Milford chronicle., 1929-08-16
(C0PyTfght, I9ZS
BY DR.. L. D. LEGEAR, V. S.)

The standards of living have been
defined and described in terms of
the value of economic goods used,
the distribution of this value among
the principal groups of goods and
the per centage of the total value
of these goods furnished by the farm
and purchased. Comparisons of the
standards of living of families of
different districts, different tenures
and different occupations, have been
made insofar as data are available.
1t would be of interest if the data
at hand could be made to show
some of the factors which are most
closely related to it. 1t would be
still more interesting if the data
could be used to indicate something
of the relation of success in farm
ing, and consequently of the ability
to provide the standard of living by
the farm family.
Many advocates of a high stand
ard of living among farm families
hold that, if the farmers income
could be increased, the standard of
living of his family would rise ac-
cordingly. This is doubtless true,
but it does not mean, however, that
increased incomes produce the high
er standards of living.
The question of whether the stand
ard of living is determined by in
come or by the dynamic factor in
fuencing the income calls for fur
ther analysis of the information
available.
The factors selected for study or
their relation to the standard Of liv-
ing are grouped as follows: Those
regarded as influencing the demands
or desires of the family as expressed
in the value of goods used; those in
volving the use of time as an aspect
of the standard of living, and those
indicative of the family's ability to
provide the economic goods of fam
lily living.
With the present facilities for
transportation and other means of
communication, it is impossible to
find any satisfactory measure of
isolation of the farm family. Use of
the automobile, on concrete roads of
which our state (Delaware) has
more in proportion to its size
(thanks to our highly esteemed
friend, ex-United States Senator T.
Coleman duPont) than any other
state, is constantly increasing the
social contacts of the farm family
and rendering miles less complete
measure of distance, also the grad
ually increasing use of the aero
plane. The telephone and the radio
are breaking down the barriers to
communication and civilization. A
significant fact is that both the
operators and the home makers of
the Southern States spend more time
resting than do those of the other
two sections.
Income from other than farm busi-
ness sources is often means of
raising the standard of living, as ad-
ditional income may be made from
selling preserved or canned food, ar
ticles of fancy work, boarding and
lodging of school teachers and 9TH
ers, teaching OF other work, gifts,
and returns from investments. All
this bears a fairly significant rela-
ton to the standard Of living, but
there seems to be no relation borne
by mortgage Indebtedness.
In addition to the parents formal
schooling and continued education,
the cultural as well as the general
education Of the children cannot
well be ignored, neither can farm
ownership, freedom from indebted
ness and land improvement. If the
farmer and family expect to enjoy |
the present and future years they |