A Rural Survey of Morgan County, Missouri (1916)	<Previous
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Supplementary Reports.

Many teachers, in addition to replying fully to the questions asked, submitted excellent supplementary reports. The following is typical:

One mile north of Barnett is the south line of district forty-five. The district is two and three-fourths miles from north to south, and two and one-half miles east and west. It is a farming section, there being in the district thirty farms, with an average of one hundred acres per farm.

Practically all the farms are prairie land and are fenced with wire and hedge fences. On these farms we find comfortable farmhouses and good barns.

The principal crops grown are wheat and corn. Commercial fertilizers are used in the raising of these crops, especially wheat, and the increased yield amply repays the farmers for the expense of the fertilizers.

Most every farmer raises some kind of live stock, such as horses, sheep, cattle and hogs, and the farmers' wives excel in the raising of pure-bred poultry.

There are no churches in the district, but there are several churches only a short distance away, and these the people attend and in their quiet way do all in their power to advance the cause of Christ.

The school, Prairie Grove, is in the central part of the district. Literary meetings are held in the schoolhouse this winter, thus making the school the social center of the community.

There are no towns or villages nearer than three and one-half miles, but there is a rural mail route through the district which enables the people to get their mail each day.

The people are friendly and hospitable and are of a progressive nature. They are not to be won over by every fad and fancy, but when some movement is started which they think really worth while they are ready and willing to co-operate with the leaders and make that movement a success. They are strong morally and mentally; they fight life's battles bravely and fearlessly, and they make citizens who bear their part of the nation's burden patiently and loyally.

A modern home in Morgan county.

Missouri State Board of Agriculture Monthly Bulletin Vol. XIV, No. 2 (February, 1916): A Rural Survey of Morgan County Missouri. Digital version © 2001 Peter Binkley; permission to reproduce for non-commercial purposes is granted.