Opening Windows onto Hidden Lives: Women, Country Life, and Early Rural Sociological Research

Reprint 3: Recommendations of the Committee (1919)

reprint 3 Recommendations of the Committee (1919) selection from Report of Committee to Consider the subject of Farm Life studies as One of the divisions of Research Work of the proposed Bureau of Farm Management and Farm economics may 1, 2, and 3, 1919 In accordance with the recommendations of the committee appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to consider plan of organization, scope of work, and projects for the Office of Farm Management (Circular No. 132, Office of the Secretary), it is proposed to transfer to the Office of Farm Management (Bureau of Farm Management and Farm Economics ) the farm-life studies heretofore conducted in the Bureau of Markets in connection with its rural organization project. Much valuable work has been done under this project in the Bureau of Markets, but since that bureau deals almost exclusively with a specialized farm problem— marketing—while the proposed Bureau of Farm Management and Farm Economics must necessarily conceive of the farm as a whole and its relations to the community and to the Nation, it seems logical and desirable that the work in this field should be supervised by it. The Bureau of Markets, of course, will continue to consider cooperation so far as it affects the marketing of farm products, and the two agencies will work in cooperation where their projects touch. At the request of the Secretary of Agriculture a committee composed of rural social workers and students of farm-life problems met in Washington May 1, 2, and 3 to outline the work to be undertaken in farm-life studies by the proposed Bureau of Farm Management and Farm Economics . The committee outlined the subjects which require investigation, suggested methods of cooperation with the State colleges and experiment stations, with the other bureaus and departments of the Federal Government, and with the various social agencies at work throughout the United States. The report of this committee has met with the hearty approval of the Secretary of Agriculture and is published in full in the following pages. This reprint is the report of the committee appointed by Secretary David Houston to consider the fields of work for the Farm Life Studies Unit of the Office of Farm Management and Farm Economics. See USDA, Office of the Secretary (1919b). reCommendationS of the Committee 139 charles j. galpin appointed to head this work On May 12, 1919, Prof. Charles J. Galpin, in charge of country-life studies in the college of agriculture in the University of Wisconsin, was appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture as economist in charge of farmlife studies. Prof. Galpin was born at Hamilton, N. Y., in 1864; reared on farm and in village; graduated with A. B. degree from Colgate University in 1885; studied social science in Harvard University, and received the degree of A. M. from that institution in 1895. He was professor of history in Kalamazoo College from 1888 to 1891, and in charge of the Union Academy at Belleville, N. Y., from 1891 to 1901, where he established one of the first courses in agriculture in secondary schools in the State of New York. Since 1911 Prof. Galpin has been in charge of the country-life studies at the University of Wisconsin, and has made some of the most careful inductive studies of farm-life problems and published some of the most stimulating reports available in this field. Prof. Galpin comes to the department unusually well prepared to give a new stimulus to the work in this field, not only in the department but throughout the United States. Both the Department of Agriculture and the people of the United States are to be congratulated on having his services at their command. G. I. Christie, Assistant Secretary, May 21, 1919. recommendations of committee May 3, 1919. Hon. D. F. Houston, Secretary of Agriculture. dear mr. secretary: The committee called by you for consideration and discussion of the subject of farm-life studies as one of the divisions of the research work of the proposed Bureau of Farm Management and Farm Economics submits the following report: We have considered principally these subjects: 1. An outline of the subject matter which can come logically under the head of farm-life studies. 140 rePrintS of SeLeCted PubLiCationS 2. Suggestions for cooperation with the State colleges and experiment stations in the carrying on of farm-life studies. 3. Suggestions for cooperation with the Bureau of the Census...