The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-02-13
BY MARY FLORENCE JOHNSON
Public Health Nurse Under FSA

Public Health Nurse Under FSA
Farming is very old occupa-
ton. Today there are many new
discoveries. such as those in the
field OF industry and radio tele-
vision.
Let US think Of the soil as light
house. For generation before the
Civil War. cotton and grain pro-
ducers worked together politically
in opposition to the traders. The
Ante Bellum Democracy was our
closest approach 20 a National
Agrarian Party This is not 10 say
that Agrarian interests were ever
completely unified. With the widen
ing rift between southern planters
and western farmers. in the decade
before 1860. rift over the eco
nomic, and moral issues of slavery,
Agrarianism lost its primacy.
After the Civil War. the seats Of
power in our national government
shifted. A Farm Bloc was started
in the Senate. From 1910 10 1890.
conditions changed very little How
ever. during Tat period there were
clubs like the Farmer Trade Asso-
citation, Farm Bureau Association
and the Grange All OF these served
as an official agency in the saving
! OF farms and homesteads.
These agencies faced another stu
alton; surplus products that mus;
be sold on the market, The Farm
Bureau Federation is an outgrowth
OF the Federal and State Agricul-
ture Extension Service A Farm
Board was created which played a
leading role in the adoption OF nu-
merous farm-relief laws The Agri-
cultural Adjustment Administration.
or the AAA formed in 1888, was
intended to trengthen trade unions
and 20 extend credit. The admins.
.ration's plan was embodied in the
Agricultural Marketing Act.
In 1888 rural areas led by con-
gressmen. adopted a proposal for
agriculture relic: for farmers. Dur
ing the drought Of 1884. the Farm
Security Administration was or
ganized to help farmers, who lacked
the means TO help themselves The
FSA lends money % sharecroppers,
tenants and land owners. These
loans carry low rate Of interest
Each farmer has to pay on lis loan
yearly When a farmer secures a
loan. he first submits a farm plan
in detail TO the farm manager, and
home supervisor, az to the need o.
his farm and family. He states wha
he has on hand. as to farm nipple
ments. food and livestock.
The drought caused the different
AS Of the government to take on 9
broader meaning in the southern
states, The Farm Security Admins.
tration bought large tracts OF land
from land owners. who for variou.
reasons failed to pay taxes In the
state OF North Carolina. in the east
ern part. near the Roanoke River
in Halifax county. in the lowlands
there are-.wo= government owned
projects. One for white farmers in
the western part OF Halifax, and the
other for Negro farmers in south
Halifax. Tillery District.
4. The Tillery farms cover an area
OF 10 miles. Each unit has 40 acres
OF land in cultivation. The homes
are painted white There are two
story dwellings and single homes
The families are chosen from other
counties in North Carolina. There
are requirements these families
must meet to be accepted: such as
Wasserman FOX the family. They
must be To good health. Large
families seem TO be preferred They
are given units according 70 the
size OF the atmily. Most OF the fami-
lies are very low in the economic
scale. They come TO the project with
the idea OF being rehabilitated
through government loan. But
rehabilitation in is true form comes
through creative thinking. Planning
and living AS you visit the differ
emf units. you can see and feel from
their surroundings tina: many of
these families have been rehabili-
ta;ed through farming
There are 100 hones.eads that
may be purchased after the family
have lived there for number OF
years. and paid on their loans each
year.
These families participate in a
medical care program. Each family
pays sos year into general trust
fund. The family may cal any doc
tor az their choice who participates
I IN t.7e medical program The doctor
IS paid SIS for husband or wife. one
dollar for each additional child.
The farm projects have taken on
the factory idea. There Is a group
o, !? families living together and
farming or cooperative basis
ltNt ANillA4its are KNOWN rs Itlc
Colony. They may be non members
or members % the Medical Care
Program. They pay directly for
medical care The nurse gives her
service 20 all the Gam les
The purpose Of the colony is 70
buy he lard as a whole ard divide
( !: into shares These families living
on the cooperative bass n the
Colony pay no rem; FOR their homes
They are working a; a minimum
standard Of living The men make
Is cents a. hour. tor farm labor.
They al work through and through.
These IL families ars gwen ~
pounds o, flour month. neal as
needed. $50 potrds OF nea; a year.
Or one hog. milk and butter. They
raise their own gardens.
Al the families have 20 can fruit
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