time they can both think it over.
Jane goes, and presently finds herself
domiciled in a city flat. Her sisters hus-
band gets a salary that has hitherto
seemed to her princely; but, what with
high rent and other expenses, the family
finds it hard to scratch along.
Jane soon discovers that city life has
its disadvantages. The food served on her
sisters table is inferior to that to which
she has been accustomed. The eggs, for
one item, are of the cold-storage variety
with a musty flavor. Space in the flat is
so restricted that comfort is lacking.
No inv in that sort of living. Her sister
is in constant anxiety lest the children b.
run over in the streets. Jane is herself
caught in traffic jams, and is rather sur
prised to escape alive. When she goes
shopping she finds herself struggling with
a mob of women at bargain counter.
Pretty soon Jane has had enough. y
the end of week she cuts her vacation
short and goes home to the old farm.
finds ever 30 many comforts there whc
the city did not afford. So many, in fac
and 20 much more happiness, that sh"
makes up her mind that, instead Of ben"
"pOor Mrs Jones'" she should regard hel-
self as rich Mrs. Jones.
So much for the plot. The movie PIC
ture starts with the art title "Her Busy
Day" Closeup of Mrs. Jones's hands
operating an electric iron. Fades out into
closeup Of lOne-legged hen scratching IN
q sproutng bed Of vegetables.
Back view Of Mrs. Jones working at
ironing-board Shows farm kitchen of
better class. Fades into general view Of
old-fashioned farmhouse of substantial
type.
View changes to door opening on back
porch Of farmhouse. Mrs. Jones comes 70
the door and looks out, flaming herself
with her apron. She Is obviously hot and
tired Sees hen and becomes alert. Flasa
6 - - NJ Mr-
JOne, registering evaporation.
View Of yard and garden. showing Mr.,
Joue, chasing the hen out Of the garden.
She pauses by ruined vegetable bed.
Fla-k Of damage done by hen.
View Of garden. Mrs. Jones finds hole
under picket fence and plugs 1t with
stones Turns toward house.
Interior Of kitchen, with Mr.. Jones
coming in from back porch. She looks
INTO oven. then turns to ironing board.
Feels iron; it IL cold. Turns switch anu
holds iron to her ear. Shakes head; hur-
RE, out
Mrs. Jones in shed, shaking gasoline
drum; empty. Hurries to flivver in barn
yard and takes from it a gallon can Of gas.
HUrries to shed, and is presently seen fill
ing tank of electric light motor, which she
cranks by hand.
Coming back to the house, she pauses 20
admire a promising flower-bed. She ling
ers over the flowers lovingly, picking q
weed or two and removing some small
stones. Suddenly she looks up, shifting,
and starts for the door on the run.
Hurrying into the kitchen, she opens
the oven ami takes out a smoking loaf,
i burned black. Close up of Mrs. Jones
shows her registering extreme vexation,
4 almost bordering on tears. She hears
something AMI looks up quickly.
u 1 4 4 =. IL Ill