A Rural Survey of Morgan County, Missouri (1916)	<Previous
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List of Questions Submitted.

In order to get at the facts as brought out in this bulletin, a list of questions was mailed out by Superintendent Witten to all the public school teachers of the county. Some of the questions were to be answered direct by the teacher, others were to be submitted by the teacher to the pupils, and the reports from each district to be compiled by the teacher in charge.

The following questions were answered direct by the teachers:

Name of school? District clerk, name and address? Number of farms in district? Number of farms reporting? Name of teacher? Address while teaching? Home address? Where educated? Where born? Age? Born in town or country? Length of present school term? Salary? How many terms have you taught? When was schoolhouse built? What kind of building? Is school yard fenced? Has any effort been made to beautify school grounds? What is the source of school water supply? Does it have to be carried, and if so, how far? Number of acres in school grounds? Is the schoolhouse in the middle of the grounds? Is the stove in the middle of the room? How many boys and girls in the district have finished country school and have never gone anywhere else? How many boys and girls in district have finished country school and have gone to high school? How many people in your district over school age? How many under school age? Number of children of school age in the district? Number of children in the district who have gone away to college or university? How many of these have come back and are now living in the district? Number of children who have attended some high school? Is there a school library? Is the schoolhouse ever used for religious services? Is schoolhouse ever used for debating societies or other gatherings? How many families have moved from district into town during the last two years? How many families have moved from district to some other place in the county during the last two years? How many town families have moved into district? How many country families have moved into district? How many country churches in the district? Of the country churches, how many have preaching every Sunday? How many twice a month? How many once a month? How many have no preaching? How many churches have Sunday school a part of the year but no regular pastor? Is there a preacher living within or near the district? How many dwelling houses have been built in the district during the year? How many country residences in the district? Are there any beef clubs or any other forms of co-operation in the district? Is there a doctor living in the district? Number of stores in district? How many sawmills in the district? What is the total output? Is there any mining carried on in the district, and if so, what kind—coal, lead, clay, etc.? About what was the total output of mineral in your district last year? Is there any farm manufacturing such as the making of baskets, brooms, ax handles, weaving of carpets, making of rugs, etc., and if so, what?

The following questions were submitted to the school children in each district and the answers were compiled by the teacher in charge:

What is the material of the house in which you live—frame, log, or brick, etc.? How many rooms in the house? Is there a fireplace? Has your father built a new barn during the last year? A new silo? Has your father a silo, and if so, how many? Does he own a manure spreader? What farm machinery has he—binder, mowers, wagons, etc.? Has he a windmill, and if so, how many? Is there on your home farm a spring house where milk and butter are kept? A cave or cellar? How is your home farm fenced—rail, wire, hedge etc.? Has your father an automobile? Is there a water system in your house? A telephone? How many acres of land in the farm on which you live? Do your parents own the farm or rent it? If owned, how long have they owned it? If rented, how long have you lived on it? What is the source of drinking water at your home? If a spring, how far is spring from the house? Does your father haul drinking water in the summer time? Has he an ice house? A drilled well? Any pure-bred or registered live stock on the farm? If so, what? Does your father keep bees, and if so, how many colonies? Have you a lamb, pig, sheep, pony, or other live stock of your own, and if so, what? How many hogs does your father butcher each year? Is this enough meat for the family use? Does your father ever sell any meat? Have you ever found a bee tree? Do you trap wild animals for their furs? Have you any chickens that are your own? About how many chickens are kept on the farm? How many chickens were raised during the year 1914? How many turkeys? What was the largest number of hen eggs gathered in any one day last year? How many dozen eggs were sold last year, and what was the total price received for same? How many pounds of butter were sold and what was the amount received for same? What crops were grown on your father's farm last year? How many acres of each and what was the average yield per acre? Does your father make use of commercial fertilizer? How many tons of commercial fertilizer did he buy last year and what was the cost of this fertilizer? What is the principal source of income from your father's farm—wheat, hogs, timber, cattle, hay, etc.? Has your father ever tried growing alfalfa? If so, how much has he and when was it started? Has he an orchard? If less than one acre, about how many trees are there in the orchard? If more than one acre, give acreage? Does he spray his orchard? Is there any open range for live stock near your father's farm? How far is it from your father's farm to the nearest doctor? Do you get your mail on a rural route? If not, how far is it to the postoffice? Have you started a bank account of your own? Have you saved any money from things that you have sold off the farm? What is the principal occupation of your father, or of the head of the family in case the father is dead? Any railroad ties sold during the last year, and if so, how many? Have you ever attended a picnic? Have you been to a fair? Does your family or any member of the family take a farm paper? How many papers come to your home each week? How many children of all ages, living or dead, in your family? How much money have you by your own efforts ever been able to make in one winter? How many head of cattle, sheep, horses or other live stock was sold from your father's farm during the last year? What fishing streams or lakes, if any, in your school district? Is your father's farm all prairie or all timber, or is it part timber and part prairie?

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.