Montana veterans in farming, a study of the institutional on-farm training program
by Don G Lee
A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of Master of Science in Agricultural Education
Montana State University
© Copyright by Don G Lee (1954)
Abstract:
This study of the Veterans Institutional On-Farm Training Program, -under the G.I. Bill of Rights, was
conducted to determine the progress that enrolled veterans had made in (l) establishment in farming,
(2) establishment in home and community, and (3) reactions to present and future agricultural
education programs for adults.
Schedules were taken by personal interviews. One hundred Type "A", or self-proprietor
farmer-veterans were chosen at random from schools that had maintained training classes for two or
more years. All veterans in the survey had had at least two years of training prior to being chosen for
the survey. Veterans selected were widely scattered throughout the. State to give the best possible
picture of the veterans progress and agricultural conditions in their respective areas. Schedules were .
taken largely by Field Supervisors of the Vocational Agricultural Department of the State Department
of Public Instruction.
The study reveals the progress made by veterans over a span of two years. In general, veterans are
becoming better established in farming as shown by an increase in size of farms, a rather stable tenure
status, an increase in the land used for crops, increased yields, and a decided increase in labor income
and total net worth as sound investments in farming. In addition, livestock management has shown an
increase in animal units per farm and increased rate of production of meat and livestock products.
There is a gradual trend toward a more diversified type of farming which fits well with climatic and
economic conditions for the State as a whole.
Veterans are, in the main, rather well satisfied in farming, although they are conservative about their
opinions on satisfaction of living conditions. The veteran does not possess strong inclinations to join
civic, social, or cooperative organizations, He is more interested and active in community improvement
projects and school affairs.
The veteran's reaction toward the present training program is quite favorable. Eightly-six percent are
interested in similar agricultural education classes for adults in the future. This interest is substantiated
by a willingness of 93 percent of all veterans to pay tuition fees for an instructional program.
Means of improving adult educational programs are recommended, including methods of class
instruction for adults, increased on-farm individual instruction, systematic planning and development
of adult classes, and means of presenting a broadened program supplemental to agricultural education. MONTANA VETERANS IN FARMING
Iif7 >" zy
A STUDY OF THE INSTITUTIONAL ON-FARM TRAINING PROGRAM
fry
DON G. LEE
Ir
A THESIS
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty
in
partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Master of Science in Agricultural Education
at
Montana State College
Approved:
Head, Major Department
Chairman, Examining Committee
lean. Graduate Division
Bozeman, Montana
June, 1954
X 3 7f
^ 5" I!v>i
2—
- 2 TABLE OP CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF T A B L E S ....................................................
5
ABSTRACT ..........................................................
8
PART I.
9
I N T R O D U C T I O N ............................................
Purpose of S t u d y ................................
Need for S t u d y ..............
Design
of theS t u d y ................................
Sampling of the Group . .......................................
Methods of Securing D a t a ................ ...................
Limitations of the S t u d y ....................................
PART II.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND STUDIES........................
Review
of Legislative Acts . . . . . . .....................
Objectives of Institutional On-Farm Training for Veterans . . .
Policies of the Veteran's Administration .................. .
State Policies ..............
Review of Educational Literature
..........................
PART III.
A.
9
9
10
11
14
16
17
21
24
25
26
28
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONOF S C H E D U L E S ...............
34
Analysis and Interpretation of Schedule " A " ..............
General Information About the Veteran ..................
Farm Operation..........................................
Tenure Status .......................................
Type of Farming .....................................
Lease A g r e e m e n t s ..................................
Source of C r e d i t ......................
Other Credit ........................
Crops and Land Use .................................... •
Major C r o p s ........................................
Major Crop Y i e l d s ..................................
Use of L a n d ........................
C r o p l a n d ....................................
Improved Pasture ..................................
Woodlot or Timber Land .............................
Range L a n d ........................................
Total A c r e s ........................................
Livestock Management ....................................
Major Animal B i t e r p r i s e s .........................
Rates of Production................................
Financial Status .............................. . . . . .
35
35
37
37
39
42
42
43
44
44
45
46
48
49
49
50
50
51
52
53
5&
11C365
— 3 B*
Establishment In Home and Community ................ ..
General Information About the Veteran ................ .
Age . . . . . .
oeoo.o. . . . . . o . . . . . . .
Marital Status
. . . . . . .......................
Wife’s Farm Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Field Work by Wife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Humber of Children ........ . . . . . . . . . . . .
Health ......................
Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............. .
Education . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Level of Education ..............................
Educational Relationships Pertaining to Montana
Veterans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » . .
Relationship of Vocational Agricultural Training to
Veterans Established in Farming . . . . . . . . . . .
Veteran’s Membership in Organizations . . . . . . . . . .
national Farm Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cooperative and Veterans Organizations . . . . . . .
Community Organizations
and Improvements . . . . . .
Other Community Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Political Affairs and Elections . . . . . . . . . . .
Use of Agencies of the United States Department
of Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
School Affairs . . . * . . * . . . . . * . »»-... .
Home Life of the Veteran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sources of Hews and Information
Home Conveniences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opinions on Living Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Co Veterans Reaction to Present and Future Adult Programs»
Schedule ”C” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o . . . . . . .
Adoption of Hew and Approved Practices For the Farm . . .
Reactions to Methods of Class Instruction . . . . . .
Reactions to.Course Contents . . . . . . . . . . . .
Improvements and Changes in Future Training
Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.-. . . . . . * .
Supplemental Activities for Future Adult
Farmer Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Voluntary Financial Support of Future Programs
by Veterans
PART IV.
57
57
58
59
59
59
59
60
6l
6I
6l
64
7.2
73
7475
76
77
78
78
79
80
80
83
86
89
90
91
97
99
103
104
IMPLICATIOHS OF THE.STUDY ...........................107
— 4 «■
APPENDIX .............. . . . . . . . . . ............ . . . . . .
.Tables ......................................
Questionnaire Forms . . . . . . . ....................
■
.
:
110
HO
115
!
BIBLIOGBAPHT ..................................
120
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
123
...... ...........................
5 —
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE I
Years of Farming Experience By Montana Veterans in 1949
Page
• 36
,TABLE II
Tenure Status of Montana Veterans in 1949 - 1950
• 37
TABLE III
Types of Farming Engaged in by Montana Veterans in
1 9 4 9
.TABLE IV
™*
1 9 5 0
O
•
e
„e " e
n
o-
»
»
»
»
e
*
e y''e
e
o
o
«
e
#
• 39
Types of Farming of Montana Veterans Related to Other
Farm Management Factors for 1949
40
Farm Lease, .Rental, or Partnership Agreements of
Montana Veterans in 1949 - 1950 . ............ . ...........
42
TABLE VI
Major Crops Grown by Montana Veterans in 1949 - 1950
...
44
TABLE VII
Yields and. Actual Acres pf Major Crops Reported by
Montana Veterans for 1949 - 1950 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
45
.TABLE V
TABLE VIII
Comparison of Average Yield Per Acre of Major Crops of
Montana Veterans and State of Montana Averages for 1949 . . 46
TABLE IX
Acreage Use of Land by Montana Veterans During 1949 - 1950.
48
TABLE X
Land Use Acreage on Farms of Montana Veterans for
1949 - 1950 ........................................ ..
50
Livestock in Major and Other Animal Enterprises on
Farms of Montana Veterans for 1949 - 1950 . . . . . . . . .
52
TABLE XI
TABLE XII
Rate of Production of Major Animal Enterprises on Farms
of Montana Veterans for 1949 - 1950 ........................ 53
TABLE XIII
Calf Crop Percentages for the Beef Enterprise on Farms
of Montana Veterans for 1949 - 1950 . . . . . . . . . . . .
54
Rate of Production of Major Meat Animals on Frams of
.Montana Veterans for 1949 - 1950 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
55
Financial Results of Farm Management and Operation for
Montana Veterans in 1949 - 1950 . . . . . , , I . . . . . .
$6
TABLE XVI
Age Groups of Montana Veterans for 1949 . . . . . . . . . .
58
TABLE XVII
Eumber of Days Lost Due to Sickness or Accident by
Montana Veterans in 1950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
60
TABLE XIV
.TABLE XV
Page
TABLE XVIII
HumLer of Days Lost Due to Sickness or Accident "by
Wives of Montana Veterans in 1950 . . . . ............
.
60
Types of Personal Insurance Carried by Montana
Veterans in 1950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
6l
Levels of Education Attained by Montana Veterans and
Their Wives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
»
62
Years of Instruction in. Vocational Agriculture in
High School by Montana Veterans . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
63
. .
65
Tenure Status of Montana Veterans as Grouped by
Percentages Through Educational Experience . . . . . . .
.
67
TABLE XXIV
Types of Farm Lease Agreements of Montana Veterans . . .
. 69
TABLE XXV
Veterans' Use of Available Services and Information
TABLE XXVI
Highest Level of Education Planned for the Children
of Montana Ve terans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
70
Amount of Tuition Willing to be Paid to Support an
Instructional Program in Agriculture for Adult Farmer .
Classes by Montana Veterans .... . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
71
.
72
Vo-Ag Training in High School and its Relationships to
Establishment in Farming for Montana Veterans (1950) » . .
73
Participation of Montana Veterans Having Membership in
Rational Farm Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
74
Participation of Montana Veterans in Local Cooperative.
Organizations
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
75
Degree of Activity of Veterans in Veterans Organizations .
75
TABLE XIX
.TABLE XX
TABLE XXI
TABLE XXII
.TABLE XXIII
TABLE XXVII
Averages of Various Financial Factors Pertaining to
Establishment in Farming for Montana Veterans in 1950
. . .
TABLE XXVIII Educational Accomplishments of the Wives of
Montana Veterans
TABLE XXIX
.TABLE XXX
TABLE XXXI
TABLE XXXII,
TABLE XXXIII. Community Activities and Degree of Participation by
Montana Veterans in Community Organizations . . . . . .
TABLE XXXIV
69
.
77
Use of the Services and Assistance of HSDA Agencies by
Montana Veterans in the Order of their Popularity ....... .
78
- 7 TABLE XXXV
.TABLE XXXVI
TABLE XXXVII
.
Page
Multiple Use of the USDA Agencies by.Montana Veterans . . 7 9
Participation of Veterans and Their Wives in Local
School Affairs e- o © » o © © © * © * * e * * o o * o * @
Subscriptions to Types of newspapers and Magazines by
Montana Veterans . . 0 . . . . . . . . . . . ........
SO
.
TABLE XXXVIII Humber of Books Bead Outside the Eegular Training Class
by Montand Veterans . a . * * . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE XXXIX
TABLE XL
Farm and Home Bulletins Pocured and Bead by Montana
Veterans . . . . . . . . . a . . . \ . . . ........
.
.TABLE XLI.
TABLE XLII
TABLE XLIII
table
table
XLIV
XLV
TABLE XLVI
TABLE XLVII
TABLE XLVIII
82
..
Response to Questions Concerning Home Conveniences and
Facilities of Montana Veterans Enrolled in IOFT Program
8l
83
.
84
■ :: ■
Reactions to Questions on Living Status hy Montana
Veterans * © © * o © © * © * © * © * * © *
© © © »
©
»
©
87
New and Approved Practices and Improvements Adopted
hy Montana Veterans * * © © . » » . © © © © » © © * © *
©
©
*
91
The Reaction of Montana Veterans to Methods of
Instruction in the IOFT Program . . . . . . . .
.
.
.
.
Reaction to Satisfaction With Instruction and Practice
in Major areas of Instruction of Montana Veterans . . .
Hours of Classroom Instruction Desired by Montana
Veterans for Future Adult Programs . . . . . . . .
.
.
92
98
.
.
.
100
Meetings for Classroom Work As Indicated by Montana
Veterans. For Future Adult Programs . . . . . . . . .
.
.
101
Hours of On-Farm Instruction Desired Per Year by Montana
Veterans for Future Adult Programs . . . . . . . . . . .
102
Veterans Preference for Participation of Wives in
Future Agricultural Programs . . . . . . . . . . .
103
.
.
.
\
TABLE XLIX
Reaction of Veterans to Supplemental Activities in Future
Instructional Programs for Adult Farmer Classes . . . . . 104
TABLE L
Amount of Tuition Veterans Agreed to Pay for Adult
Parmer Classes * © © © * * © © © © * © « © © * © #
TABLE LI
©
©
©
Percent of Taxes How Paid that Veterans Would be ,Willing
to Have Used for School Adult Programs . . . . . . . . .
105
106
- 8 A STUDY OF THE INSTITUTIONAL OH-JARM TEAINim PROG-EAM FOR MONTANA
ABSTRACT
This study of the Veterans Institutional On-Farm Training Program,under the GoI„ Bill of Rights, was conducted to determine the progress
that enrolled veterans had made in (l) establishment in farming, (2)
establishment in home and community, Etnd (3) reactions to present and
future agricultural, education programs for adults.
Schedules were taken by personal interviews. One hundred Type "A",
or self-proprietor farmer-veterans were chosen at random from schools
that had maintained training classes for two or more years. All veter­
ans in the.survey had had.at least two years of training prior to being
chosen for the survey. Veterans selected were widely scattered through­
out the. State to give the best possible picture of the veterans progress
and agricultural conditions in their respective areas. Schedules were
taken largely by Field Supervisors of the Vocational Agricultural De­
partment of the,State Department of Public Instruction.
The study reveals the progress made by veterans over a span of two
years. In general, veterans are becoming better established in farming
as shown by an increase in size of farms, a rather stable tenure status,
an increase in the land used for crops, increased yields, and a decided
increase in labor income and total net worth as sound investments in
farming. In addition, livestock management has shown an increase in
animal units per farm and increased rate of production of meat and live­
stock products. There is a gradual trend toward a more diversified type
of farming which fits well with climatic and economic conditions for the
State as a whole.
Veterans are, in the main, rather well satisfied in farming, although
they are conservative about their opinions on satisfaction of living con­
ditions. The veteran does not possess strong inclinations to join civic,
social, or cooperative organizations. He is more interested and active
in community improvement projects and school affairs.
The veteran's reaction toward the present training program is quite
favorable. Eightly-six percent are interested in similar agricultural
education classes for adults in the future. This interest is substan­
tiated by a willingness of 93 percent of all veterans to pay tuition fees
for an instructional program.
Means of improving adult educational programs.are recommended, in­
cluding methods of class instruction ..for adults, increased on-farm in­
dividual instruction, systematic planning and development of adult
classes, apd mjeans of presenting a broadened program supplemental to
agricultural education.
=. 9 =
PART I. IUTRODUCTIOU
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study is to determine the progress made "by World
War II veterans enrolled in the Montana Veteran*s Institutional On-Parm
Training Program.
This study was.designed to determine progress made in
three principal.areas „ namely:
I. Estahlishment in farming.
2 . ,Estahlishment and development, in home and community life.
3. Reactions to present and future programs in agricultural educa­
tion for adult farmers.
As much as it is desirable to soundly establish returning veterans
in farming,' it is important that each veteran become socially, as well, as
economically adjusted for the optimum welfare of himself and for his
community.
Of a secondary, but vital, nature, the purpose of this study lends
itself to the testing of the.thinking and reactions of the former service­
men to the possibilities of a continued adult education program.
It is
felt that the two years training each veteran has had, prior to the fill­
ing out of the schedule used in this study, will have given him a back­
ground on which to judge and indicate his likes and dislikes concerning
future adult education classes in agriculture <» .
Heed for Study
The following items will suggest the need for this study:
I. Over twp billion dollars has been expended on the program to date
in the Waited States.
Setting aside the large sums used for
“ 10
. .
subsistence payments,, the remiaining sum represents a figure of
about three times the amount spent on federally-aided vocational
agriculture from 191? to 1950.
2® Congress has set a termination-of-training date as of July 25,
l-95o»
Ap analysis of the present program will contribute to a
better program for the remaining veterans enrolled and for new
groups of the Korean veterans®
3® Resources of many agricultural education agencies have been
pooled to provide a kind of education not before experienced®
Much can be learned by cooperation of agencies in bringing.a con­
certed program, to the farmer so that all may benefit by it.
4® A program of systematic instruction has been provided year arotind,
and over a period of several years, appealing to the young farmer's
groups most neglected in previous programs®
5i New procedures and methods have been introduced in classroom work
for adults, coupled with on-the-farm supervision for the directed
follow-up training and application of new and approved practices.
.T
•.
'
Will it be possible to use.similar devices in future adult educa. tion programs?
Design of the Study
This study is a part of a movement to evaluate the Veteran's Institu­
tional On-Farm-Training Program on a national scale®
Data from Montana's
veterans collected in this study will be used in the national study.
It is interesting, to zipt.e, that in the writ ting of the Servicemen's
Readjustment Act, P.L. 346, which is commonly, referred to as the "(LI =
«=» Xl •=■
Bill of Eightsn0 that no provisions were set down to allow the Veteran's
Administration to study and analyze its training and service program.
Therefore, in order to evaluate the program,. it was necessary that the
study he initiated hy agencies outside the government.
In December, 1948, the Research Committee of the Agricultural .Sec­
tion of the American Vocational. Association proposed that a national con­
ference be provided to promote research relating to future programs in
agricultural education.
Major attention was to be given the Veteran's
Training Program, and any corresponding program that might develop from
it.
Thus, in March of 194-9, such a ,conference was held in Washington, D.C.
to hear and discuss recommendations for the study of the Veteran's
Training Program,
From the series of committee meetings and conferences held through­
out 194-9, plans' were drawn up for the research study, and a schedule (see
Appendix) was developed to secure the necessary information from the
veteran for the research committee.
Sampling of the Group
The sampling for the State study was arbitrarily set at one hundred
samples.
This number of cases represented 22 percent of the ^Type A"
self-proprietor type of veteran who had been in the program for two or
more years by ,December 31., 1950,•
The method for securing names for the sample of one hundred was as
follows;
The names of all veterans who qualified by having at least two
year's training and who were operating their farm as a self-proprietor,
were placed in a hat.
The names were drawn at random for the sample,.
- 12 Actually„ a stratified random sampling was effected, since non-proprietors,
or "Type B" veterans were excluded from the drawing,
Bach veterans' training school in the State was prorated on basis of
enrollment.
An attempt was made to secure at least one schedule from each
school in the.Stkte.
Schools Participating in the Survey
■’
...
.... .
The veteran, training schools in the State that had been in service
for two years or more, and from which at least one survey schedule had
been secured, are listed below,;
. School
School
.
e
School
Sbhool
*i ■;
Absarokee
I
Charlo
2
Hamilton
3
Poison
6’
Belgrade
I
Chinook
3
Hardin
4
Powderville
2
Belt
2
Choteau
2
Harlowton
I
Roberts
4
Big Timber
2
Deer Lodge
3
Helmville
2
Ronan
5
Bozeman
2
Dillon
i
Hot Springs 3
St, Ignatlins
2
Bridger
2
Drumond
i
Ealispell
.3
Simms
2
Broadus
I
Fairfield
2
Manhattan
2
Stevensville
4
Browning
4
Forsyth
3
Miles City
3
Townsend
2
Butte
I
Bromberg
4
Npxon
2
Whitehall
3
Cartersville
4
Glasgow
3
Worden
3
TOTAL
Notes * Number of Schedules Furnished
/
100
Helena
MONTANA
• WIBAUX
- Ik 1
Methods of Securing Data
With the names of the veterans to he interviewed on hand, the veterans
were contacted individually.
These contacts were made, in the main by
Field. Supervisors in their respective districts working under the direction
of the Vocational Agricultural Education Department of the State Department
of Public Instruction of Montana, .The several Field Supervisors and their
•
,
'
areas of the State are; as follows S
1. William P, ^bllard, Western Area
2, James W, .Michels* .Eastern Area
3 » .Jeff Mathews» Southern Area (later replaced by Hussell Steen)
4, Sasil Ashcraft,.Northern Area
Assistance was given by several other persons in securing the schedhies.
Considerable time was used for each veteran in arranging for a
meeting, often in the evenings, and a work time of at least two hours per
schedule was necessary.
Some of the schedule-interviews were considerably
longer than two hours„ made necessary in attaining a proper rapport with
the veteran* who, in some cases, .was suspicious of the contact. ,In other
cases, misplaced or lost records caused delay, in addition to time some­
times used unconsciously or on purpose in discussing implications of the
questions in the schedule.
Persons outside the State Department who helped secure completed
• '
, ''-I--.
- ' •
=
'
schedules were Dr. Ieo L. Knuti, Head, Department of Agricultural Educar
tion, and Mr. ,H. E. Eodeberg, Associate Professor of Agricultural Educa­
tion, both of Montana State College.
In addition, several schedules were
taken by the author and a few were takeii by Vocational Agricultural
” 15 ™
instructors in various parts of the,State®
The span of time in collecting all schedules amounted to approximately
one years with majority, or about 66 percent, taken.by late summer of 1951«
.The process was slowed down considerably by the necessity of making substi­
tutions for those on the.original drawing who had either moved away or had
"been dropped from the program through lack of eligibility or some other
reason.
However, it was felt that the original sampling of one hundred
veterans was vital to a proper analysis of the program,.therefore, the
progress of the study was held up until all schedules were eventually
secured,
(February 5, 1952)
The thir.ee parts of the schedule were previously arranged by the na­
tional Research Committee of AVA in such a manner that each answer or re­
sponse could be coded in a uniform manner by following a sheet of instruc­
tions designed for use in the national study,
(see Appendix)
The coding,
was done, in most cases, by the author; the balance of the schedules for
the national study were done by Dr, Ieo L, Knuti,
After the schedules were
received at the center office at Cornell University, headquarters for the
national study, the xudiing, was checked and cards were punched from each
schedule fbr' p3%eeseing through
machines.
Actually, 96 percent of
the schedules taken in Montana were sent to Cornell.University, where du­
plicate cards were punched and returned to Montana,
The reason for such a
procedure being that a special study was made by. Earl E, Julson, assistant
to D r . .E, Ro Hoskins,.*/ and a former Montana Vocational Agriculture
*7
"
Dr. E. R, Hoskins and H. M. Hamlin, Co-Chairman, Committee on Research
in the Education of Farm Veterans, American Vocational Association.
“» 16 «e
Instructor, to compare directly the status of veterans in Montana and
New York State 0
Limitations of the Study
In reviewing the schedules used in the study, certain observations
may be made, concerning the validity of the data.
It seems apparent that
certain monetary figures have been rounded off in place of using actual
figures from record books.
This may have been due to lack of records
kept, lost or misplaced records, or the inclination of the schedule-taker
to eliminate the smaller details.
There also arises the question of bias on the part of the veteran,
in cases where a minunderstending may have existed regarding the use to
be made of the information and his consequent reliability in answering if
suspicious of the. motives of the schedule-taker or the whole study.
Since
the taking of the schedules was spread over considerable time, the takers
attitudes or information may have changed regarding certain questions, in
which case a bias again may exist that could result in a biased opinion
from the veteran, although this is believed to have a minimum effect on
the whole study.
There is a feeling also, that absolute evaluation^ oh the part of the
veteran may have wavered somewhat by the fact that sinjze he would continue
to be enrolled in the program, that repercussions might result if too low
an evaluation were tagged on certain pertinent questions regarding his per­
sonal opinion.
All schedules taken were confidential; generally, rapport
was such that confidence was established, minimising the above contention.
- 17 All land areas o f .the State have not been equally represented as
veterans could hot qualify for the survey until they had received two
years of training.
Some thought has been given to the inequalities of teacher prepara­
tion, in which it is conceivable that some, differences may occur between
superior and poorly rated teachers.
.PAHT II.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE M D ,STUDIES
The following section is a fIaview of literature pertaining to the IOFT
Program, including legislative acts and amendments; objectives of the vet­
erans training program; policies of the Veteran's Administration and state
agencies; reports and studies by Federal and State agencies; and leterature dealing ,with administration, operation, and evaluation, of the
veteran's program.
The following reviews were restricted to the Institutional On-Farm
Training phases of the "G-..I. Bill".
An intense interest has been shown,
especially on a state and local level, in an attempt to analyze the effec­
tiveness and means of improving the operation of the IOFT Program.
The
Veteran's Administration has had little or nothing to do with promoting
such studies, since that agency was enjoined by law not to interfere with
educational or operational policies.
The evaluations that have been made1
are studies made by agencies not related to the Veterans Administration.
A study was made by the General Accounting Office for the Committee on
Veteran's Affairs, under the auspices of the Office of Investigation in
- 18Washington D 0Co ij
Another report offers a thorough study of all types of
education and training for servicemens. 2/
Because of the broad scope of the IOFI Program, an investigation was
conceived by the Research Committee of the American Vocational Association,
■■
■
-
..
'
Since the AVA played .an important part in shaping the legislation which .
authorized the training of veterans, and were vitally concerned with the
promotion and adoption of the amendment which provided for IOFT0 then a
natural sequence to. their active interest was a follow-Up study to evalu:
:
•
ate the progress and achievements of the program on a national scale» 2/
The Montana .study was designed, after the national study, and is a. part
of ito
The purposes of the national study were to determine the progress
in (l) establishment in farming, (2) establishment in home and community
life, and (3) reactions of veterans toward present and future agricultural
education programs for adults,
The nationwide study was.baaed-'on;. ail a9. percent •sample of I1Type AS, or
self-proprietor veterans, of which, there were 5»2.74 in the survey covering
42 States,
Many of the averages of the Montana study were quite similar
to figures derived in the national study.
In general, Montana averages
l/
General Aceouhting
Training Program.
General Accounting
Congress tT.S, Gov.
Office Report of Survey - Veterans" Education and
Report by the Chief of Investigations of the
Office, House Committee Print Ho. 160, 82nd
Printing Office, Washington 1951«
2j
Report on Education and Training under the Servicemen's Readjustment
Act as Amended From the Administrator of Veterans Affairs. House
Committee Print Ho. 210, 81st Congress„ U„S. Gov. Printing Office,
Washington: 1950
2/
Education of Veterans in Farming - AVA Research Bulletin Ho. 5»
American Vocational Association, Inc. 1952 pp 95»
- 19
were inclined to tie slightly above the natiomi averages»
The average national survey veteran was 32 years old in 1950; the
Montana veteran was 32.6 years old.
.Eighty-six percent of the national
veterans were married with an average of 2 children per family; in Montana,
83 percent were married with an average of 2.6 children.
Nationally, 93
percent were farm-reared and had 13 to 14 years of farm experience; in
Montana, 92 percent were farm, reared and had an average of 14 years of
farming experience in 1950»
Twenty-five percent of the national veterans
had completed high school or had gone beyond that level; in Montana, 38
percent graduated from high school with an additional 10 percent going on
to a higher level of education.
These averages are typical comparisons of the average Montana veteran
to the average national survey veteran.
A quotation from Education of
Veterans in Farming sums up the national study in this manners
4/
llThis nationwide study shows that the major purposes of the
institutional-on-farm training program for farm veterans were
realized. The rapid establishment in farming and in home and
community life is Indicative of the effectiveness of the training
program.11
A study of a similar nature has been published by an agricultural
research committee in the Central Region.
The purpose of this study was
to determine the practices in use that would be applicable to future adult
education programs.
F
Ibid, p. 7»
5/
"
:
™~
Renort of the Co-operative Study of Institutional-On-Earm Training in
the Central Region. Interstate, pp 80
=St 20 ■=»
Dr, H. Go Hptz0 Research Specialist in Vocational Teacher Education,
University of Arkansas„ has authored a "bulletin dealing with IOFT in
:
Arkansas.
This "bulletin offers an account of veterans farm training pro­
gram* including (2,5 an early history of the program, (Z) growth and devel­
opment of veterans training, (3) source of supply and preparation of farm
veteran instructors, and (4) evaluation of the Arkansas program by farm
veterans,
6/
/
A State sW d y was conducted in Missouri concerning the veterans farm
training program,
%/
This study is unique in that it compares the admin­
istration of the program as conducted by two agencies.
The veterans pro­
gram in Missouri is sponsored by the University of Missouri, and not, as
usually done, by the State Department of Education,
A critical analysis
is presented, dealing with program objectives, organization of subject
matter, techniques and methods of instructions, and contract relation­
ships with the Veterans Administration,
In addition, an evaluation is
made of the veterans' progress"while in training. ,
A study was conducted in New York by Dr, E, W, Kitts to determine the
status of rural veterans in relation to educational and occupational re­
adjustment after discharge from the service,
Qj
Specifically, the
Wf
Hotz. H. G. History and Development of. Institutional-On-Farm Training
in Arkansas, Arkansas State Department of Education, Little Rock, Ark.
December, 195
2/
Snider, A. J., Institutional-IQn-Farm Training for Veterans in Missouri
(1946-1950) University of Missouri.Bulletin, Volume 52 , No, 14,
Oolumbi , Missouri, January, 1951°
8j
Kitts, H, ¥., Educational and Occupational, Readjustment of Rural
Veterans. Rural Education Bulletin, Cornell University, June, 19^9PP 43=
-.21 purpose of the investigation was to determine (l) the educational train­
ing undertaken hy veterans, (2) the occupations in which veterans were
being employed, (3) the factors affecting changes of occupation or places
of employment„ (h) changes in status among those veterans engaged in farm­
ing, and (5) the status of those veterans inducted directly from schools
From this study, recommendations were made to provide better educational .
facilities for future training programs,
Feview of Legislative Acts
When the amendment to the Selective Service Act was signed by Presi­
dent Roosevelt on November 13, 1942, which called for the induction into
the armed services of young men 18 and 19 years old, he appointed at
that time a committee of educators to study the problem of education for
men and women after the war.
About one year later, the President submitted a preliminary report
of the Committee to Congress for its consideration.
After extensive con­
sideration, the Servicemen”s .Readjustment Act was approved by Congress and
signed by the President on June 22, 1944.
as the 11G-.I „ Bill of Rights".
This act became popularly known
The provided four principal benefits for
veterans;
1. Education or training for practically every veteran up to one
year, and additional training for those whose education or train­
ing had been interrupted, delayed, or impaired by induction.
This .applied to any person not over 25 years of age at the time
of entering the service. (Age limit later amended)
"
2. Guaranteed loans for the purchase or construction of homes,
farms, and business property.
3. Employment assistance was authorized as of counseling and place­
ment service.
- 22 4» Readjustment allowances, or unemployment compensation was provided
for veterans while unemployed after discharge, and for the selfemployed, under certain conditions.
A series of amendments to the "basic act followed from time to time,
hut it wasn't until August 6, 194? that Congress enacted the legislation,
P.L. 377, "by the 80th Congress, which set up standards for approval of the
Institutional On-Farm Training Program for rural veterans.
Until this
time provisions of the law did not encompass veterans on farms who could
not break away for full-time courses in colleges or on-the-job training.
The most important provisions'of P.L. 377, concerning Institutional
On-Farm Training for veterans under P.L. 346 are as follows:
1. The farm for self-proprietors, (Type A), .should be of such size
and character, which together with group instruction would;
a. Occupy veteran full time in farming.
b. Permit instruction in all phases of farm management*
c. Assure the self-employed veteran a satisfactory labor income.
d. Assure the veteran control of farm, at least until, the com­
pletion of the course.
e. Require that a farm be adequately .equipped to allow proper
type of training.
2. Qualification for farmer-employed veterans (Type .$):
a. : The employer-trainer's farm should be adequately equipped for
type of training desired by veteran (as a dairy,farm or wheat
farm).
b. That farm be of such size as to offer year-around employment.
c. That size and character of farm permit instruction in. all ,as­
pects of farm operation and management.
d. That employer-trainer provide individual instruction to
™ ?3
veteran in production of crops and livestock, marketing and
other pha,ses of farm management.
e. That a satisfactory wage agreement "be established and
approved by the training institution.
3« Glassroom work to be an integral part of the course:
a. At least 200 hours per year be provided as classroom
instruction.
b. Hot le,ss than 8 hours of classroom instruction be provided in
any one month.
4.. On-Earm Supervision to be an integral part of the program!
a. At least 100 hours per year to be provided as individual
instruction on the veteran's farm for "Type A" enrollees.
b. At least $0 hours, per year to be provided as individual
instruction for "Type B 11 enrollees on his employer's farm.
5« Enrollment of Public Law 16 Veterans!
a. To qualify for enrollment in training under P.L. 16 (Voca­
tional Rehabilitation of disabled veterans), a veteran must
have a disability rating of 10 percent or more.
be. The veteran must be in need of training.
c. The veteran must be physically .and mentally fit for training.
d. The veteran's farming set-up must, in general, meet the
requirements of a, "Type A" trainee.
6. General provisions of eligibility in addition to those above
provideg
a. The veteran must be honorably discharged from the service.
b. That he is not already qualified for the course objective
through previous experience or training.
C e That previous training has not exhausted his entitlement.
d. That his length of service has been in excess of 90 days.
- 24 _
Objectives of Institutional On=Farm Training for Veterans
The main objective of the IOFT program was the same as for all vet­
erans provided for under the Q-«1. Bill— that a comprehensive program of
education and training be provided to any veteran desiring such, to ably
and adequately train him for a sound readjustment to civilian life.
It
is apparent that the original act was not intended to be a relief act, a
bonus act; or to provide a subsidy for education or training institutions.
Specifically, P.,L. 377 provides for the following objectives;
1. To provide training in agriculture of the best possible type,
using class room instruction, group instruction, and individual
oh-farm instruction. £/
2, To aid the veteran in the development of farm facilities, to assure
the veteran and his family a reasonable living.
In addition to the general objectives listed above, several implied
objectives were: 10,/
1. To become established in farming.
2. To produce farm commodities efficiently.
3. Toi market farm commodities 'advantageonly.
4. To conserve soil and other resources,
5» To manage all phases of farm business.
6. To maintain a favorable environment.
9/
10/
Information .Belated to the Purposes, Organization, Procedures,
Administration, and Instructional Methods for Institutional-On-Farm
Educational and Training Classes for Veterans of World War II,
Mimeograph, State Department of Vocational Agriculture Education,
Helena, Montana, p 2.
,,
Administration of Vocational Education. Bulletin Ho.I, Revised 1948,
Federal Security Agency,.Washington, DoG.., p 38.
'25 J
ao
To the preceding objectives must surely he added the adjustment of
the veteran in a social sense» to his family and his community»
Policies of the Veteran's Administration
While the 80th,0ongresp was directly responsible for studying and
approving the G>I> Bill of Rights, the authority.for execution and admin­
istration of the.act was delegated to the Veteran’s Administration, (here­
after referred to as "VA"').
Thus the stated provisions of the act then
became the obligation of the VA to .see to it that the ,act was promoted,
which necessarily meant the definition of certain policies by that agency.
Several of the important policies are stated below,.
It is obvious that
there is a close parallel to the written provisions of the G.I. Bill.
I. Academic o r other training of disabled veterans under the super­
vision of the VoA.
2 . .Traihitig of nondisabled veterans ip schools approved by the States
as qualified and equipped to render such service with express
inhibition that no agency of the Federal Government should exercise
any control whatsoever over the schools approved. 11/
That is,
the. States would furnish supervision through local school, admin­
istrations, advisory boards, or field supervisors.
3. As implied in the preceding paragraph, that approval of training
institutions or training .situations be acceptable to the, VA as
Approved by the States.
ll/
Veterans’ Education and Training Program. General Accounting Office
Report of Survey, 82nd Congress, 1st Session, House Committee, print
Ho. .160, pp 1-8. ■
*• 25 .=■
4 » The VA must establish values of tuition fees, cost of "books, .sup­
plies and equipment, at rates to "be paid "by other students, or in
the event of the absence of such cost, to establish such fair and
reasonable compensation to be paid to institutions, not to exceed
$500»DO per veteran for an ordinary school year.
5« In addition, the VA was designated to prescribe methods for deter­
mining fair and reasonable compensation for veteran's subsistence
allowances, nonresident tuition rates, and similar items The VA
issued instructions, effective July. I, 1948, which required a
majority of schools to submit financial datq, for review by the
VA in determining "fair and reasonable compensation".
6« In the course of administering the law, remedial action in the
form of amendments to the original act to be initiated by the VA
such as prescribing restrictions as to the training which could be
taken by the veteran at government expense and establishing defi­
nite standards for new schools.
7. The VA was to be responsible for negotiation of contracts with in­
stitutions concerning costs of training and tuition.
8. In event of overpayments to institutions or individuals, the VA was
designated as the agency responsible to collect such payments.
State Policies
Because the,.GvI. Bill prohibited any Federal agency from controll­
ing and operating any training school (except for VA supervision of dis­
abled veterans under P.L. .
16), the job of actually training, or the super­
vision of training and education of veterans fell to the States,
it then
- 2? became necessary for each State to formulate its policies within the
letter of the law and as it applied to situations within the State.
Several important policies are noted below8
It, The VA was authorized by the law to negotiate a "contract with the
State Board of Education, or corresponding agencies, to conduct
veterans' training.
5. In Montana, the State Board of Education was designated the State
Department of Vocational Agricultural Education as the basic
training agency, which in turn negotiated contracts with reliable
local educational institutions to provide training and education
for veterans.
3. In Montana, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, was
given a blanket approval to all Montana high schools, subject to
approval by the State Department of Vocational Agricultural
Education.
4. In its agreement with the State Department of Vocational Agricul­
tural Education, the school was responsible fors
a. Providing an instructor, classroom, and shop facilities for
training.
b. Furnishing supervision of the local training program.
C o .Submitting required reports as requested by the state
training agency.
d. Appointment of a local advisory committee for the training
program, to closely supervise and make decisions concerning
administration of the program on the local level. 12/
12/
Mimeograph, State Department of Vocational Agricultural Education
op. Pit, p 3«
— 28 ™
5. In cases where the educational program is not controlled at the
State level, contracts may he made direct hy the YA with local
school authorities.
Review of Educational Literature
The veterans training program, in its own right, has been an inno­
vation in the field of agricultural education.
The idea is not new 13/.
hut the fact that it was, for the first time, introduced and promoted on
a vast, national scale has given it tremendous prestige as a means of in­
struction for young farmers.
In its bigness, oyer 680,000 farm veterans have received instruction
in the program from its inception until January, 1952, under Public Law
346.
In addition, over 75,000 disabled veterans were enrolled under
Public Law 16 at the same time.
To provide training for these men, nearly
$300,000,000 was paid for instructional costs; nearly one and one-half
billions of dollars was spent in providing subsistence payments to vet­
erans enrolled. 14/
In an over-all picture of all veterans studying under the G-.I. Bill,
School and Society has pointed out that the value of educating 8,000,000
veterans has not been fully realized. 15/ .Impartial, studies are needed to
disclose the value and the superiority of the veteran student to a college
student, whether due to maturity, broader experiences, course changes,
13/
Public Law No. 347, Sixty-Fourth Qongress-S. 703»■ Rational Vocational
Education (Smith-Hughes) Act.
14/
AVA Bulletin 5. Op. Oit., p 10.
15/
School and Society. "The G-.I. Bill of Rights and the Future of
Education" September 8, 1951•
- 29 methods of instruction or some sort of a spiritual drive.
One important
contribution is that the nation might well enroll four and one-half mil­
lion students in higher education and benefit by it.
The experiment in
veteran training likely holds many lessons for future American education.
Outstanding features of the veterans1 program included year—around ■
instruction, on-farm supervision by the veterans instructor as a follow­
up to classroom'', discussions, an organized, systematic classroom proce­
dure, on-farm group instruction, the use of home and farm plans, the use
of specialists from agricultural agencies, and the use of advisory com­
mittees for local veteran groups.
Evaluation of these procedures have been made from time to time by
investigators in other areas.
H. E. SmLtk.16/ pointed out that the IOFT
Program.has resulted in an ...eight-point development program for Alabama
veterans:
(l) live-at-home program, (2) feed crops and feeding surplus,
(3) care and maintenance of workstook and equipment, (4) cash enterpri­
ses - each veteran must have three sources of income including one of
livestock, (5) farm and home improvements, (6) conservation of natural
resources, (?) farm management - buying, selling, and keeping farm and,
(8) farm mechanics - repair and maintenance of tools and machinery.
G. W. Weigers 17/ commented on the progress of veterans in a study
which included, (l) characteristics of trainees, (2) agricultural
l6y
Smith, Hunter E., "Accomplishments in Veterans Program11. Agricultural
Education Magazine. Vol. 22:153, Jan. 1950..
1Z/
Weigers, Geqrge W. Jr., "Some Outcomes of IOFT in Missouri. Agricul­
tural Education Magazine. Vol. 22:154, Jan. .1950.
~ 30 outcomes of the program, (3) outcomes related to agriculture, (4) general
outcomes^ and (5) differences caused hy varying educational levels.
Most
of the trainees had acquired sufficient formal education to read and
enterpret agricultural materials; veterans are trying to "become estab­
lished on larger-than-average farms and develop a long-time1planning pro­
gram. with the farm as an integrated unit; veterans are learning how to
analyze and solve farm problems and are actually introducing new or ap­
proved farming methods; family living conditions had improved to some ex­
tent, while cooperative activities and development of rural leadership
had not materialized to the fullest, extent.
J» H. Lintner 18/ has indicated the effectiveness of instruction in
veterans training, based on four different types of instruction which
included, (l) classroom instruction,by the veterans' teacher,-(2) offfarm instruction by other educational agencies, (3) on-farm group instruction, and (4) on-farm individual instruction.
This study showed
that the IOFT Program is meeting the needs of the majority of veterans;
that all ‘types of instruction has some value for establishment in farm­
ing; that the greatest needs of veterans are in the productive enter-
-
prises, with the least amount of emphasis desired in the appreciation of
farm life; that the IOFT discovered the needs, but did not always solve
the individuals' problems; that the 200 hours on-farm and the 100 hours
classroom instruction ratio was about right for instruction; that the
18/
Lintner„ J.. H . , "Values of Farm Veteran Training1'. Agricultural Edu­
cation Magazine. Vol. 23:158, January 1950» Based on a study for the
Master's Degree, Ohio State University, .1949» • ■
- '31 - ■
teachers6 biggest problem was to make instruction fit the needs of a wide
range of age, education, and farming opportunity; and that the most effec­
tive methods of teaching were class discussion and demonstrations.
In Ohio, Fidler 19/ has devised a system of bi-annual evaluation of
training, approached from the veterans individual program and the teachers
program, which tends to lend a possible air toward the improvement and
quality of the program, but in this author's view, creates a scape-goat
type of evaluation that is decidedly wavering and undemocratic.
Progress in a general way has been made by West Virginia veterans,
according to Swecher 20/.
There is a difinite trend toward farm owner­
ship; livestock numbers have increased; livestock quality has improved;
there Jias been a considerable adoption of S.O.S. practices, although pas­
ture improvements were needed.
In general, results have been encouraging,
farming methods have improved which has contributed toward a more effi­
cient agriculture.
In Arizona, Chavez 21/ conducted a study that revealed that produc­
tion-type instruction aimed at solving specific farm problems should con­
tinue to receive major emphasis in the veterans program, although veterans
are aware of broadening responsibilities in the community.
The information
19/
Filler L. 'B,. "Ohio. Evaluation of I.O.F. Training". Agricultural
Education.Magazine, Vol. 2.3s224, April, 1951 o
20/
Swecher, J. B..,. "West Virginia Veterans Making Progress Toward
Establishment in Farming", Agricultural Education Magazine.
Vol. 23:226, April, 1951«2
1
21 /
Chavez, Dan J., "Arizona I.O.F. Program", Agricultural Education
Magazine. Vol. 24:282, June 1952»;
'
" 32 ■=»
gathered is intended to strengthen current training programs and serve as
a guide for future programs in young-farmer and adult education.
Edward 0. .Eaton 22/ discovered that satisfactory progress in becoming
established in farming was made by 190 trainees surveyed in Vermont.
Sig-
i,
nificant increases in labor income, net worth, and productive man work
units had occurred.
Tenure status stood out as an important nonmanagerial
factor, tended to produce increases in labor income and efficiency and net
worth.
,Home living conditions standards were high; and veterans were geni
erally considered as "non-joiners'! in community organizations.
Thus in the review of the preceding literature pertaining to results
of veterans' education in the I.O.P.T. Program, it well noted that the re-.
sponses and the results of training have yielded similar results in most
areas of the nation.
Findings of this survey conducted in Montana of this
survey conducted in Montana follow closely the pattern of results of train­
ing in other States and the nation as a whole.
Stories of local failures,
of mismanagement., of dishonesty, and poor relationships lose their flavor
in the minority cases, which are, at times,- held up as examples of effi­
ciency in the local community.
C» H» Hoskins has stated the case in the
following manners
22/
Eaton, E. 0. "Institutional On-Farm Training in Vermont",
Agricultural Education Magazine Vol. 25?107, Hovember„ 1952.
” 33 —
"Snap judgments of idle tumors regarding a minority group
of farm veterans, who did not succeed, ate no longer in order.
The majority, ,who enrolled for the I.O.P. Training Program,
succeeded far "beyond our expectations.
We need only to look
at the record which is available as a text (A.V.A. Research
Bulletin Wo. 5) and well-illubtrnted story of progressive estab­
lishment in farming and home and community life.9 23/
23/
Hoskins, B» Re !lResearch in Veterans6 Education", Agricultural
Education Magazine, Vo. 26871, September, 1953»
- 34 PART III.
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OE SCHEDULES
FINDINGS OE THE .VETERANS * TRAINING' PROGRAM IN MONTANA
The findings of this study are grouped according to the titles of the
three schedules used, each indicating a different phase of the study:
Schedule A— "To Study the Effectiveness of the Institutional On-Earm
Training Program in the Progressive Establishment of Veterans
in Farming."
Schedule B--llTo Study the Progressive Establishment of Veterans,
Enrolled in the Institutional On-Earm Training Program in Home
and Community Life."
Schedule 0— To Study the Reactions of Veterans Toward Procedures,
Practices, and Outcomes of Instruction of the Institutional-OnEarm Training program as Related to Future Programs in
Agricultural Education,"
A.
Analysis and Interpretation of Findings in Schedule "A"— Establishment
in Farming
Schedule "A" has been arranged into categories, with the intention of
assembling similar questions under group headings.
!
General Information about the Veteran.
Race
Veterans classification
Months of Military.Service
Months of IOET completed
Months of additional entitlement
Farm experience
Other experience
j
- 35 Farm Operation.
Tenure status
Type of farming
Rental or partnership agreements
Source of credit
Crops and Land Use
Major crops
Major crops yields
Acres of idajpr crops
Estimated acres of cropland, improved pasture» woodlot, and
unimproved pastures
Total acres
Live stook Management
Total anikal units
Major enterprises
Rate of production
Farm Accounts
Farm assets
Farm liabilities
Net worth
Gross farm receipts
Labor income
A.
ANALYSIS AED INTERPRETATION OF SCHEDULE "A"
General Information About the Veteran.
A classification of veterans show that of the 100 surveyed, 90 per
cent are classified as P. L. 3^6*s, and 10 percent as Po L. l6 1s ( for
rehabilitation)o
This is for self-proprietors only; no farmer-employed
or Type llBfl veterans are included in the survey.
Ninety-four percent of the veterans were of the white race; there
were no negroes in the state study; six percent were of other
nationalities
~
36
-
The average enlistment was 39 months of military service.
Appendix
Table I shows that 71 percent of the veterans were in service longer than
36 months; thirty-eight percent were in the service for 42 months or more.
Appendix Table II shows that the veteran had completed an average of
21 months of IOPT in 1949.
Appendix Table III shows that there were an average of 25 months of
additional entitlement to training in 1949«
As a background to farming experience* 92 percent had been farmreared; eight percent had come from a city environment.
Years of farming
experience varied widely among the group.
Table I shows a considerable
number of years experience by the veteran.
The average veteran had 14
years of farming experience, with a range of none up to 2? years.
TABLE I
YEARS OP P A R M i m EXPERIENCE BY MONTANA VETERANS IN 1949
Number Years of Experience *
Percent
None
2
1-2
3
3 - 4
5 - 6
I
4
7-8
9-10
11-12
6
11
6
13-14
16
15-16
17 - 18
19 - 21
22 - 27 and over
13
11
11
14
Not answered
________2_
________________________________ Total______100#
Notes * Farm experience defined as after ten years of age and prior to
enrollment in I.O.P.T. Program,
Appendix Table 17 indicates that the majority (56 percent) of veterans
had other work experience of some degree, ranging from one to 27 years.
The
largest single group (44 percent) indicated no other work experience than
their farm work.
Eighty percent indicated four years or less of outside
work experience.
Earm Operation
Tenure Status
TABLE II
TEHUHE STATUS OF MONTANA VETERANS IN 1949 - 1950
Tenure Status
Owner operator
Owner operator (renting
additional land)
Partner with parents
Partner with others
Tenant - cash renter
Tenant - other
Share cropper
Hired manager
TOTAL
1949 Percentage Status
At time of At end of
Enrollment fiscal yr.
1950 Percentage Status
At time of At end of
Enrollment fiscal yr.
38
38
39
41
10
18
12
18
11
18
11
18
5
5
14
5
9
.5
13
4
9
5
14
4
9
5
2
100%
0
100%
.0
100%
8
12
0
100%
Table II indicates the tenure status of veterans .as, rather promising.
In 1950, stability was indicated by 83 percent of veterans showing no
change in tenure status, with 11 percent showing a change to a higher
degree up the ladder toward self-proprietorship; six percent showed a
change to a lower bracket in farm tenure.
At the end of 1950, fifty-two
percent owned and operated fcheir land; 11 percent, included in the figure
above, rented additional land to farm; this represents an increase of 8
- 38 percent in ownership, over the time of enrollment in 1949.
One grouping of particular interest is the large percent (l8 ) of vet­
erans farming in partnership with their parents...
It i,s safe to assume
that a majority of these will become eventual owners of their parents
property, which indicates that the farm inheritance problem is here .and
is being met through the media of father-son partnerships.
Other rami­
fications of this situation are the scarcity of qualified farm labor and
the high initial investment necessary to start farming.
Since beginning to farm does require a substantial- .amount of capital,
it is not unusual to see a rather strong leaning toward the more gradual
means of entry into farming.
The more common ways of doing this, find the
young farmer in the role of a tenant or a share-cropper.
At the time of
enrollment in 1949, twenty-seven percent of the Montana veterans were
either share-croppers or tenants on a self-proprietor basis.,
At the end
of the fiscal year in 1950, a slight deviation (four percent) had occurred
away from this type of tenure in favor of a more advanced tenure status.
Statistics for the entire state show that 45.6 percent of all oper­
ators are full owners 23/s thirty-eight percent .are part owners;- nine
percent are
share tenants
and croppers; and that the proportion of
ten­
ancy of all
types is 14.7
percent.
ofthe
veteran is quite promising.
Thus in comparison, thestatus
(See Appendix Table X for Tenure and Vo-Ag
Training.)
23?
United
27, U.
States Census
S. Department
of Agriculture for Montana, 1950,Volume
of Commerce. Table 3» page 4.
I,Part
- 39 Type of Farming s
Farming in Montana is usually thought of in. terms of the major enter­
prises as beef, sheep and wheat.
However, a break-down of the veterans®
farms show that other enterprises have a prominent place among the top
three farming types, as shown by Table III,
TABLE III
TYPE OF FARMING- ENGAGED IN BY. MONTANA VETERANS FOR 1949 AND 1950
Percent of Veterans
1950
1949
Type of Farming*
General
Beef Cattle
Wheat
Dairy
Sheep
Sugar Beets
Hogs
Poultry
Cash Grain
Vegetable
Other
Not Answered
41
24
12
11
TOTAL
Notes
3
3
I
I
I
I
I
I
100#
45
24
14
11
2
3
I
0
0
0
0
0
100#
* "Type of Farming" is defined as a designation of a particular, type
wherein 50 percent or more of the income is derived from one
enterprise.
Table III shows that general or diversified farming is the most common
among veterans.
For economic stability over a period of years, the trend
is toward the diversified type of farming.
Forty-five percent of Montana's
veterans are engaged in this type of farming, which represents an increase
of 9»7 percent within a span of two years.
Other prominent types of farm­
ing include beef cattle, 24 percent; wheat farming, 12 percent; and dairy
farming, 11 percent.
■=, 40 —
The relationships of typd.s of farming to farm management factors, is
shown in Table IT,
TABLE IT
TYPES OF FARMING OF MONTANA TETEBANS
BELATED •TO OTfflBH FARM MANAGEMENT FACTOR^ FOR 1949*
No. in
Group
Major
Enterprise
General
Beef
Wheat
Dairy
Sheep
Sugar Beets
Hogs
Poultry
Cash Grain
Vegetable
Not Classified
41
24
12
11
s
3
3
I
I
I
I
2
Labor
Income
$1080.‘
1435
1775
1140
677
’$3978
.4283
4366
3.273
4833
35.00
100
1900
1000
1500
2500
6600
1366
Farm
Assets
Gross
Income
Farm
Liabilities
$11,293
$ 4,659
20,875
10,000
8,000
400
10,455
41,333
12,000
10,000
5,000
2,000
24,000
5,083
3,455 .
29,333
5,000
6,000
4,000
11,000
Net
Worth
$ 6,634
12,875
4,917
7,000
12,000
7,000
4,000
1.000
2,000
13,000
100
*Note:
All figures are IBM averages for types-of-farming groups.
The most significant factors shown in Table IT point toward a trend
which indicates that as livestock becomes a part of the ,farming operation,
the farm assets increase.
,Assets are higher with 'beef, sheep, dairy, and
general types of farming than with grain farms.
However, lack of a suffi­
cient size groups in hogs, poultry and sheep, reduce the significance of
the figures tabulated.
Since wheat, farming is ,a major enterprise of Montana, it could be ex­
pected to stand in popularity as a type of farming most common .among the
veterans.
production.
There are large areas of the State especially adapted to wheat
Table IT shows that wheat.farming has yielded its highest net
returns as labor income, and next highest in gross income» exceeded only by
the sheep enterprise; however, the net worth of the wheat farming group,
places it below any of the other major enterprises where livestock is in­
cluded in the farming operation,.
Indebtedness, also ranks high in propor­
tion to farm assets, possibly caused by the high cost of farm machinery and
the rising trend in dry land values.
In the case of ,sugar beet ..farmers, a condition exists that reflects
upon the complexity of farming operations in general..
With the big demand
for war-time sugar supply leveled off, these operators have had to face
economic conditions that have not yet struck other farm enterprises in the
same degree. ..Table IV shows that farm assets are fairly high; indebtedness
among sugar beet farmers ranks about the .same as for other enterprises,
leaving net worth ranking third high among sugar beet farmers, exceeded
only by the beef and sheep enterprises.
However, other factors appear to
round out the:picture of sugar beet farmers, .Gross income ranks moderately
I
high, which is probably due to the high cost of manual labor, high machin­
ery costs, and reduced price per ton on raw sugar beets.
The labor income
for sugar beets ranks low.
Other than the main agricultural enterprises mentioned.above, there
are so few .samples of the minor enterprises that too much reliability can­
not be placed upon conclusions from the samples on hand.
- 42
lease Agreements
TiiBLE V
FARM LEASE, RENTAL, OR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS OP MONTANA VETERANS
IN 1949 - 1950
Type of Agreement
Oral
Written
Written and recorded
Owner without lease
Not answered
TOTAL
' $ in 1949
# in 1950
16 ,
34
14
31
16
37
2
100#
2
100#
30
18
TaLle V shows that there was little change in legal agreements
"between landlord and veteran in the course of two years time.
There is
little doubt that many veterans and veterans instructors were at a loss
in some cases to affect a change in rental,agreements between landlord
and veteran once a precedent had been established.
,Community custom
still prevailed in some areas? if the veteran had not had any training
in basic farm law, he generally resorted to community custom or the will
of the landlord, resulting in an inferior type of lease.
The oral agree­
ment is generally unsatisfactory.
Source of Credit
In the course of operating a farm, it is often desirable and neces­
sary to use credit,
,To become successfully launched into farming after
serving in the armed forces, many returning veterans found that credit was
necessary, ,There are undoubtedly many factors and varying circumstances
that govern the use of credit.
- 43 ^jpendix Table V indicates that the veterans used all of the common
sources of credit within his community.
Veterans were decidedly not en­
thusiastic about using real estate mortgage credit.
Forty-nine percent
refrained from the use of real estate mortgage for credit security.
Agen­
cies receiving the greatest play on real estate mortgages were individuals
(l8 percent) and the Farmers Home Administration (12 percent).
Commercial
and savings banks, .insurance companies, and the Federal Land Bank received
only a small portion of veterans real estate mortgages.
The over-all pic­
ture seems to indicate that, the veteran was rather cautious in the use of
credit when real estate had to be mortgaged as security.
Other Credit
Appendix Table VI shows an entirely different picture in regard to
loans in which real estate is not offered as a security for a debt.
The
greatest source of credit has been secured from the commercial banks (39
percent), followed by credit extended by the local merchants or dealers
(l6 percent) and other individuals (9 percent)..
Fifteen percent of the
veterans show no use of credit in their farming operation.
There is a
moderate trend toward the use of Production.Credit Associations and the
Farmers Home Administration from 1949 to 1950.
- 44 Props and Land Use
Major Crops
TABLE VI
MAJOR CROPS GROVIW BY MOWTAWA VETERANS .IH 1949 - 1950
Crops
,
1949
Percent
, 43
Hay
Wheat
Sugar Beets
Oats
Dry Beans
Barley
Miscellaneous
Not answered
. 31
TOTAL
1950
Percent
46
37
6
6
5
3
I
3
2
6
3
4
2
100#
2
100#
Table VI shows the major crops grown on farms of veterans.
Major
crops grown are closely associated with the type of farming engaged in
hy the veteran.
Since most of the prominent types of farming in Montana
are linked with the production of livestock, it is found that hay is the
major crop on the largest number of veterans farms.
Although wheat is
listed ag a major type of farming for 13 percent of the farms of veterans,
(see Table III), it ranks next to hay as a major crop on 31 percent of
veterans' farms.
(194?)
Although the production of livestock is prominent on most Montana
farms, it will be noted that feed corn is not mentioned as a major crop.
Wheat is usually regarded as a cash crop in Montana 24/, with relatively
small amounts held back for seed and feed.
,- • '
■— Ir
it .
24/ Ibid, p. 12.. Table 12.
: ~
Oats and barley are the most
-____________________
r. 45 used small grain.-feed concentrates in Montana=
Neither oats and "barley had
a, prominent place as a major crop on veterans' farms =
In certain, irrigated areas of intensified farming, sugar "beets are a
major crop on 6 percent of veterans farms.
Dry beans, are also grown in
these areas with only 3 percent showing it as of major importance=
Major Crop Yields
TABLE VII
YIELDS AND ACTUAL ACHES OF MAJOR CROPS REPORTED BY MONTANA VETERANS
. FOR 1949 - 1950
Average
Average Yield
Total Crop Major Crop
No. of Total Farm
Per Farm Per A.
Acres
Acres/Farm
Farms
Unit Yield*
1940
1949 1940 1949 1940
1949 1940 1949 1940
1949
3880
4786 90.2 104
46 68 =.4t 76=4t 1.6T
Hay .
1.7T
43
121
3668
22.2Bu
25.3BU
37 689BU 937Bu
Wheat
4479 118
31
164
28.4
11.
IT
6 73T
66.5T 12.2T
Sugar Beets
6
171 27.3
40 Bu
20 71=6 20
I 24lBu 40Bu
48.2Bu
Oats
358
5
23.6
Dry Beans
3
56Bags59Bags
l8.67Bagsl9.67Bags
71 25
3
75
21.5
2
29=5Bu
2
59B
u
75B
u
100
Barley
43 50
37.5.2%
6
Others
3
4
2
No Reply
Total Percent 100 100__________________ ^
________________________________
Note; *Total Farm Unit Yield computed as the sum of all yields for one
acre for all farms.
Major
Table VII shows the average yield per acre on veterans' farms for the
major crops grown, total major crop acres, and average acres of major
crops per farm.
In reference to yield per acre, farm veterans have shown an increase
in the yield per acre of hay, wheat, beans, and barley from 1949 to 1950=
During the same period, a decrease in average yield per acre occurred in
the production of sugar beets and oats.
However, in comparison with the
average of all farms for the state, the veterans average yield per acre
«*» 45 -*
exceeds them in substantial, amounts in most cases, as noted below.
25/
TABLE VIII
COMPARISON QP AVERAGE YIELD PER ACRE OP MAJOR CROPS OP MONTANA VETERANS
AND STATE OF MONTANA AVERAGES POR 194-9* ‘
Crop
Veterans’ Average
Hay (all)
Wheat (all)
Barley
Oats
Sugar Beets
Beans
Notes
1.6 Ton/A
22.2 Bu/A
29.5 Bu/A
48.2 Bu/A
12.2 T/A
l8.6 Bags?A (cwt)
State Average
1.08
' 12.5
23.0
29.0
11.8
10.54
T/A
Bu/A
Bu/A
Bu/A
T/A
Bags/A
*Latest State averages available.
Use of Land
Montana is a land of variation.
In elevation it ranges from 1900
feet in eastern Montana up to 12,000 feet in mountain ranges on the west.
Montana has rolling hills, the rough "breaks" along creeks and rivers, the
grasslands, the foothills and the rugged Rocky Mountain chain.
West of
the mountains are the heavily timbered forests regions, with their high
mountain valleys where farming ;Ls limited to areas lying less than 6000
feet above sea level.
Rainfall in Montana varies from a few meager inches (10-13) in the
east and middle east, to over 30 inches in the mountain areas.
Growing
season precipitation averaged 8.Bi inches over a 5'4-year period. 26/
25/ Montana Agricultural Statistics. Volume III, Montana Department of
Agricultural, Labor, and Industry, Bureau of Agricultural Economics,
Helena, Montana, December 1950, pages 10 - 14.
26/ H. G. Bolster and H. R. Stucky, General Information About Montana
Agriculture, Bulletin No. 228, May, 1945, Montana Agricultural Exten­
sion Service, pp. I. - 10.
- 47 About one-half of the state receives 13 - 16 inches of rainfall annually.
As the elevation and rainfall varies, so the soil type changes in relation
to its environment.
over 140 days.
Length of growing season varies from less than 80 to
In areas of the state that lie below the 4,000-foot level,
the average frost-free period is H O days or more.
27/
In this setting of wide variation in climate, topography, and growing
season can be found the farms of the veterans in this study.
are not unlike the hosts of neighboring farms.
Their farms
Size of farm often varies
with the ragion of the state in which a certain type of farming is pre­
dominant.
In the irrigated valleys, the farms are commonly 100 acres to
320 acres in size, but the range in size is wide.
In the grazing areas,
the ranches become extensive in their holdings, since in an average year,
about 32 acres are required to produce one animal unit adequately.
In the
wheat growing areas, the farms are usually of the intermediate in size,
ranging between the smaller irrigated farms and the vast livestock ranches.
The table on the next page indicates how the land in farms is used by
veterans.
27/ Reitz. L. P ., Oron Regions in Montana as Related to Environmental
Factors. Bulletin No. 340, May, 1937, Agricultural Experiment
Station, Bozeman, Montana, pp. 23 - 25.
- 48 TABLE IX
ACEEAGE USE GE LAUD BY M O N T M A VETEBANS DURING 1949 - 1950
I
I
100#
I
100#
I
100#
100#
&
1949 1950
2
.3
2
I
10
10
28
31
28
31
13
15
7
7
4
3
2
2
H
TOTAL
Cropland
H
O
4K.
0-10
11 - 25
26 - 50
51 - ioo
101 - 200
201 - 300
301 - 500
501 - 1000
1001 - 2000
2001 - 5000
5001 - 10,000
10,000 - and over
Not answered
Land Use
# In Ifeinge
# In WoodPasture
Lot or Timber or Unimproved
Pasture
1950
1949 1950
1950
1949
1949
62
30
70
72
56
33
20
4
4
17
7
7
8
10
4
7
3
5
12
6
6
7
13
5
6
2
2
13
15
5
2
2
2
2
3
3
0
0
7
7
3
3
6
6
I
I
I
I
8
8
2
I
I
I
6
5
2
2
% In ■ i In Improved.
H
O
•§H
O
Acreage
Brackets
Cropland
Table IX indicates that the veteran was expanding in the use of crop­
land.
The trend was not great, hut the movement was toward the farms that
have about 100 acres in cropland, with an increase of about 15 percent in
farms that have 200-300 acres of cropland.
This is a healthy movement
away from the extremely small farms of 10-25 acres.
Except in the case of
intensified truck or fruit farming, it is highly questionable whether the
small farms constitute an economic unit.
In this land of wide variations
in agricultural conditions a farming program is much more apt to be a se­
cure business when the acreage is held at a higher level.
At the end of
at least two years in the veterans program, fourteen percent were farming
less than 50 acres of cropland.
Forty-six percent of the veterans were
- 49 farming land ranging in size from 301-1000 acres.; two percent farmed more
than 1000 acres.
The average number of acrep of cropland for Montana vet­
erans was 183 acres in 19^0, which represented a 4.4^ increase over 1949.
The State average of acreage cultivated per farm was 277 acres in 1945- 28/
Improved Pasture
More and more farmers in general are becoming aware of the value of
improved pastures.
.Table IX shows that the majority of veterans have less
than ten acres of improved pasture.
The trend is to increase the acres of
improved pasture; ten percent of the veterans increased their acreage above
ten acres from 1949 to 1950; eighteen percent increased their acreage in
the 11-25 acre bracket from 1949 to 1950.
Improved pasture is often asso­
ciated with irrigated land; this is not always the case.
,It appears that
a number of veterans ha.d improved pasture other than on irrigated land.
Ten percent had a range of over 100-200 acres in improved pasture land.
The.average of all veterans in 1950 was 43.8 acres; which represents a 12
percent increase over 1949«
.Woodlot or Timber Land
Table IX shows that 72 percent of the veterans have less than ten
acres of woodlot or timber.
Such land usually has little economic value
in the nature of returns from the sale of timber, except in the mountainous
areas in the western part of the State.
Timber lands of veterans are us­
ually regarded as a source of grazing with some timber used for fuel, fence
posts and for other miscellaneous uses.
28/. Bolster, op cit.. p. 23, Table I.
.Many farms have several acres
- 50 along creeks or rivers, coulee "bottoms and in shelter-belts that are cov­
ered with brush and timber.
or for grazing.
Much of this land is used as a source of fuel
There were no veterans in this survey who regarded the
sale of timber as a major source of income.
Eange Land
Table IX shows a wide distribution of land in use as range or unim­
proved pasture.
Where farms are small, one third of the veterans have no
range or less than 10 acres.
range land.
-In 1950, 25 percent had 51-200 acres in
Although the use of range has a wide variation among veter­
ans, the trend indicated showed an increase in the amount of land being
used for that purpose.
This increase accounted for a large percent of the
increase in total land expansion of all veterans.
The average range land
used in 1949 was 603 acres; in 1950 an average of 640 acres or an increase
of 6 percent over 1949«
The average in this instance is not a revealing
figure because of the extremes in acres in land use for range.
TABLE X
LAKTD USE ACBEAGrE OE FAEMS OF MONTANA VETERANS FOR 1949 AND 1950
Acreage
Crop Land
1950
1949
Total Acres 17,128 18,306
183
Average
171
Improved
Pasture
1949 1950
3910 4388
39 43.8
Woodlot
or Timber
Rangeland
Total Acres
1949
1950
1950
1949 1950 1949
5941 7701 60,290 63,983 88,719 95,785
896
958
603
640
59
77
Total Acres
Table X shows the total acres of land on farms of Montana veterans and
how it is divided in land use.
In 1950, the veterans increased an average
of 62 acres per farm over 1949« or in increase of 7.1 percent in farm size.
- 51 This
increase was in keeping with a general 25 year trend in the State in
which the number of farms have decreased while the size had increased
about 12 percent.
29/
The average sized veterans farm of 958 acres is somewhat below the
average size of I688 acres of all farms in Montana.
30/
Livestock Management
Cash receipts from the sale of all livestock and livestock products
in 1949 for the State of Montana totaled over 189 million dollars.
The veterans of Montana shared in this huge industry.
31/
Their contributions
in terms of number of animal units and rate of production are shown in the
accompanying tables.
2 9 / Thompson. Layton S.. .Changing Aspects of the farm Real Estate
Situation in Montana,! 1940 to 1946. Bulletin 440„ January 194?$
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Montana
State College, Bozeman, Montana, Figure 5». P» 21.
30/
U.S. Census of Agriculture for Montana, 1950. op cit., p. 3, Table I..
31/
Montana Agricultural Statistics, Volume III Montana Department of
Agriculture Labor and Industry, .Bureau of Agricultural Economics,
Helena, Montana, December 1950 j p. 6.
■
I
- 52 Major Animal Enterprises
TABLE XI
LIVESTOCK. I1N MAJOR AND OTHER ANIMAL ENTERPRISES ON EABMS
OE MONTANA VETERANS EOH 1949-1950
Percent
of
Veterans
1949 1950
Beef
Dairy cows
Hogs
Sheep* (Lambs)
Sheep (Wool)
Laying Hens**
Broilers
Turkey Poults
Not answered or np
major enterprise
■51
2?
6
4
■ 0
3
I
I
54
30
4
3
7
2
I
4
I
I
Sub-total
TOTALS
Average of all Livestock
Note.8
Ave rage
Total
Animal Units in A.U. pe r Major
Enterprise
Major Enterprises
1950
1949
1950
• 1949
2122
318
30.7
102.3
———
7
— —
. 3.6
2364
377
16.4
41 i6
82
20.3
25.5
43.7
14.5
4.1
27.3
— —
20.3
2871.8
3449
100
3088.0
——
1———
33.9
5.1
8
--4.1
2583.6.
100
13,3
35.9
2.3
3.6
.2.0
-- 4.1
—-
—
—
—
l5lEive head of sheep equal one animal unit.
■**One-hundred laying hens equal on animal unit.
Table XI shows that the beef and dairy enterprises are by far the
most popular type of livestock enterprises on veterans farms.
By 1950»
eighty-four percent of the veterans were engaged in these two enterprises.
Average animal units per farm tended to increase in the major enterprise
of beef, dairy and sheep.
In 1949» there was an average of 33.9 animal
units per farm (91 farms reporting); in 1950, animal units per farm had
increased to 35.9 (96 farms reporting), or an increase of about 6 percent.
- 53 Hates of Production
TABLE XII '
EATB OF PRODUCTION OF MAJOR ANIMAL ENTERPRISES ON FARMS
QF MONTANA VETERANS FOR 1949-1950
Standard of
Enterprise________Production*
Beef
/
Dairy cows
Hogs
Sheep (lambs)
Sheep (wool)
Laying hens
Broilers
Turkey poults
Rate of Production
Total___________Average
Percent calf crop
Milk per cow per year
Pigs weaned per sow
Percent lamb crop
Wool per head
Eggs per hen per year
Percent raised
Percent raised
* —
159,800#
■— —
181,300#
31
21
—
— —
550
20.-3
. 745
— —
—
"
6l46#
6973#
7.7 pigs 7 pigs
89#
9#
I83 eggs 186 eggs
98#
98^
81#
84$
Notes *Data not available in
**See text following this table.
Table XII shows the total and average rate of production of several
of the major livestock enterprises.
In the case of sheep» broilers, and
turkey poults, there are an insufficient number of samples to be signifi­
cant.
While the number of cases of laying hens and hogs are small, the
average rate of production is not out of line with the usual community
averages.
Dairy milk, production, while not heavy, shows a decided in­
crease of 13.4 percent per cow from 1949 to 1950.
In reference to the
percent of calf crop for the beef enterprise, it should be noted that
direct figures on number of calves born were not taken in the schedules.
Table XIII shows a tabulation of percent of qalf crop.
-
5^
-
TABLE XIII
CALP CROP PERCEfTTAOES POR THE BEEP ENTERPRISE ON FARMS
OF MONTANA VETERANS FOR 1949-1950
Percent
Calf Cron
Percent of
Veterans
1949
1940
98
26
2.2
0
100
95 - 97
9.2 - 94
89 - 91
86
88
80 - 85
Below 79
TOTAL
35
4.-3
19.5
13
25
6.2
4.2
35.4
6.2
16.7
6.3
100#
100#
Table XIV shows that the feeding of baby beef, steers and hogs to
be the most common among veterans..
This table is on the following page.
In 1950, with the exception of hogs, all feeder types have registered a
slight gain in average gain per month per head.
Although the gain is
slight, it registers the progress made by veterans in their study of
feeding on the farm and in the classroom.
Results of feeding lambs and
turkey poults are not significant for lack of sufficient numbers.
TABLE XIV
BATE OF FRODUOTION OF MAJOR MEAT ANIMALS.ON FARMS OF MONTANA
VETERANS FOR 1949-1950
•■ ■Feeder..
Enterprise
■Percent
of Veterans
Participating
Dotal' g£iin of
Measure of Production
j all ani.mals
in S m *vey
1950
1949
1949
1950
1258#
56.7#
57.2#
982
1109
51.7
52.8
Gain in cwt. per litter per mo.
2440
5060
1220
1265
12 , Gain in pounds per head per mo.
483
409
35.5
34.1
1949
' 1950
BaLy•Beef
22
22
Gain in pounds per head per mo.
1248#
Steers
19
23
Gain in pounds per head per mo.
2
4
Pig Litters
Hogs ■
15
Feeder LamLs
.I
I
Gain in pounds per head per mo.
15
15
15
15
55
83
27
28
5
5
.5
5
Broilers-
.2...
.3
Gain in pounds per 100 Lirds per week
Turkey poults
I
I
Gain in pounds p e r ,Lird per mo.
None. Fattened
28
27
Not Answered
10
7
•TOTAL •■
100$.
■-!
100$
■
AverajSe
Gain
— 56 Financial Status
TABLE XV
FIKAtTCIAL EESULTS OF FARM MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
FOR MONTANA VETERANS IN 1949-1950
Item
Labor income
Gross receipts
Farm assets
Farm liabilities
Net worth
Number
Average
Veterans
(in dollars) . Renortine
1950
1950
1949
1949
Totals
(in dollars)
1950
1949
$
109,100
398,501
1,386,595
595,640
790,955
$
166,601 $ 1,173
473,501
1 ,660,316
598,474
l,Q6l,842
4,108
14,443
6,204
8,239
$ 1,7.18
4,785
16,603
5,985
10,6l8
Table XV shows the status of the veteran financially.
93
97
97
. 99
96
96
96
100
100
100
All items in
the table have shown an increase from 1949 to 1950, with the exception of
farm liabilities, which decreased on an average of 3»5 percent.
come increased strikingly on an average of 46.4 percent.
increased on an average of 16,5 percent.
Labor in­
Gross receipts
It is interesting to note that
the increase from 1949 to 1950 in gross income is almost directly re­
flected in the increase in labor income.
have increased 15.6 percent.
In a like manner, farm assets
Of particular importance, net worth has
increased 28.8.percent over the preceding year.
This offers substantial
weight to the fact that the veteran has become and is becoming, success­
fully established in farming.
- 57 B.
ESTABLISHMENT IN HOME AND COMMUNITY
Schedule 11B 11 was designed to study the progressive establishment of
veterans enrolled in the Institutional On-Farm Training Program in home and
community life.
Schedule llBn helps to round out the picture of the veteran
and his community.
It is well that such a picture can be obtained, for
success in farming is often closely associated with a happy home life, and
a feeling of security within the community.
Ideas are gathered as to how
well the veteran has adjusted himself on return to a civilian status and
how well he has assumed the responsibilities of a community citizen.
The following items indicate areas of the veterans home life and what
his thinking and reactions are toward community affairs which have been
analyzed in this phase of the study.
1. General information about the veteran and his family taken from
the survey includes;
Age
Marital status
Wife *s farm experience
Field work by wife
Number of children
Health
Insurance
Education
2. Membership in organizations;
National farm organizations
Local co-operatives
Veterans organizations
Community organizations and improvements
Fraternal, social civic, and professional clubs
3. Community activities:
Church attendance
Use of USDA agencies
Political affairs and elections
School, affairs '
,
- 58 4. Home Life;
Sources of news and information;
Newspapers
Magazines
Books
Bulletins, circulars, etc.
Home conveniences:
Communications
Transportation
Sanitation
Popd storage and preparation
Housing arrangements
Home improvements
Electricity
Laundry facilities
Opinions on living status
General Information About the Veteran
Age
TABLE XVI
AGE GROUPS QP MONTANA VETERANS POR 1949
Age.
20 - 24
25 - 2.9
30 - 34
35 - 39
40-44
45 - 49
Over 50
Percent of Veterans
I
29
36
19
12
3
______________ 0
TOTAL
100$
Table XVI shows that 84 percent of the veterans fall within the age
bracket of 25-39 years; 65 percent are inside a. ten year bracket, that is,
from 25-34 years.
This is an active age group and one which may be most
active in community, social and school activities.
tential for adult education classes.
Here lies a strong po­
- 59 Marital Status
Hie marital status of Montana veterans reveals that 83 percent are
happily tucked away within the matrimonial fold; 16 percent have not yet
accepted the shackled challenge of cup id, and I percent have gone the ways
of separation.
Wife's Farm Experience
Of the 83 wives concerned in the survey, 60 percent were farm reared;
the balance having had no farm experience.
Farm experience is defined as
after ten years of age and prior to marriage.
■Field Work by Wife
Since starting to farm requires considerable planning, long hours, and
concentrated labor loads, the veteran's wife has shown by Appendix Table VIZ
the close co-operation that.exists within the family when extra help is
needed in productive farm enterprises.
Sixty-one percent had performed
varying days of labor in the field of other productive enterprises.
,The
question arises as to how many days a housewife can contribute without
inpairment to health and neglecting of household duties.
Number of Children
As of date of the survey, Montana veterans have not established them­
selves as producers of large families.
Although the average family is
small it should be borne in mind, however, that of the veterans, .65 percent
are in a bracket of 25-3^ years of age and that family size can be expected
to increase.
The average size family for those men with children is 2.6
.children per family; for all married couples, the average is 2.2 children
per family.
(See Appendix Table I X ) ■
— 6.0 — I
Health
In regard to days lost as a result of sickness or accident, the
following tables indicate the status of health of veterans and their
wives.
Table XVII and XVIII show both man and wife to be quite healthy
in the large majority of cases.
TABLE XVII
HUMBER OE DAYS LOST .DUE TO SICKHESS OR ACCIOEHT
BY MOHTAHA VETERAHS IH 1950
Humber of Days
Percent
Hone
1 - 1 0 days
11 - 20 days
21 - or more
Hot answered
47
38
8
5
2
TOTAL
100#
TABLE XVIII
HUMBER OF DAYS LOST DUE TO SICKHESS OR ACCIDEHT
BY WIVES OF MOHTAHA VETERAHS IH 1950
Humber of Days
Percent
34
40
7
2
17
Hone
1 - 1 0 days
11 - 20 days
21 - or more
Hot answered
TOTAL
100#
- 61Ingurance
Veterans indicate a strong interest in selecting personal or family
insurance.-
The following table shows the participation of veterans in
insurance programs:
TABLE XIX
TYPES OF PERSONAL INSURANCE- CARRIED
BY MONTANA VETERANS IN 1950
Kind of Insurance
Percent
Hospital Insurance
Accident Insurance
Life Insurance
Life & Accident Insurance
Life & Hospital insurance
Hospital and Accident Insurance
All three types
Burial Insurance only
Burial Insurance & others
None
5
I
31;
15
17
5
10
I
0
15
TOTAL
100#
I
Education
The author has taken a special interest in this survey in regard to
the veteran and his education.
Relationships have been drawn that are
not directly obtainable from the raw data in several instances.
Level of Education
Data from the survey shows the highest grade completed in school
by the veteran and his wife.
- 62 TABLE XX
LEVELS OF EDUCATION ATTAINED BY MONTANA VETERANS
AND THEIR WIVES
Grade
Percent of
Veterans' Wives
Percent of Veterans
0 - 4th
5 - 6 th
7 - 8th
9 - IOth (High School)
11 - 12th (Not graduated)
12th (H.S. Graduate)
13 - 14th (College)
15 - 16th
College Graduate
Advanced
TOTALS
0
0
7.3
5
6
57.3
14.7
2.5
7.2
0
I
I
26
18
6
38
6
2
I
I
100#
100#
From Table XX, it is found, that 48 percent of the veterans graduated
from high school, including the ten percent who advanced "beyond that level.
Social practices has prescribed different circumstances for women, thus it
is found that 81,7 percent of the veterans' wives have graduated from high
school.
In general, veterans's wives have attained a higher level of edu­
cation than the veteran.
In some cases, induction into the armed services
was a factor where education was not complete.
Circumstances after the war
may have delayed or cancelled the veterans chance to return to formal
schooling.
The survey also shows the number of years of training in vocational
agriculture while attending high school.
Although. 56.3 percent of Mon­
tana's population is rural, still there is a high percentage of veterans
who have had no vocational agricultural experience.
32/
32/
Census of Populations 1950. U.S. Dept, of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census. Volume I „ Table 5» .P* 26-8.
- 63 TABLE XXI
YBABS OP INSTRUCTION IN VOCATIONAL AGEICULTURE
IN HIGH SCHOOL BY MONTANA VETERANS
Number of years
Percent of Veterans
None
One
. Two
Three
Four
62
10
12
4
12
TOTAL
100#
Table XXI.indicates that 38 percent of the veterans have received some
Vo-Ag training.
Montana has averaged about 55 Vo-Ag departments in the
past, usually in the smaller rural towns around the State.
Approximately
25 percent of the State's high schools have Vo-Ag departments; therefore,
X
it would appear that many veterans have not had access to this type of
training.
Actually, of the areas of the State in which survey veterans
resided, 80 percent lived in areas where a Vo-Ag department was located.
In reference to the two preceding tables, which indicate that 48 per­
cent of the veterans graduated from high school and only 16 percent receiv­
ed three or more years of Vo-Ag training, the question is raised - - - Do
we need more adult education?
Special education training has not played an important part in the
education of veterans.
Fourteen percent have had such training other than
the regular schooling obtained while in high school, college or the IOFT
program.
duration
Most of this training (70 percent) has been less than a year in
_ 64 Educational Relationships Pertaining to Montana Veterans
The following data and tables are based on relationships derived
from grouping all veterans into different levels of educations»
The educational brackets used have been set up on an arbitrary
basis, made necessary by the limited number of total schedules.
To estab­
lish valid conclusions, as far as is possible, the groupings are regulated
by the numbers of cases falling within certain grade characteristics.
The
cleavages as they naturally occur have been established in the following
fashions
Study Groups
Group I ,
28 cases, Fourth grade or below, through 8th grade.
Group II,
24 cases, Ninth through 12th grade, high school (not graduated).
Group III. 38 cases. High School graduates.
Group IV,
10 cases, Grades 13 through college graduation.
.Findings
The following tables are presented in order to draw out relationships
from within the main educational groups as listed above,
It should be
understood that conclusions, at best, are indications or trends, not neces­
sarily the exact picture of the situation for the whole state.
— 65 —
TABLE XXII
AVERAG-ES OE v a r i o u s f i n a n c i a l f a c t o r s p e r t a i n i n g - t o
ESTABLISHMENT IN FARMING FOR MONTANA VETERANS IN '
1950
Groun
Labor
Income
Gross
Receipts
Acres in
Farm
I
$14?0
$3556
.415
$ 9,247
$3664
$ 5,583
II
1745
5450
1016
17,656
7600
10,056
III
1893
4758
1315
19,442
5873
13,569
IV
1688
6729
966
23,850
8581
15,269
Farm
Assets
Farm
Liabilities
Net "
Worth
In regard to labor income. Table XXII indicates that as educational
experience advances, the trend is toward a higher income, except in the
college group (IV), which is likely accounted for by several factors, as
use of gross income for capital investment, or retirement of liabilities,
■\
for example.
The "gross receipts" column is more indicative of the evidence of
education than is labor income, although management of finances is of first
rate importance in any business.
Even though the middle groups are
switched in the series, the trend is for substantial increase as education
increases; gross receipts nearly double from Group I to Group IV.
There is
little doubt that personal'management factors and educational experiences
play a decided role here.
The total acres in the farm tend to increase with an advance in edu­
cation, excepting again, the college group.
This may be due to personal
choice for quality land by those veterans exposed to farm management infor­
mation
and school ,courses at higher levels.
— 66 —
In observing the last three columns of Table XXII, it may be well to
regard them as a group, since they reflect directly on each other.
It can
be seen that as.education advances, farm assets or total inventory of goods
and land, increases considerably toward the higher education groups.
The
effect is diminished somewhat in the upper three groups, but the trend,
nevertheless, remains fairly strong.
Farm assets have more than doubled
from Group I to IV.
Farm liabilities have increased as farm assets have advanced, but it
is interesting to note the proportion between assets and liabilities, among
the different groups:
Percent of
Group
Group
Group
Group
liabilities to Farm Assets:
I,
40 percent
II
43
"
III
30
"
IV
35
"
In much the same way, net worth has increased with education.
This
figure represents capital investment that is clear of liability.
v
Percent of
Group
Group
Group
Group
liabilities to Het Worth
I
65 percent
II
75
11
III
43
•"
IV
56
"
It is apparent that the high school graduates are leading the other
groups in proportion to less percentage of indebtedness to farm assets
and net worth.
However, since the college group exceeds the high school,
graduates in both total farm assets and net worth, it may be safe to
assume that on satisfaction of all liabilities, their totals of net worth
will continue to rise higher than the lower education brackets, and this
in light of possessing less acreage.
- 6? In general, it may be said, that as education increases, establish­
ment in farming is enhanced.
TASLl XXIII
TBHUBB STATUS DB MOHTAHA VBTBBAHS AS GROUPED
BY PBRCBHTAGBS THROUGH EDUCATIOHAL EXPERIEHCE
Ho. in
Group
Group
Owner
Operator
Operator' Renting*
Partner
Parents
I
28
46**
11
11
II
24
42
13
17
III
38
29
13
.24
IV
10
70
10
10.
Partner
Other.
—
11
Tenant
Cash
Tenant Share
Other Cropper
7
3
22
8
4
17.
13
5
5
—
10
——
Hote; * Owner-operator .renting additional land
*’*A11 figures in percent
In reference to Table XXIII, the tenure status follows a patterntoward the higher levels of ownership as education increases.
1.
The strong percentage of share croppers in Group I, gradually
decreases to none in Group IV.
2.
Tenancy tends to increase slightly as. education advances.
3.
Partnerships, especially with parents, show an increase up to
the high school graduate level, then taper down among the
college group.
4.
Owner-operator status holds up well in Groups I and II, de­
clines with high school graduates, and increases sharply with
the college group.
These findings are directly supported by Kitts in the study of tenure
with Hew York State veterans:
.
- 68 "Education paid off in farm ownership. All college gradu­
ates were sole or joint-owners except one who had a favorable
agreement as a wage hand at home= Although there was a wide
distribution of the other veterans, those with the least educa­
tion, in general, were the lowest on the ladder to farm ownership
(Table 19)." 22/
The high school group may be unique in their over-all status, in that
as high school graduates, the implications are that they have stayed closer
to home than the other groups, reflecting in the high percentage that are
in partnership with parents and with others, thus cutting down on the
chances of their securing a farm in the owner-operator status while farming
with parents.
This may be a significant trend for Montana, since the state
as a, whole is becoming aware of the problems of transfer of land to family
decendants as older operators look toward retirement. 34/
Another factor that no doubt has had' effect on father-son relation
ships, is the enrollment of rural youth in Vocational Agriculture courses,
which encourages co-operation in farm operation with the parents.
In
Groups II and III, 56$ of all veterans had previous experience in Vo-Ag
courses.
3 3 / Kitts, on cit.. n. 39
34/
Kelso, M. M., "Changes in Montana Rural Life" from Bulletin
Montana Agriculture at Mid-Century. Montana State College, Agricul­
tural Experiment Station, .Bozeman, Montana, p. 25.
- 69 TABLE XXIV
TYPES OF FARM LEASE AGREEMENTS OF MONTANA VETERANS
Group
Oral
Lease
Written
Lease
»18
36
4
. Ill
l8
IV
10
I
4
Written and
Recorded
,
Owner with­
out Lease
Not
Answered
Total
Percent
11
32
3
100
29
21
42
4
100
36
13
33
—
100
20
70
—
100
»A11 figures in percent
Note;
Table XXIV shows the group tendencies in regard to their practices
for farm rental and lease agreements.
Iif owners without leases are disregarded, then i.t is plain that a
strong percentage of young farmers are aware of the values of the written
lease agreement.
There is room for improvement in acquainting young farmers and others
with oral leases hy educational agencies.
•TAELE XXV
VETERANS' USE OF AVAILABLE SERVICES AND INFORMATION
Group
I
Note;
Use of
Federal Agencies
Books
Read
*2
Bulletins
Read
3.7
6.6
II.
1.5
3.1
6.5
III
2.3
5.8
9.3
IV
2,9.
9.3
7.7
*Average numtier of agencies per group.
- 70 Table XXV points out, that as education advances, the tendency toward
outside advice and use of references also advances.
These activities, are
commonly tied to other management phases of farm operation, indicating that
successful farm operation may hinge to an appreciable degree on outside
sources for information.
The following tables are not concerned directly with establishment in
farming by veterans, but serve to reveal their attitudes toward future
education.
TABLE XXVI
•HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION F L A M E D FOR THE
CHILDREN OF MONTANA VETERANS
Group
Grade
School
Percent
High
School
Percent
Junior*
Colleges
Percent
Four-year
College
Percent
Don11
Know**
Percent
4
21
7
29
39
38
8
33
21
13
8
53
26
10
70
20
I
II
III
IV
Note:
—
^Junior College or Technical Institute
ooincludes those not married.
Table XXVI shows that the majority of veterans plan education for
their children on a higher level than attained themselves.
The more advanced the education of the veteran, the greater the de­
sire to plan for a good education for the family.
This is particularly
so among the high, school graduates and those who attended college.
- 71 This table has a purposeful meaning for those working <as educators.
It becomes apparent and necessary that genuine and sincere effort be made
by all guidance people and teaching faculties to keep students in school,
especially at the eighth grade and high school level, where much can be
done to process the individual for successful living.
In this survey
group, 72 percent of the veterans entered high school, .48 percent gradu­
ated, leaving a student mortality of 24- percent; ten percent went on to
college.
Twenty-eight percent finished their formal education at or before
the eighth grade; this is the group emphasized above who have lower ideals
for childrens’ education than those who have advanced beyond this sub­
minimum level.
TABLE XXVII
AMOUHT OP TUITION WILLING- TO BE PAID TO SUPPORT
AN INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM IN AGRICULTURE FOR
ADULT FARMER CLASSES BY MONTANA VETERANS
None
Group
$5.00
*11
I
$10.00
$15.00
14
14
21
13
25
16
18 C
34
11
——
— —
50
20
20
16
13
III
3
8
23
3
10
——
Notes
Not
Answered
4
13
—
$50.00
32
4-
—
$25.00
4
II
IV
$20.00
—
*A11 figures in percent
Table XXVII shows that the veterans with advanced education tend
toward a greater willful contribution to encourage or establish adult edu­
cation.
This reaction is apt to have a strong carry-over in support of the
community school.
- 72 -
The Group I veterans, on the whole, run true to form in consistently
"being helow the standards of those with more formal education.
Having a
lower labor income is certain to have some effect on this groups' reaction.
As shown previously, veterans' wives usually achieved a higher level
of education than the veteran.
The following table indicates clearly that
the high school graduate level has furnished the majority of wives for
veterans in all groups.
TABLE XXVIII
EDUCATIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE WIVES OF MONTANA VETERANS
Veteran
Group
4th or
Less 5-6
7-8
I
—
—
II
—
—
HI
—
—
—
IV
~
—
—
Notes
9-10
14* —
11-12
—
8
8'
43
13-14
11
1$-16
~
College u™ r i e a
Grad
Unanswered
—
32
I?
50
4
—
3
50
19
5
5
,40
10
—
30
5
—
H.S.
Grad
—
4
9
13
20
lttAll figures in percent
Relationship of Vocational Agricultural Training to Veterans Establishment
in Farming
This study offers an opportunity to observe the relationships of
training in vocational agriculture to various factors pertaining to estab­
lishment in farming.
Table XXIX shows that Vo-Ag training has paid off big
in terms of labor income and net worth.
- 73 TABLE XXIX
VO AG TEAIFIEG IF HIGH SCHOOL AHD ITS EELATIOFSHIPS TO ESTABLISHMENT
IF FABMIFG FOE MOFTAFA VETEEAFS (1950)
No. .in
Group
Total
Acres
No.
Animal
Units
Farm
Assets
Farm
Liabilities
Fet
Worth
Gross
Receipts
Labor
Income
I
16
*1200
43-5
$22,848
$6,816
$16,032
$5,243
$2,013
II
22
1279
37
2b,317
6,160
14,157
5,183
1,677
III**
2?
1235
44
16,535
6,943
9,592
4,810
1,819
***
Group
Notes
*A11 figures are average figures of that group.
s*Group III includes veterans with H.S. training only, hut no. Vo-Ag
experience. It does not not include college or "below H.S. grade
veterans.
.***Group I— 3-4 years of Vo-Ag
Group II— 1-2 years of Vo-Ag
Group III— Fo Vo-Ag training
Veteran's Membership In Organization
Montana veterans are decidedly not club-minded.
Possible explanations
may stem from their recent exposure to the closely organized and regimented
%
life in the armed services. Other factors for non-participation may in­
clude the affinity for family life, lack, of adequate funds, newness in the
community, and lack of a positive approach by community folk to invite vet­
erans into their respective groups.
One other factor that is felt to have '
a.positive effect on such associations is the lack of existence of organi­
zations within a reasonable driving range.
Many veterans and wives feel
that time ahd expense used in the veterans programs constitute sufficient
off-the-farm activity.
Because of this, the veterans program itself, has
taken the place of the community organization to a considerable extent.
Gregarious habits of ex-service.meh are thus partially fulfilled by their
- 74 _
regular classes, although admittedly, this does not satisfactorily meat the
needs of the housewife, in most cases.
It should he mentioned that a num­
ber of schools have held regular meeting nights for wives, while the men
attended their classes.
Occasionally, classes in common were held.
In
other cases, wives and families drove to town to spend the evenings with
relatives or friends.
The following tables help to visualize how the veteran has reacted to
joining organizations in light of the factors just mentioned.
National Farm Organizations
TABLE XXX
PARTICIPATION: O P 'MONTANA VETERANS HAVING- MEMBERSHIP
IN NATIONAL FARM ORGANIZATIONS
Organizations
Percent of Membership
None
Grange
Farm Bureau
Farmers Union
Grange & Farm Bureau
Grange and Farmers Union
Farm Bureau & Farmers Union
All Three
Farm Labor Union
Farm Labor Union & others
Not answered
TOTAL
57
7
8
24
O
I
I
O
O
O
2
100#
-15
-
Cooperative and Veterans Organizations
TABLE XXXI
PARTICIPATION OF MONTANA VETERANS IN LOCAL COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
Degree of Participation
Percent of Veterans
Do not Belong to any cooperative
53
Inactive member
18
Fairly active member '
25
Very active member
0
Inactive officer or committeeman
0
Fairly active officer or committeeman
3
Very active officer or committeeman
______ I
TOTAL
100$
Table XXXI shows that 71 percent of the veterans exercised little or
no participation in cooperative activities.
In regard to membership in
veterans' organizations, as might be expected the percentage of activity
increases, but not significantly.
Table XXXII shows that sixty-five per­
cent are inactive, with the balance showing about the same degree of activ­
ity as in the local cooperatives.
In order of membership, the Veterans of
Foreign.Wars ranked first with 3^ percent enrolled of those in the survey;
American Legion, 26 percent, and American Veterans (AMVETS), I percent.
-TABLE XXXII
.DEGREE OF ACTIVITY OF.VETERANS IN VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS
Degree of Activity
Do not belong
Inactive member
Fairly active
Very Active
Inactive officer or committeeman
Fairly active officer or committeeman
Very active officer or committeeman
Percent
41
2h
28
I
0
4
_____________2
TOTAL
100$
- 76 -
Oomimmity Organizations and Improvements
For reasons similar to those shown for cooperatives and veterans1
organizations, it is found that veterans are even less prone to join fra­
ternal, social, civic and professional organizations.
The individual
schedules showed that veterans who were active in veterans organizations
were the same ones who were active in other community organizations.
Ob­
stacles appear to exist that discourage many veterans from joining commu­
nity organizations.
Percentage-wise, 64 percent do not belong at all; 27
percent belong to one organization; six percent have joined two civic-type
clubs, while 3 percent belong to three such clubs.
While the veteran has shown hims.lef as not a strong club man, never­
theless, it has been found that he has taken an active part in other com­
munity affairs, along the line of community improvements.
These activities
are quite varied, ranging from weed control and road improvements to the
role of volunteer firemen.
It is apparent, when within his range of possi­
bility, the veteran has proved himself interested and fairly active as a
responsible citizen.
While 52 percent performed no community service job,
it is found that 4l percent worked at one job to improve the community,
while 4 percent had done two jobs, and 3 percent have worked on three or
more improvements.
(Table XXXIII)
This activity throws a new light on the veteran who has come of age
and has found a service type of job that offers a challenge and oftentimes
physical activity.
Emphasis is given to this phase of community-mindedness
by observing that 12 percent who are active, have assumed positions of
office in at least one instance, while 9 percent have taken the
- 77 -
responsibility of office in two or more improvement enterprises.
In other
words, of the veterans who have taken on active part in community improve­
ments, kk percent of these have been elected or appointed to an office
within his group.
TABLE XXXIIl
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND DEGEEE OE PARTICIPATION BY MONTANA VETERANS
IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Activity
Percent
A.
Community improvement projects
B.
Officers in community organizations
0.
Committee# of community organizations
None
One job
Two jobs
Three or more
TOTAL
None
One office
Two or more offices
TOTAL
None
One
Two or more
TOTAL
52
41
4
3
100%
79
12
9
100%
85
10
5
100#
Other Community Activities
To help complete the picture of veterans* activitiesj the ,survey has
explored other phases of the veterans home and community life.
In keeping
with a general reluctance to mass with groups of people, it is found that
the veterans' church-participation paralleled their degree of participation
in other community institutions.
There are nearly as many who do not go to
church at all (15 percent) as those that do go regularly (17 percent),
Thirty-two percent are irregular in attendance, while the balance of 36
percent go only seldom.
- 78 _
Political Affairs and Elections
Politically, the yeteran has obviously taken a' hack-row seat as far as
activity goes.
tive,
Ihere are no veterans who proclaim, themselves as very ac­
although, in two instances, veterans had accepted a public office.
Thirty-seven percent had indicated they are fairly active in political
circles, while the balance of 63$ show no political activity at all.
Although the farm veteran appears inclined to stay out of politics, a
most heartening phenomena reveals itself with the veterans at the polls.
Of those instances wherein there has been a chance to vote, 97 percent,
voted on all public issues and other elections.
This speaks well for the
veteran and his interest in society.
Use of Agencies of the United States Deuartment of Agriculture
The following table shows that the veteran has been aware of, and has
made use of, various government agricultural agencies.
TABLE XXXIV
USE OP THE SERVICES AHD ASSISTANCE OF USDA AGENCIES BY MONTANA VETERANS
9
IN THE ORDER OF THEIR POPULARITY
USDA Agency
Soil Conservation Service
Production and Marketing Administration
Extension Service
Rural Electrification Administration
Farm and Home Administration
Forestry Service
Farm Credit Administration
Other Agencies
None
No. of Veterans
53
43 •
40
.38
21
10
6
2
15
A further breakdown of the above table indicates the multiple use made
of the various federal agencies.
- 79 TABLE XXXV
MULTIPLE USE OP THE USDA AGENCIES
BY MONTANA VETERANS
No. of Agencies Used
Percent of Veterans
0
15
23
1
2
6
21
23
13
4
0
7
I
3
4
5
The large majority of veterans are aware of the value of the work of
these agricultural agencies and have used their services to a marked extent.
Table XXXV shows that 62 percent of the veterans have used at least two
services, while 4l percent have used three or more services.
It should be
remembered that all of these agencies have not been* readily available to
all veterans.
Those living close to larger towns have made a better use of
existing agencies, as might be expected.
School Affairs
The following table indicates the extent of activity and participation
of the veteran and his wife in the local school.
It is anticipated that as
veterans become better established in farming and home life, that more time
will be devoted to school affairs.
In two cases known to the author, one
survey veteran has been elected to the Board of Trustees, and the other has
has been appointed to serve as School Clerk for two adjoining school dis­
tricts since this survey .has taken place, '
- 80 TABLE XXXVI
P1ARTiCIPATIOE OE VETERAN'S AND THEIR WIVES IN LOCAL SCHOOL AFFAIRS
Percent
of
Veterans
Activity
I.
2.
3.
4.
56.
7.
Unqualified to vote and inactive in all school
affairs.
Unqualified to vote but rather active in
attending local school affairs.
Unqualified to vote (though riot voting) and
inactive in all school affairs.
Qualified to vote (though not voting) but
rather active in attending other local
school affairs.
■A- voter in the annual school election but
inactive in other local school affairs.
A voter in the annual school election and
rather active in attending other school
affairs.
A voter in the annual school election who
has accepted a school office or is serving
on a local school committee.
TOTAL
Percent
of
Wives
7
7
4
10
14
9
5
10
43
30
18
28
9
5
100#
100#
Home Life of the Veteran
This section deals with the personal, living condition of the veteran
and his family.
It is divided into three parts; namely, (l) sources of
news and information, (2) home conveniences, and (3) opinions on living
status.
Sources of News and Information
In response to questions about news material. Table XXXVII shows that
the veteran was generally a broad subscriber to news and information
publications. ■
'
.
'
- 81 TABLE XXXVII
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO TYPES OE NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES BY MONTANA VETERANS
Type of Newspaper
Percent of Veterans
None
Daily only
Weekly only
Daily and Weekly
Daily and Sunday .
Daily, Sunday and Weekly
TOTAL
11
17
28
11
8
24
100#
None
Farm Magazine
General Interest Magazine
Farm and General Interest Magazine
TOTAL
0
21
3
76
100#
Type of Magazine
While only 11 percent are shown as non-subscribers to some type of
newspaper, it is remarkable that all veterans are receivers of one of
several types of magazines. .It should be known, .however, that the Veterans
Administration is responsible for this situation to some extent, since it
provided each enrolled veteran with a subscription to at least two maga­
zines so that the individual may become aware of current developments and
improvements.
In Montana, one magazine is published within the state,
dealing with the major farming problems and enterprises of the local farm­
ing areas.*
Of a more general nature, an agricultural digest is furnished
that covers trends and developments on a regional and national scale.**
*
Montana Earmer-Stockman. Great Falls, Montana
**
Your Farm. ''A Digest of Agriculture and Farm Management for Progressive
Farmers", Chicago, Illinois.
'82 This then, accounts for the high percentage use in farm magazines, "but at
the same time, ,outside this bracket, .79 percent had subscriptions for gen­
eral interest magazines.
In regard to books read, other than those used or required in the
training classes, the veteran did not do so well, although those having a
tendency toward reading show that 2? percent read 5-20 books of their own
accord.
The following table shows the reading done outside the class.
TABLE XXXVIII
HUMBER OF BOOKS READ OUTSIDE THE REGULAR TRAINING CLASS
BY MONTANA .VETERANS
Number of Books Read
None
I
2
3
4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20 & over
Not answered
.
Percent of Veterans
.
TOTAL
33
4
15
13
6
13
6
2
6
2
100#
Table XXXVIII. shows that the majority of veterans did spend some time
in the reading, of books, but generally, the amount of reading done was not
great.
However, the veteran did do more specialized, outside reading in
the form of farm and home bulletins as shown in the following table.
- 83 -
TASLB XXXIX
FARM AED HOME BULLETINS PROOUEED AED READ BY MONTANA VETERANS
No. of Bulletins Obtained
- Percent of Veterans
None
1-2
"3 - 4
- 5 - 9
10 - 14
15 - 19
20 and over
TOTAL
'
Bulletins
Read*
20
10
17
19
17
2
15
20
12
21
100$
100$
16
16
7
8
* Percent of, veterans reading the "bulletins obtained
Table XXXIX shows that 80 percent of the veterans procured and read
the bulletins they received.
In a number of instances, veterans were en­
couraged to write in class to their Congressman, County Agent or an Agri­
cultural College for bulletins or pamphlets of current interest.
Because
of this activity, it was felt that veterans would avail themselves of
current-interest material after dropping out of the program.
Home Conveniences
While books, magazines, bulletins, and newspapers play an important
part in the daily lives of the veterans, there are other facilities that
have come into play as essential links in keeping abreast of the times.
In busy seasons,
farmer.
the radio and telephone have come to the aid of the
When asked, "how often do you purposely listen to the radio farm
news and market reports?", the following replies were givens
Almost every day
75$
About half of the time 24$
Seldom or never
1$
. - 84 _
Other conveniences for communications in the home were listed as followsS
None
Telephone
Radio
Television
Telephone
Telephone
Badio and
All three
1$
7$.
61$
0$
and radio
and television
television
types
31$
0$
0$
0$
In response to possession of modern transportation facilities,.survey
veterans made the following report,:
None
Car
Truck
Airplane
3$
20$
24$
0$
Car and truck
Truck and airplane
Car and airplane
All three types
53$
0$
0$
0$
Questions concerning thestatus of the home and its facilities were
answered according to the following tables
TABLE XL
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING- HOME CONVENIENCES AND FACILITIES
OF MONTANA VETERANS ENROLLED IN IOFT PROGRAM
I*
What sanitary- conveniences
do you have in your home?
Item
Percent
No running water in house
Running water in house,
(cold only)
Hot and cold running water,
no hath or toilet
. No running water-sanitary
or chemical toilet
Hot and cold water-partial
hath
Hot and cold water and hath
with toilet and tub or
shower
TOTAL
26
12
12
6
9
35
H
O
4K
Question
— 85 EESPOUSE TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING HOME CONVENIENCES. AND FACILITIES (CONT1D)
2.
Question
Item
How many facilities do you
have for food storage?
None
Spring house
Cellar
Ice box
Mechanical refrigerator
Curing house for sweet
potatoes
Smoke house
Other
Percent
2
4
56
6
22
0
3
7
100#
TOTAL
3.
What facilities do you have
for preserving food by
freezing?
None
Rented space in freezer
locker plant
Home freezing unit
Both
17
57
22
4
100#
TOTAL
4.
How many quarts of food did
your family can or preserve
last year?
None
1 - 4 9 quarts
50-99 quarts
100-149 quarts
150-199 quarts
200-299 quarts
300-399 quarts
400-499 quarts
500-599 quarts
600 and over
13
.
TOTAL.
5.
What proportion of the value
of the family food supply
was produced on the farm last
year?
14
19
17
13
13
6
' 4
I
0
100#
4
39
. 41
15
I
None
I _ 25$
26 - 50#
51 -'75$
76 - 100#
TOTAL
100#
'
- 86 RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING- HOME CONVENIENCES AND FACILITIES (CONT1D)
6.
Question
Item
How many days of labor (family
and hired) were spent in improving the appearance and conveniences of the farm home and
yard during the past year?
None
1-4 days
5-9 days
10-14 days
15-19 days ■
20-24 days
25 days and over
Percent
3
2
14
20
17
13
31
TOTAL
7.
Do you have electricity in
your home?
None
Yes, from power line
Yes, from home plant
TOTAL
8.
What kind of laundry facilities
do you have in your home?
None
Tub and scrubbing board
Hand washer
Power washing machine
Automatic washer
TOTAL
6
100$
6
91
3
100$
0
2
0
88
10
100$
Opinions on Living Status
When entering into a new business, a young couple often find much to
be desired before a sound feeling of security is established.
to be the case with some Montana veterans.
This appears
Their opinions on their own
living status are felt to be on the conservative side.' It appears that
most veterans feel they are gradually becoming settled in their home and
community but at the same time frank opinions are exhibited if there is a
shadow of a doubt about their living conditions.
Table XLI shows how the
veteran has responded when questioned about his opinions.
- 8? TABLE XLI
REACTIONS TO QUESTIONS ON LIVING STATUS BY MONTANA VETERANS
Questions on Living Status__________
I.
2.
3.
4.
5«
6.
.70
8.
9.
10.
How do you like farming?
How does your wife like farming?
How do you like this community as a
place to live?
How does your wife like this community
as a place to live?
In general, how do you think things
are working out for you?
In general, how do you think your
neighbors cooperate?
How satisfied do you feel with the
way your home is fixed up?
How established do you think you have
your farm and home at the present
time?
How do you think you are established
as a part of this community?
How satisified do you feel with the
Veterans' training program?
Very
Well
Fairly
Well
Not so
Well
Not Well
At All
Percent Percent Percent Percent
81
0
0
19
2.5
2.5
28
67
75
zb
0
I
7b
. 23
2
I
30
67
3
0
52
46
2
.0 '
16
57
26
I
Ih
67
17
2
36
62
2
0
As noted in the two preceding tables, the veteran and his family are
intent on,improving their family home conditions for comfort and conveni­
ence »
Table XL shows that 25 percent had hot and cold running, water with
bath and toilet facilities; that 88 percent had mechanical refrigerators in
the home; 83 percent Irad food-freezing facilities at home or rented; that
9k percent have electricity in the home; that 98 percent have mechanical
washing machines in the home.
However, in light of being rather well off for home conveniences,
Table XLI indicates that the veteran is not fully satisfied with his living
conditions.
His opinions are conservative; these opinions are very much in
- 88 line with his actions.
Again referring to Table XL, the veteran and his
family have spent a ,considerable amount of time in fixing up their homes.
Only three percent did nothing to improve their homes; eighty-one percent
worked 10 - 25 days or more in improving the home and yard..
Veterans in
general were thrifty in terms of the food budget; in starting to farm,
economies are effective in all phases of management.
Fifty-four percent
of the families canned 100 - 500 or more quarts of food stuff.
For total
proportion of food supply produced on the farm, 96 percent indicated that
a portion came from the farm.
In this group, 4l percent derived 26 - 50
percent of food supply from the farm; sixteen percent produced over 50
percent of their food supply at home.
Thus it appears that in his own opinion, the veteran is not too sat­
isfied with his home,
he is, in actuality, doing fairly well in estab­
lishing a home that will serve him well in comfort and convenience as he
becomes further established in his farming and in his community.
Appendix:
Table XI shows the location and housing arrangements of veterans.
After having been asked his opinions on specific items pertaining to
his living status (Table XLI), the veteran was asked, '!In general, how
happy is your home life?"
In replying, 69 percent said they were very
happy; 2? percent were quite happy; two percent were not very happy; there
were none who were riot happy at all; and two percent regarded the question
as quite irrevelant and refused to answer.
89 -
C0 VETERANS REACTION TO PRESENT AND FUTURE
ADULT. PROGRAMS, SCHEDULE "C*
This part deals with the reactions of veterans toward procedures,
practices, and outcomes of instruction in the Institutional On-Farm Training
Program as related to future programs in agricultural educations
Experience
gained through the veterans training program have been regarded by many
educators as the most important phase of the veteran's study*
In this"part
of the study, the veteran has expressed his feelings and his attitudes con­
cerning the program*
Veterans reactions to the program need to be inter­
preted by workers in Agricultural Education*
These results will make a
valuable contribution to planning future adult programs*
Mhch serious
thought has been given to the idea of the promotion of more and broader edu­
cational opportunities' for adults*
Administration of the training programs has not been entirely in the
hands of local school personnel*
Certain phases of the program were de­
signed to comply with the wording and intention of the Gel. Bill,
However,
the most important managerial decisions' and operations were left in the hands
of State and local school administrators so that each training program would
best fit tiie local situation*■
The veteran was not vitally concerned with the administration of the
training program*
In a like manner local school administrators were often
not too vitally concerned with the course content*
TMhile this study has very
little to do with the administration of programs, it has much to offer from
the standpoint of constructive evaluation of course planning* .
The following, is a compilation of reactions that report the findings of
this portion of the surveys
=■ 90 ™
Schedule C Outline
Ae
Adoption of new and accepted practices for the farm*
Be
Reactions to methods of class instruction,
Co
Reactions to course contents of study.
Do
Improvements or changes in future training programs,
Eo
Supplemental activities for future adult farmer classes,
Fe
Voluntary financial support by the veteran.
Adoption of New and Approved Practices for the Farm.
To aid the schedule-taker in his Work9 a list of approved practices
from the Agricultural Education Department of Montana State College was
used to help the veteran check those new or approved practices he had in- .
stituted on his farm during his course of instruction and as a result of his
training and contacts while enrolled in the program.
It was found that many
veterans did not remember all improvements and practices initiated.
This
list served to refresh their memory on those practices, 35/ in answer to the
question fjHow many new and approved practices and improvements were
adopted during the fiscal year because of Institutional-=On-Farm Training^w9
the following replies were tabulated?
33/ Rodebbrg9 H, Ee9 A Suggested Dist oi' Aecepted Practices' and "Improve­
ments 9 ■Mimeograph,"'Department, of' Agricultural Education, Montana
Staie College, March 1951« PP« 10,
- 92 are not necessarily new> but they have been a vital part of the instruc­
tional program in that they were either sanctioned or required by the word­
ing of the law®
The newer methods sanctioned and encouraged in the'program
have been referred to as (I) on-farm group instruction^ and (2) individual
.
..........................................................................
.
..
.
■
instruction on the farm#
Table XLiiI itemizes the more common methods of instruction and the
above-mentioned techniques# listed in order of their popular appeal to the
trainee as a classroom students in answer- to the question of "how well sat­
isfied (not how interested) were you with the following types of educational
activities in which you'engaged?.**
Table XEIII
THE REACTION O F ,H O H T M A VETERANS TO METHODS' OF
’ INSTRUCTION IN THE IOFT PROGRAM
Type of Instruction
Very
Well'
Percent percent Percent Percent
Id
Class’discussion of individual problems
b y regular, instructor*
Formal clahs lecbire' b y regular instructor
Ebying picturesg f i l m # 'siides 5 etc»
Instruction b y ’'speci^Lishs ^ ,
Demonstrations ty specialists
Demonstrations b y regular ihstructbr
Practice in farm mechanics jobs
individual instmic’
t ibn-on^the-farm
.
9* Praehice in agricultural jobs
IO e Group instruction on ,farms
l i e Supervised study of book si, bulletins ? etc*
12o Demonstratims b y members of the class
2,6
3»
Ue
5*
6«,
Te
.Se,
Tl
Tl
62
57
57
56
56
55
52
h9
UU
29
27
22
29
39.
3?
Ul
Jk
.
.39
UU
33
US ■
...
I
6
2
6
7.
3.
,5
6
I
10
■78
O=WO
I
2
I
I
2
3
8
I.
3
— 93 —
A comparison of the veterans'* reaction €o teaching methods in the
Hdntana study with the National Study is shown in the following table
from the National Veterans Study© 36/
It will be noted that class discussion of individual problems^ Item
ttOne8, in Table XLIII by the regular instructor, tied with Item ^twbtV
the
formal class lecture b y the regular instructor as to methods of teaching©
The general conception is that even though a formal lecture may have been
used by the instructor, to start the class, most instructors concluded each
meeting in class discussion, based on common problems of class members*
This
is to say, then that the two methods m a y be regarded, practically, as synnonomous©
Next in'rank of teaching methods was the use of movies, slides and films
One reason for their popularity in Montana has been the well stocked State
-
film library©
The use of films has hot been accidental, but has followed a
patternj often starting with a conference of instructors under the guidance
of the State Department at which, in the course of business, a new film was
listed or suggested for ■showing to -classes©
A follow-up letter to its
source by the instructor brought many stich' films :into active play a t '& e time
they were most seasonable©
Thus, it can be said that "such visual aids were
used in keeping with the best instructional techniques known for timeliness,
subject matter and approach*
36/
AVA Bulletin N o . © ' o p cit*,' p.
Table 37«
SATISFACTION WITH EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES*
Type of Activity
Class discussion of Ihdi=
vidual problems
Individual instruction
on farms
Demonstration by regular
instructor
Lecture by regular
instructor
Group '.instruction on farms
Moving pictures, slides#
films# etc
Practice in agricultural
jobs
Instruction by. specialists
Demonstration by
specialists
Practice in farm mechanics
jobs ■
Supervised study of books#
bulletins j,eto
Demonstration by
members of class
Percent of Positive Replies Indicating
Greatest Satisfaction
North
Central**
Atlantic
Southern
Pacific
Uo Se
Average
Rank
. (Na­
tional)
78
81
77
89
86
I
75
70
72
84
80
2
66
62
65 '
79
74
5
71
6l
66
65 .
76
50
55
74
74
69
5
4
6o .
68
58
75
69
4
■ 57
52
51
64
59
62
71
66
69
65
5
6
48
57
56
66
61
7
52
52
57
62
59
8
46
47
44
60
55
9
59
52
55
56
50
10
* National Veterans Study
** Regional Areas of the United States
- 95 Of particular.note is the placing of the use of specialists in in­
structional programs.
ETontana has been fortunate in capitalizing on
resource people in many fields.' Many public officials or State-employed
specialists have given freely of their time to discuss matters of interest
with Veteran classes®
TypiciL specialists used in these programs have discussed such interest­
ing and diversified subjects as livestock diseases* insecticides, farmstead
planning, life and home insurance, crop rotations, use of fertilizers,
farmers1 organisations, sprinkler' irrigation, common law problems, marketing
livestock, soil conservation, income tax problems, and a host of others of
popular interest to young farmers.
This helps to explain their popularity
and their appeal to the interest of veteran classes.
It is only fair to
add that specialists have been called on many times to fill in gaps in the
instructional program that the individual instructor did not feel capable
of doing.
This is a natural situation, since the instructor could not be
expected to be master of ail subject matter.
Ranking in sixth place in the Montana survey is the use of demon­
strations by the regular instructor.
It should be kept in mind that there
are many possibilities of demonstrations in the broad field of agricultural
education.
However, the most common area in which demonstrations neeesI
sarily plan a vital role in teaching Is in the field of farm mechanics. It
is felt that the most valuable asset to be had or attained ty a farm mechi
anicst instructor is the ability to present a good demonstration.
Where demonstrations are not given, or are poorly done, then it can be
expected that the veterans response will not be in favor of that method of
- 96 teachingo
Howeverj it appears that slightly over one-half of veteran in­
structors were doing a good job with demonstrationso
Further, it will be
noted that in the next table that veterans rank farm mechanics as an area
in which they want more instruction^
Group on-farm instruction does not appear to be very popular among
Montana veterans»
However, when considering both responses of "very well"
and "fairly well", individual instruction on the farm appears to be quite
satisfactory=
Because of large distances prevailing in Montana, few if any
classes were set up for on-farm group instruction in some localities<> Thus,
responses were given on the negative side as to veteran designation "where
such instruction was? not at all common for a particular school*
Supervised study of books, bulletins, or other printed material has
not proved to be of general interest to veterans as a method of teaching5
many of them feeling that reading can be done at home, and that time spent
in the classroom is usually more profitably spent in other types of activ­
ities*
This type of reading should not be confused with problem solving
in class in which the veteran took considerable more interest, since con­
crete objectives were more readily seen in the form of figures or analyses*
The last ranking item of teaching methods, ^Demonstrations b y Glass
•Members", raises a question of intention of purpose of the individual
instructor and-his philosophy of teaching*
It is known in some cases that
students were purposely directed and encouraged in. the techniques of teach­
ing and presenting demonstrations as a method of developing rural leader­
ship*
!here such, practices occurred, valuable training was received b y the
- 97 students that cannot be measured except in terns of student and class
accomplishments»
W e n conscientious effort was given to the development
of a student, the balance of the class, in most cases, benefited by the
experience of their fellow classmate in serving as instructors, since each
was aware that sooner or later, his turn would also come to present a
short discussion or demonstration to the group®
in a school, were generally approved and popular®
Such practices, when used
W e n preparation and
guidance were lacking, class members soon lost interest in student demon­
strations, creating unrest and disapproval of such a method®
Lintner has pointed out in a study on teaching methods, that the
most effective methods were class discussions and demonstrations^ 37/
the least effective methods was the use of student committees®
He states
that IOFT discovered the'needs of veterans, but doesn't always solve the
individuals' problems*
The teacher's biggest problem is to make the in­
struction fit the needs of a wide range of age, education, farming
experience, and farming opportunity®
Reactions to Course Contents
The following table is a compilation of veteran's responses to the
question, 69How well satisfied were you with the instruction and practice
in the following areas’?19
T?/ Lintner., J a H®, "Values of Farm Veteran Training", Agricultural
Education Magazine, Vol 22^158, Jan® 1950®
- -98 Table XLIV
REACTION TO SATISFACTION WITH INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICE IN
MAJOR AREAS OF INSTRUCTION OF MONTANA VETERANS'
Veterans Reaction
Very
Fairly
Not so
Not well
' W e l l : ' Well
Well
at all .
Area of Instruction
Percent
Producing livestock and crops
Farm mechanics
Farm Management and marketing
Keeping and analyzing records
Conservation of soil and water
Making a farm and home training plan
Family and community living
Developing contracts, leases and
business agreements
Percent
Percent
Percent
I
7
7
I
. 3
6
U
« «
38
26
32
36
k7
U5
a
- Wi
33
h9
13
5
73
58
56
51
5o
k9
3
I
I
2
I
6
Table XLIV indicates the response to value of instruction received
••
•
in the major areas of agricultural Instruction0
of emphasis placed on instructional areaso
The table is a mirror
Those areas*, wherein satis­
faction was the greatest, is often associated with the greatest use of
time for its developmento
Table XLIV shows that the greatest emphasis
was' placed on production0
Satisfaction with that area results; however,
there has been less satisfaction in those areas in which the managerial ■
phases are important®
These phases are generally conceded to be more
difficult to teach; they are more difficult to establish as sound practices;
and they are more difficult to measure or evaluate as to progress made a
A factor that should be kept in mind is that accent in teaching has often
followed a pattern of veteran preference in areas of instruction; this has
had a tendency to lead away from the managerial phase because of. the
- 99 -expressed interest in production b y the Veteranjl Tvhich has hot always been
to his greatest ultimate benefit*
Farm mechanics instruction was well received and of keen interest
to most veterans.
Production studies and farm mechanics show immediate
results on the farm6
adequate.
In some training Centers5 shop facilities, were not
In other Situations5 qualified shop instructors were lacking*
These factors prompted a demand for further training in this area5 although
58 percent of the veterans were very well satisfied with the training
received in farm mechanics*
From observations of Table XLlV5 it becomes apparent that there should
be a well-rounded program including all areas of instruction even though
there is a more pronounced inclination toward the "more popular areas where
accomplishments are easier to measure*
Improvements and Changes.in Future Training Programs
litih an eye to the future5 there has been much interest about veteran
reaction to the various phases of IOFT program*
Important questions con­
cern the number of hours of class instruction desired per year5 time of
meetings, hours of on-farm instruction and participation by wives*
By including the above questions in the Schedule5 it was hoped that
the men who had experienced training or wetfe enrolled at the time of the
Survey5 would reveal their honest reactions that would reflect the
opinions and attitudes of the group in a manner that would aid materially
those interested in setting up and administering future adult education
programs*
''""I
110365
-» XOO ■*»
Table XLV portrays reactions of veterans 8 to the number of hours
desired per year of classroom instruction,,
It should be noted that the
GoIo Bill requires a minimum of 200 hours per year of classroom instruction
for each classo
Table XLV
HOURS CF CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION DESIRED BT MONTANA
VETERANS FOR FUTURE ADULT PROGRAMS
Hours.Per Tear .
Per cent of Veterans
1-25
25 - ^O
I
50 - 100
10
100 151 r
I
1£0
200
16
£3
Over 200
19
Total
100#
It has been observed during this survey and with other contacts
with veterans instructors that the common opinion often expressed is that
not enough time is available in the over-all planning of a broad program
or course outline of study to adequately cover the subjects outlined0 It
speaks well for the whole program when it is noted from Table XLV that 72
percent of the class members would desire as many or more hours per year
devoted to classwork as the required minimum of 200 hours#
Again9 it should be mentioned that many veterans have had to drive
considerable distance to attend classes#
length#
Some classes were four hours in
It then becomes apparent that the veteran himself is aware of the
time element necessary to conduct a training program#
It is conceivable
101 that the success of future adult programs may depend on support voicedby men who have experienced training under a similar program*
It follows that since the majority of veterans indicated a choice
of a large number'of hours for classroom instruction^, it becomes neces­
sary to hold enough meetings during the year to consume the hours planned*
This study shows this reaction to be quite consistent with hours per year
as shown in Table XLVI*
Table XLVI
MEETINGS FOE CLAS5B0CE TORK AS INDICATED BI MONTANA VETERANS FOR
FUTURE ADULT PROGRAMS
Meeting Schedule ' ■
Percent of Veterans
Io Twice a week
2* Weekly
3* Every two weeks
1+0 Monthly
6«
11
56
3
0
Every two weeks in fall and winter and
monthly in spring and summer
Every week in fall .and winter and monthly
in spring and summer
Total
6
. 2k
100#
In regard to on-farm instruction^ it has been shown in a previous
table that that phase of the program did not appeal too strongly to most
Montana veterans as a method of instruction*
However., as indicated in
Table XLVII those Montana veterans who did like that method have shown a
strong percentage in favor of the, greatest amount of individual instruc­
tion*
The G«I« Bill required a minimum of 100 hours per year of on-farm
- 102 instruction for each «Type A" veteran® ■ Thuss each veteran had an
individual reference to the amount of time and the amount of value that
on-farm instruction has provided him*
Table XLVII
HOURS OF ON-FAEZE INSTRUCTION DESIRED FEE IEAE BI MONTANA
VETERANS FOR FUTURE ADULT PROGRAMS
Hours per year
Per cent of Veterans
1 - 1 2 hours
13 - 36 hours ■
37 “ 60 hours
6l - SE hours
8f> - 100 hours
It
11
. 2h
13
48
Total
100#
Several schools offered courses of instruction or special meetings
for the w i v e s 'of veterans while the men were attending their regular
classes*
Classes offered the Wives9 as would be expected,, dealt with
the problems of the womens % warId9 chiefly that of homemaking and home
management*
In a number of eases., the wife took over certain farm duties
of the veteran such as doing the family bookkeeping, care of the farm
poultry flock, and similar enterprises®
’In many cases, the wife has had to remain at home with the children
while the veteran attended classes*
In those cases where wives' could not
attend the offered meetings, the problems of the class or of the farm
became topics of discussion when the instructor met at the home of the
veteran, oftentimes in the presence of the wife.®
In this way, family
- 103 and farm management problems become known,, with the wife asStuning5 oftentimes, a responsible role in the working partnership of the farm®
In light of these factors5 92 percent of the Survey veterans have
indicated that wives should participate in some degree in future agri­
cultural programs as indicated in Table XL7III*
Table X L H t l
V E T E R A ® FREFffiMOE FOR PARTICIPATION OF WIVES
IN FUTURE AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
, Type of Participation
, , . Per cent of Veterans
Not at all" ’ : '
"
Attend special meetings
Attend all" meetings with.husbands
Attend separate meetings
Not answered
6
82
5
5
2
Total
100#
When asked the general question, wShould the public schools offer
broad programs of instruction in agriculture for adults?®, 86 percent of
the veterans indicated affirmatively^ 13 percent said that such programs
should not be offered®
This percentage holds'fairly well with the results
of Table XLVIII®
Supplemental Activities for Future Adult Farmer Glasses,
This section dealing with areas of interest other than agriculture
is important to '
•administrators and teachers interested in future adult
programs®
As will be clearly noted, the questions framed in the table
below have created in their own form, a broad concept of-adult education®
In a changing trend of educational programs 5 the adult Veteran has a
- 104 chance to express wishes and desires that have rarely been tapped in
this form*
In doing so9-new vistas of interest have been uncovered
that clearly indicate that people are aware and conscious of their-prolems«
Furthermore,, it appears that people on the community level are interested
enough to try to do something about their particular conditions -where
problems are evident«,
Table X H X
REACTION OF VETERANS TG SUPPLEMENTA l .ACTIVITIES
IN FUTURE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS FCR ADULT
FAREIR CLASSES
Very
'WaLl
Item
Discussion of the place of farm,organizations and
services in community life
Discussion of public^ civic and political
problems
...
Instruction in conducting a meeting
Instruction in selecting an insurance program for
"farm and family
Organized" athletic events
Outdoor sports (hunting,, fishing, camping, etc)
Organized trips and tours to study local problems
Health and safety programs
Study your local schools and local opportunities
for the education of your children
Social and family activities (dancing, cards,
music, plays, etc)
Fair™
Iy
Well
Not Not
so
Well
Well at all
30
65
5
29
31
52
51
17
IU
h9
19
27
61
63
W
38
35
36
35
20
28
25
3
2
63
33
U
22
51
20
”=*
2
I
I
13
13
6.
Future Prograi^s by Veterans
In some manner of thinking it has been commonplace to associate the
values of an object, an activity, or an institution in a peculiar American
fashion in terms of dollars and cents*
In this regard, a-decided valuable
acceptance has occurred with the veteran from his exposure to new adventures
- 105 in adult training»
In keeping with the object of pecvmiaiy measurement,
a subjective test is given to the possible value of adult agricultural
programs by the assessment of the survey veterans in their willingness to
contribute to the cost of future adult farmer classeso
This measurement is reported in the following two tables 0
Table L
AEOUNT OF TUITION VETERANS AGREED TO BUY
FOR ADUlT FARMER CLASSES
»
■
-
.
. . .Amount
'
■'
'
.
Percent of Veterans
None
$ 5o00
10*00
7
7
23
12.00
2
20 *00
22.00
lit
28
16
2o.oo
Total
100%
In answer to the question of what percent of the taxes that they now
pay would they be willing to pay to support school adult programs, includ­
ing agriculture^ the response varied from their reaction to a direct
cash paymento
After asking for the direct payment, the tax percent
^question seemed ambiguous and misleading,
Eoney-wise, the:two answers
would appear to be the same for each maru
However, people react dif­
ferently when confronted with the prospect of a new tax added to an
already heavy tax burden*
That an adult school tax would be added to
their present tax was assumed to be the case in many instances*
It was
observed during the schedule taking, that when a definite concession
- 106 was made for a cash contribution^ some would do an about-face when the
proposal was made on a tax basis«
Table LI
TERCEMT OF TAXES NOW PAID THAT VETERANS WOULD BE WILLING
TO HAVE USED FOR SCHOOL ADULT PROGRAMS
Percent of Taxes Now Paid
Percent of Veterans*
•
12
18
None
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
30
111.
6
■ 20
100%
Total
When a hard-working^ thrifty^ and conscientious American offers
voluntarily to support any program financially, then without fear of
•
■ ^
'
•
.
..
. - -s . .
.■
.
.
,.
contradiction, it can be said that that program carries an immense
amount of potentiality^ not only for the individual, but for the
welfare of his community and his nation»
- 107 PART IV
IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study has been to determine the progress made
by veterans in establishment in Taimings hames and community Iifes and
to secure his reactions to future programs of adult education^
The
findings of this study have shown that the IQFT Program has helped to
establish' the Veterans- and may serve as a guide for the administration
of future programs for adults and young farmers o'
Although the average veteran showed a considerable number of years
of farming experiences this fact did not dampen his desire to attend
classes and meetings in a genuine effort to secure the knowledge and
skills tiiat would aid him in his own endeavors e Euch had been, gained byveterans in a material sense as is shown by the impressive number of new
or accepted farm practices adopted by the veteran*
Improvements made are tangible things»
show*
They are the results that
Such gains are the end result of training and common sense applied
in a practical way which show gains in other phases of farm operation©
The veteran has shown these gains as an increase in labor income, gross
receipts, net worth, and in the acquisition of more land*
This is
progressive establishment in farming©
As the establishment in farming and in the home become more real,
then other facets of the VeterantS thinking begin to appear*
The train­
ing received has helped the veteran, he sees future possibilities in
similar programs for himself and his community©
He thinks there should
- 108 be educational programs for wives| he is interested in studying the
problems of his community and school as class projects5 he has high
aspirations for the education of his children^ he is willing to support
the school programs substantially®
Reference is made to the Rational Study and to the thinking of ex­
perienced men in regard to further implications made nationally that hold
considerable value for future programs in Montana* 22/
Because of the technological advances in farmingd more than a high
school program in agricultural education is needed to help farmers keep
abreast of the advancements made*
An adult program is needed to reach
young farmers who have not studied vocational agriculture^ and as a re­
fresher for all others who may be interested*
An educational program designed after the IOFT Program is more
likely to develop effective utilization of the services of agricultural
agencies*
Effective utilization of services is mutually interdependent
and beneficial*
The successful and effective features of the veterans training
program should be incorporated into a pattern that will allow develop­
ment of strong programs in education for tomorrow,, including the fol­
lowing factors®
I*
Development of regular programs of instruction on a yearround basis is highly desirable*
38/
AVAj» Bulletin R b 0 £>» qp cit*9.pp 6I4- 68,
- 109 20
A broadened educational program is desirable designed not only
to cover production of crops and livestocks but more attention
should be devoted to the management phases of farming as well
as to community problems that lie outside the realm of agricultureo
3o
A widened use of community resources and facilities is essential*
Iio For a successful programs it becomes vital to continue to use as
the core of instructional cOurses9 the individuals' problems
and needso
5>°
Development of community leadership should be promoted as a
means of providing teachers for classes and the employment of
professionally trained teachers whenever possible or when the
■
situation demands it*
60
Adequate provisions are essential for follow-up activities as .onfarm supervision and instruction by supervising teachers*
7o
Future programs should make provisions whereby evaluation of the
local program and its students becomes an integral part of its
planning and operation*
8*
Glass discussions led by the regular instructors and wellprepared demonstrations should form the basic methods of teaching*
Variety in methods of teaching should include the use of
specialists and edited films and slides *
- no APPENDIX
APPENDIX TABLE I
MONTHS OF MILITARY SERVICE BY MONTANA VETERANS
Length of Time
Percent
30 months"and under
- 36 months
37 - h2 months
1x3 -"lj.8 months
lj.9 months ■and over
■' 13
16
31
33
25
13
Total
100%
APPENDIX TABLE II
/
MONTHS OF IOF TRAINING COMPLETED BY
MONTANA VETERANS IN 1 ' 9 W
Months of Training
I
6
"7 - 12
13 - 18
19 - 2k
25 : 30
31 - 36
37 - 1 #
Percent
■ •■
16
............. 32
. ,
Not answered
^Average time in trainings
7
U
0
2
Total
Notes
0
10
21 months®'
100%
«— Xll "
APPENDIX TABLE III
ZONTHS OF ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENT*'"'
TQ TRAINING BT ZONTANA VETERANS IN 1 9b 9
Months of Entitlement
0 - 6
7-12
13 - 18
19 -21*
25 ~ 30
31 - 3& .
37-1)2
Not Answered
Percent
I
2
11
26
36 .
22
0
2
,3 .
Total. . ,100%
Average length of Entitlement 25 months
;
Notes
Entitlement^ 9 is defined as months of eligibility for
training under PoD0 31)6 or 16«
APPENDIX TABLE IV
!EARS QF WORK EXPERIENCE OTHER THAN FJffiiC
EXPERIENCE BT MONTANA VETERANS IN 19li9
Tears of Experience
Percent
ij.14
26
10
10
None
I - 2
3 - Ii
5 ” 6
7-8
2
9 — 10
2-
11-12'
I
13 - lit
15-16
I
I
17-18
O
19 - 20
■
22 "-'27and. over
Not answered
o
I
2
... (..n .n, ........
Total
100%
" '
- 112 APPENDIX TABLE Y
SOURCE QF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE CREDIT
FOR MONTANA VETERANS
_
Agency
:
:
~
—
I9u9
—
___________________________
19#
Percent______Percent
Individuals
Commercial arid Savings Banks
Insurance Companies
Federal Land Bank
Farmers Home Administration
Other Sources
No Real Estate Mortgage
Not Answered
18
6
20
I
I
6
6
7
12
12
■6
'5
1*9
h9
2
Total
O
100#
'100#
APPENDIX TABLE VI
SOURCES OF CREDIT NOT SECURED BY REAL ESTATE
■■MORTGAGES FOR MONTANA VETERANS
Agency
ITerchaht or dealer
Other individuals
Commercial banks
Froductioh "Credit""Administration
Farmers Home Administration
Others
No credit
Not answered .
/, ■
Total
Percent
Percent
17
10
16
39
6
39
7
3
15
3
. iqoa
'8
11
.
9
2
15
0
ioo#
- 113
APPENDIX TABLE VII
DAIS OF FIELD IOEK PERFORMED BY TEVES
OF MONTANA VETERANS
ON PRODUCTIVE F A M ENTERPRISES
None '
1-10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 60
Over 60
Not answered
Total
100#
appendix table vtii
NUMBER GF CHILDREN CF MONTANA VETERANS IN IpcfO
W o V^ oT
V eterans
Number of Children
None"
I - 9
Zbre than 9
Not Married
Percent of
. 13
70
I16
16
Rg
X.
'
iri
Totals
100
1
®"N
"I ■ IU
100#
- 114 APPENDIX TABLE IX
TENURE STATUS OF M O N M A VETERANS BASED
ON VO-AG TRAINING IN HIGH SCHOOL
Group#
CJvmsr
Operator
I
31"
19
19
6
19
6
0
II
50
18
IU
-0
5
5
9
III
26
U
29
11
11
U
15
'Notes
-!!-Group I
Group II
Group III
**
Operator !Partners
Renting** Parents
Partners Tenant tenant .share
Others' ' CaSH
‘O t h e r ‘ Cropper
3 - 4 years of Vo=Ag training*
1 - 2 years' "of Vo-Ag Training*......
No Vo-Ag Trainings with "at least "two years of high
School'educations through"" high school graduation^
hut "having had no Vd-Ag Training* Used as a check
Group*
CHmer=Kjperator renting additional land*
APPENDIX TABLE X
LOCATION AND HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS GF
MONTANA VETERANS IN 1950
Arrangement and Location of Housing
Not married or not living -with wife "
'Living in with another family oh operated farm
Living in with another family in house away
from farm hut in rural area
'Living in with "another family in house! in town
Have separate quarters in house on operated' farm
Have separate quarters in house away from farm
but in rural area
Have separate quarters in"house in town
Have individual house on operated farm
Have individual house away from farm but in
rural area
HaVe individual house in town
Total
V -i W
—
-. .
....
.Wfc
I
Percent-
16
3
I
0
3
0
0
73"
' . -fc-
3
/I
100$
SCHEDULE A
TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THE INSTITUTIONAL-ON-FARM TRAINING PROGRAM
IN THE PROGRESSIVE ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS IN FARMING
Confidential— 1949 Record
I, 2. State_________________________________________
1, 2 .
3, 4. Name of Veterans’ instructor and address________________________________________
5, 6, 7. Veteran’s name_________________________________________
3, 4.
5, 6, 7--------
8. Race (White-Negro-Other)___________________
8___
9. Veteran’s Classification (P.L. 16 or 346)_________
9_____
10. Months of military service_____________________________________________________
10____
11. Months of Institutional-on-Farm Training completed-------------------------------12. Months of additional entitlement_______________________
11___
12___
13. Farm experience— Farm reared:
Yes___ ;
No.___
13
________
14. Years of farm experience after ten years of age and prior to enrollment for Institutional
-on-Farm Training_______
14
________
15. Years of work experience, other than farming, after ten years of age and prior to enroll­
ment________
15
________
16
________
16, 17. Tenure Status— (check one in each column)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Owner operator
Owner operator renting additional land
Partner with parents
Partner with others
Tenant— cash renter
Tenant— other
Share cropper
Hired manager
Col. 16
A t time
of enroll­
ment
____
____
____
____
____
____
------------
Col. 17
A t end
of fiscal
year
17_____
18, 19. Labor income per year $-------------------
18, 19.
20, 21. Type of farming---------------------------------------
20, 21.
22___
22. M ajor crop--------------------------------------23, 24, 25. M ajor crop yield----------------------------------------
23, 24, 25--------
26, 27, 28. Actual acres major crop---------------------------------------
26, 27, 28--------
29. Estimated acres of cropland
------------------
29
________
30. Estimated acres improved pasture
------------------
30
________
31. Estimated acres of woodlot or timber
------------------
31
________
32. Estimated acres of range waste or unimproved pasture
and other
------------------
32
________
33, 34, 35. Total acres
33, 34, 35--------
36, 37, 38. Animal Units_
36, 37, 38____
39--------
39. M ajor animal enterprise40, 41. Animal units in major animal enterprise,
42, 43.
Rate of production of major animal other than meat animal- -(enter only one rate of
production)
cwt. milk per cow per year______
0. Dairy cows
eggs per hen per year_______
1. Laying hens
% lamb crop------------2. Sheep
wool per head3. Sheep
% calf crop4. Beef
aver. no. of pigs weaned per sow_
5. Hogs
% raised------------6. Broilers
% raised------------7. Turkey poults
% kid crop------------8. Goats
lbs. honey per colony,
9. Bees
40, 41.
42, 43.
44.
45,
Major meat animal
44--------
46. Rate of production of major meat animal— (enter only one rate of production)
0. N ot any meat animals fattened for sale________
1. Baby beef— gain in pounds in calves per head per month________
2. Steers— gain in pounds per head per month
3. Pig litters— gain in cwt. per litter for 6 months________
4. Hogs— gain in pounds per head per month________
5. Feeder Iambs— gain in pounds per head per month________
6. Broilers— gain in pounds per 100 birds per week_______
7. Turkey poults— gain in pounds per bird per month________
45, 46----------------
47. I f you have a lease, rental or partnership agreement, what kind is it? (Check one)
1. Oral-----3. Written and recorded____
2. Written-----4. Owner without lease____
47.
48, 49. Farm Assets $________________________
48, 49----------------
50, 51. Farm Liabilities $_______________________
50, 51----------------
52, 53. N et worth at end of fiscal year $ _ ______________________
52, 53__________
54, 55. Percent of assests invested in farm real estate_________________________
54, 56----------------
56, 57. Percent of assets invested in livestock_______________________________
56, 57__________
58, 69. Percent of assets invested in equipment__________ ____________________
58, 59__________
60, 61. Percent of assets invested in other farm items_________________________
60, 61----------------
62, 63, 64. Gross farm receipts for fiscal year $_______________________
65, 66. Percent of cash receipts from sale of crops, vegetables, fruits, and nuts_______________
62, 63, 64_______________
—
65, 66----------------
—
67,68----------------
—
69, 70----------------
67, 68. Percent of cash receipts from sale of livestock, poultry, livestock and poultry products
69, 70. Percent of cash receipts from all other farm operations_____________________________
71. In terms of dollars, w h a t agency is your most important source of real estate mortgage
credit? (check one)
1. Individuals_______
2. Commercial and Savings banks_______
3. Insurance companies________
4. Federal land bank________
5. Farmers’ Home Administration________
6. Other________
7. No real estate mortgage________
71_____
'y
72. In terms of dollars, what agency is your most important source of credit which is not
secured by real estate mortgage? (check one)
1. Merchant or dealer________
2. Other individuals________
3. Commercial banks________
4. Production Credit Administration________
5. Farmers’ Home Administration________
6. Other________
7. No credit_______
73,
74. M an equivalent (optional)_________________________
72_____
73, 74. _
75, 76, 77. Number of work units (optional)_____________________
75, 76, 77-------- ----------------
78, 79, 80. Work units per man (optional)_______________________
78, 79, 80-------------------------
SCHEDULE A
TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THE INSTITUTIONAL-ON-FARM TRAINING PROGRAM
IN THE PROGRESSIVE ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS IN FARMING
Confidential— 1950 Record
I,
2. State------------------------------------------------------------------
I, 2_____
3,
4. Name of Veterans’ instructor and address____________________________________ ___
3( 4. ____
5,
6, 7. Veteran’s name------------------------------------------------------------------ 5, 6, 7______________________________________
8. Race (White-Negro-Other)___________________
8.
9. Veteran’s Classification (P.L. 16 or 346)_________
9.
10. Months of military service_______________________________________________
10.
11. Months of Institutional-on-Farm Training completed----------------------------------
11.
12.
12. Months of additional entitlement_______________________
13. Farm experience— Farm reared:
16,
Yes___ ; No____
13.
14. Years of farm experience after ten years of age and prior to enrollment for Institutional
-on-Farm Training________
14.
15. Years of work experience, other than farming, after ten years of age and prior to enroll­
ment-------------
15.
17. Tenure Status— (check one in each column)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Col. 16
A t time
of enrollment
Col. 17
A t end
of fiscal
year
16.
17.
Owner operator
Owner operator renting additional land
Partner with parents
Partner with others
Tenant— cash renter
Tenant— other
Share cropper
Hired manager
18, 19. Labor income per year $____________
18, 19_____
20, 21. Type of farming.-------------------------------------
20, 21_____
22. M ajor crop--------------------------------------
22.
23, 24, 25. M ajor crop yield----------------------------------------
23, 24, 25__________
26, 27, 28. Actual acres major crop_______________________
26, 27, 28__________
29. Estimated acres of cropland
29.
30. Estimated acres improved pasture
30.
31. Estimated acres of woodlot ortimber
31.
32. Estimated acres of range waste or unimproved pasture
and other
3 3 ,34,35. Total acres
32.
=
=
=
=
=
36, 37, 38. Animal Units--------------------------------------39. M ajor animal enterprise--------------------------------------40, 41. Animal units in major animal enterprise42, 43. Rate of production of major animal other than meat animal— (enter only one rate of
production)
cwt. milk per cow per year_______
Dairy cows
eggs per hen per year------------Laying hens
% lamb crop_______
Sheep
wool per head.
Sheep
% calf crop,
Beef
aver. no. of pigs weaned per sow_
Hogs
Broilers
% raised_______
% raised________
Turkey poults
% kid crop------------Goats
lbs. honey per colonyBees
33, 34, 35__________
36, 37, 38---------------39.
40, 41-------42, 43--------
44.
44. Major]meat animal---------------------------------------
45, 46--------
45, 46. Rate of production of major meat animal— (enter only one rate of production)
0. Not any meat animals fattened for sale------------1. Baby beef— gain in pounds in calves per head per month------------2. Steers— gain in pounds per head per month________
3. Pig litters— gain in cw t. per litter for 6 months-----------4. Hogs— gain in pounds per head per month------------5. Feeder lambs— gain in pounds per head per month------------6. Broilers— gain in pounds per 100 birds per week------------7. Turkey poults— gain in pounds per bird per month-------------
47.
47. If you have a lease, rental or partnership agreement, what kind is it? (Check one)
1. Oral____
3. W ritten and recorded-----2. Written____
4. Owner without lease-----48, 49. Farm Assets $---------------------------------------
48, 49--------
50, 51. Farm Liabilities $---------------------------------------
50, 51--------
52, 53. N et worth at end of fiscal year $---------------------------------------
52, 53--------
54, 55. Percent of assests invested in farm real estate------------------------------------------
54, 55--------
56, 57. Percent of assets invested in livestock---------------------------------------------------
56, 57--------
58, 59. Percent of assets invested in equipment------------------------------------ --------------
58, 59-------60, 61--------
60, 61. Percent of assets invested in other farm items-----------------------------------------62,
63, 64. Gross farm receipts for fiscal year $--- ----------------------- --------65,
66. Percent of cash receipts from sale of crops, vegetables, fruits, and nuts------- <---------------
62, 63, 64__________
__
65, 6 6 .-------
_
67, 68--------
__
69, 70--------
67, 68. Percent of cash receipts from sale of livestock, poultry, livestock and poultry products
69, 70. Percent of cash receipts from all other farm operations-----------------------------------------------71. In terms of dollars, w h a t agency is your most important source of real estate mortgage
credit? (check one)
1. Individuals_______
2. Commercial and Savings banks------------3. Insurance companies------------4. Federal land bank------------5. Farmers’ Home Administration-----------6. Other________
7. No real estate mortgage-------------
71.
72. In terms of dollars, what agency is your most important source of credit which is not
secured by real estate mortgage? (check one)
1. Merchant or dealer------------2. Other individuals------------3. Commercial banks------------4. Production Credit Administration------------5. Farmers’ Home Administration------------6. Other________
7. No credit-------------
72.
74. Man equivalent (optional)--------------------------------------—
73, 74.
76, 77. Number of work units (optional)---------------------------------
75, 76, 77--------
78, 79, 80. Work units per man (optional)------------------------------ —-----
78, 79, 80--------
73,
75,
I , 2. State.
3, 4. Name of Veterans’ instructor.
SCHEDULE B
5, 6, 7. Veteran’s name__________
TO STUDY THE PROGRESSIVE ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS,
ENROLLED IN THE INSTITUTIONAL-ON-FARM TRAINING PROGRAM
IN HOME AND COMMUNITY LIFE
Confidential Report
Items 1-19 (same as Schedule A ).
20. Age-------------
20.
21. M arital Status—
1. Single____
2. Married____
21 .
3. Separated.
4. Divorced-
22. Wife’s Farm experience— Farm reared:
5. Widowed.
22___
Yes___ ; No____
23. Wife’s years of farm experience after ten years of age and prior to marriage.
23
________
24. Number of children________
24
________
25. Number of children at home over ten years of age._______
25
-------------
26. What was the highest grade in school that you completed.
26
________
27. What was the highest grade in school that your wife completed____
27
-------------
28. Number of years of instruction in high school vocational agriculture.
28
________
29. How many months of special educational training have you had (other than regular
schooling, college and Institutional-on-Farm Training) in special agricultural schools,
trade schools, business and commercial schools?_______________________
29_____
Check the following items to show how well you are
getting along.
30. How do you like farming?
I
2
3
4
Fair­ N ot N ot
Very
so
well
ly
well well well a t all
(Check in only one column)
____
____
____
____
30
________
31. How does your wife like farming?
____
____
____
____
31
________
32. How do you like this community as a place to live?
____
____
____
____
32
________
33. How does your wife like this community as a place to live?
____
____
____
____
33
________
34. In general, how do you think things are working out for you? _ —
------
------
------
34
-------------
35. In general, how do you think your neighbors cooperate?
____
____
____
____
35
________
36. How satisfied do you feel with the way your home is fixed up? ____
____
____
____
36
________
37. How established do you think you have your farm and home
at the present time?
------
------
------
------
37
________
38. How do you think you are established as a part of this com­
munity?
------
------
------
------
38..___
39. How satisfied do you feel with the Veterans’ training
program?
------
------
------
39
________
40
________
40. In general, how happy is your home life?
1. Very happy____
2. Quite happy____
------
(check one)
3. N ot very happy-----4. N ot happy at all------
41. Membership in National Farm organizations— (Check one)
0. None___
5. Grange and Farmers’ Union-----1. Grange____
6. Farm Bureau and Farmers’ Union------2. Farm Bureau____
7. All three-----3. Farmers’ Union____
8. Farm Labor Union------4. Grange and Farm Bureau____
9. Farm Labor Union and others-----42. From which U.S.D.A. agencies have you had assistance or services during the past year?
(Check all that apply)
0. None___
1. Soil Conservation Service___
2. Rural Electrification Administration . _.
3. Farm Credit Administration____
4. Extension Service____
5. Farm and Home Administration____
6. Forestry Service____
7. Production and Marketing Administration____
8. Other agencies— Which___________________________________________________
41_____
42.
43.
List the cooperative organizations (buying and selling services) in which you hold a
membership__________________________________________________________________
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
43.
How active are you in the cooperative organization to which you belong, attend most,
or use most (check one item below).
0. Do not belong to any cooperative organization-----1. Inactive member___L
2. Fairly active member-----3. Very active member____
4. Inactive officer or committeeman-----5. Fairly active officer or committeeman-----6. Very active officer or committeeman-----44. To which Veterans’ organizations do you belong?------------------------------------------------------___________ ____ ____________________________________________________________
44.
How active are you in the Veterans’ organization to which you belong and attend most
(check one item below).
0. Do not belong to any Veterans’ organization-----1. Inactive member____
2. Fairly active member____
3. Very active member____
4. Inactive officer or committeeman-----5. Fairly active officer or committeeman-----6. Very active officer or committeeman-----45. Church attendance last year— (check one)
I . Regular__
2. Irregular____
3. Seldom-------
45.
4. Not at all------
46. List fraternal, social, civic and professional organizations to which you belong. (Do not
include organizations already recorded.)---------------------------------------------------------------------
47.
List the projects for community improvement you have worked on during the past year.
--Z Z = Z Z = Z = Z Z = = = = Z Z = Z Z = = = = =
48.
47.
List the different offices in community organizations (other than class or school) that
you have held during the past year----------------------------------------------------------------------------
IZ Z Z Z = Z = ^ = = = = = = = Z = Z Z Z Z = ^ = Z = = = =
48.
49. List the different committees of community organizations that you have been a member
of during the past year. (Do not include class or school committees.)--------------------------~
49.
50. How active have you been in political affairs, including local, state and national govern­
ment? (Check one)
I . Very active__
2. Fairly active____
3. Not active------
GO.
51. List the offices, if any, that you held in local or state government during the past year
51.
52.
How many times has there been a chance for you to vote on public issues or elections
other than school elections during the past year?------
53.
53. How many times did you vote?-----54. W hat newspaper do you have in your home?
0. None____
3.
1. Daily only___
4.
2. Weekly only___
5.
52.
(Check one)
Daily and weekly-----Daily and Sunday-----Daily, Sunday, and weekly------
55. W hat magazines do you have in your home? (Check only one)
0. None____
3. Farm magazines and magazines of
1. Farm magazines____
of general interest-----2. Magazines of general interest------
54.
55.
56. How many books have you read during the past year, other than those used in the Vete­
rans’ class?____
66.
57. How many farm and home bulletins have you procured during the past year, other than
those used in the Veterans’ class?!___
57
________
58. How many of these bulletins have you read?___
58
________
59. How often do you purposefully listen to the radio farm news and market reports? (Check
only one)
I . Almost every day---2. About half of the time____
3. Seldom or never___
59
-------------
60.
60.
What conveniences for communication do you
have in your home? (Check only one)
4. Telephone and radio____
0. None-----1. Telephone-----5. Telephone and television____
2. Radio-----6. Radio and television__
3. Television____
7. All three types____
What modern facilities do you have for transportation? (Check only one)
0. None-----4. Car and truck
1. Car-----5. Truck and airplane____
2. Truck-----6. Car and airplane____
3. Airplane-----7. All three types____
61.
62. What sanitary conveniences do you have in your home? (Check one)
0. No running water in house___
1. Running water in house (cold only)____
2. H ot and Cold running water— no bath or toilet___
3. No running water— sanitary or chemical toilet___
4. H ot and cold water— partial bath____
5. H ot and cold water and bath with toilet and tub or shower____
62--------
63.
How many facilities do you have for food storage? (Check all that apply)
0. None-----4. Mechanical refrigerator____
1. Spring House-----5. Curing house for sweet potatoes.
6. Smoke house____
2. Cellar-----3. Ice box-----7. Other____
63_____
64.
What facilities do you have for preserving food by freezing? (Check only one)
0. None-----2. Home freezing unit___
1. Rented space in freezer locker plant____
3. Both____
64
________
65
________
65. How many quarts of food did your family can or preserve last year? (Check only one)
0. None___
5. 200-299 quarts____
1. 1-49 quarts-----6. 300-399 quarts____
2. 50-99 quarts___
7. 400-499 quarts____
3. 100-149 quarts____
8. 500-599 quarts____
4. 150-199 quarts___
9. 600 and over____
66. What
year?
0.
2.
2.
proportion of the value of the family food supply was produced on the farm last
(Check only one)
None__
3. 51-75%____
1-25%---4. 76-100%____
26-50%__
67. I f married, what is your present housing arrangement and location? (Check one)
0. N ot married or not living with wife____
1. Living in with another family on operated farm____
2. Living in with another family in house away from farm but in rural area____
3. Living in with another family in house in town
66.
67.
4. Have separate quarters in house on operated farm
5. Have separate quarters in house away from farm but in rural area___
6. Have separate quarters in house in town
7. Have individual house on operated farm____
8. Have individual house away from farm but in rural area.
9. Have individual house in town____
68.
How many days of labor (family and hired) were spent in improving the appearance and
conveniences of the farm home and yard during the past year? (Check one)
0. None-----3. 10-14 days____
1. 1-4 days-----4. 15-19 days____
2. 5-9 days-----5. 20-24 days
6 . 2 5 days and over
68-----
69. Do you have electricity in your home? (Check one)
0. None____
2. Yes, from home plant-----1. Yes, from power line____
69_____
70. What kind of laundry facilities do you have in your home? (Check one) *
0. None___
3. Power washing machine-----1. Tub and scrubbing board____
4. Automatic washer-----2. Hand washer____
70_____
71. How many days did you lose last year as a result of sickness or accident? (Check one)
0. None____
2. 11-20 days-----1. 1-10 days___
3. 21 or more------
71.
72. How many days did your wife lose last year as a result of sickness or accident (exclud­
ing maternity cases)? (Check one)
0. None____
2. 11-20 days-----1. 1-10 days____
3. 21 or more------
72.
73. How many days of field work and work on other productive farm enterprises did your
wife do last year? (Check one)
0. None____
3. 21-30 days-----1. 1-10 days___
4. 31-60 days-----2. 11-20 days___
5. Over 60 days------
73_____
74. W hat kind of personal or family insurance do you have? (Check only one)
0. None____
5. Life and hospital insurance-----1. Hospital insurance____
6. Hospital and accident insurance------2. Accident insurance____
7. Have all three types---------3. Life insurance___
8. Burial insurance only------4. Life and accident insurance____
9. Burial insurance and other types-------
74.
75. W hat is the highest level of education you plan for your children? (Check one)
1. Grade school___
4. Four-year College-----2. High School____
5. Don’t know-----3. Technical Institute or Junior College------
75_____'
76. How active have you been in local school affairs other than the Institutional-on-Farm
Training program? (Check one)
0. Unqualified to vote and inactive in all school affairs-----1. Unqualified to vote but rather active in attending local school affairs-----2. Qualified to vote (though not voting) and inactive in ad school affairs-----3. Qualified to vote (though not voting) but rather active in attending other local
school affairs___
4. A voter in the annual school meeting or election but inactive in other local school
affairs____
5. A voter in the annual school meeting or election and rather active in attending
other local school affairs-----6. A voter in the annual school meeting or election who has accepted a school office
or is serving on a local school committee-----77. How active has your wife been in local school affairs? (Check one)
0. Unqualified to vote and inactive in all school affairs-----1. Unqualified to vote but rather active in attending local school affairs-----2. Qualified to vote (though not voting) and inactive in all school affairs-----3. Qualified to vote (though not voting) but rather active in attending other local
school affairs___
4. A voter in the annual school meeting or election but inactive in other local school
affairs-----5. A voter in the annual school meeting or election and rather active in attending
other local school affairs-----6. A voter in the annual school meeting or election who has accepted a school office
or is serving on a local school committee------
76_____
Y
77_____
I , 2. State_____________________
3,
SCHEDULE C
4. Name of Veterans’ instructor.
5, 6, 7. Veteran’s name__________
TO STUDY THE REACTIONS OF VETERANS TOWARD PROCEDURES, PRACTICES,
AND OUTCOMES OF INSTRUCTION OF THE INSTITUTIONAL-ON-FARM
TRAINING PROGRAM AS RELATED TO FUTURE PROGRAMS IN
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
Confidential Report
Items 1-19 (same as Schedule A ).
How many new and accepted practices and improvements were adopted during the fiscal year because of Institutional-on-Farm
Training?
20. Number crop practices_______
2 0 .____
21. Number livestock and poultry practices------
21--------
22. Number marketing practices-------------
22--------
23. Number conservation practices_______
2 3 .____
24. Number practices in the use, care and maintenance of machinery and equipment______
24_____
25. Number important improvements on home and farm buildings________
25--------
26. Number devices for labor saving on the farm-------------
26--------
Reactions to In s titu tio n a l-O n -F a rm T ra in in g Program
How well satisfied (not how interested) were you with the following types of educational activities in which you engaged?
1 2
3
4
Very Fair- Not Not
well
Iy
so
well
_______ well well at all
(Check in only one column)
27. Class discussion of individual problems by regular instructor_________
____
____
27--------
28. Instruction by specialists.
------
------
------
------
2 8 .------
29. Moving pictures, films, slides, etc.
------
------ --------- ---------
2 9 .------
30. Individual instruction on farms
------
------
------
------
3 0 .------
31. Group instruction on farms
------
------
------
------
3 1 .------
32. Demonstrations by regular instructor
------
------
------
------
3 2 .------
33. Demonstration by specialists
------
------
------
------
33--------
34. Demonstrations by members of class
------
------
------
------
3 4 .------
35. Practice in farm mechanics jobs
------
------
------
------
3 5 .------
36. Practice in agricultural jobs
-------
------
------
------
3 6 .------
37. Supervised study of books, bulletins, etc.
------
------
------
------
37--------
38. Formal class lecture by regular instructor
------
------
------
------
38--------
How well satisfied were you with the instruction and practice in the following areas?
39. Making a farm and home training plan
------
------
------
------
39--------
40. Developing contracts, leases, and business agreements
------
------
------
------
40--------
41. Keeping and analyzing records
------
------
------
------
4 1 .------
42. Farm Mechanics
------
------
------
------
4 2 .------
43. Producing livestock and crops
------
------
------
------
4 3 .------
44. Farm management and marketing
------
------
------
------
44--------
45. Conservation of soil, water, etc.
------
------
------
------
4 5 .------
46. Family and community living
------
------
------
------
4 6 .------
I f you continue in or enroll for instruction in a training program similar to the one you have been in, what changes or adjustments
would you suggest for its improvement?
47.
48.
49.
How many hours would you want in class instruction per year? (check one)
1. 1-25 hours____
3. 51-100 hours___
6. 151-200 hours____
2. 26-50 hours____
4. 101-150 hours____
6. Over 200 hours___
47.
How often do you think class meetings should be held for this type of program in the
future? (check one)
1. Twice a week___
5. Every two weeks in fall and winter and
2. Weekly____
monthly in spring and summer____
3. Every two weeks____
6. Every week in fall and winter and
4. Monthly____
monthly in spring and summer____
How many hours of on-farm instruction would you want per year? (check one)
4. 61 to 84 hours____
1. I to 12 hours____
2. 13 to 36 hours____
5. 85 to 100 hours and more___
3. 37 to 60 hours____
48.
49.
50. To what extent should the wives participate in future programs in agriculture that you
are enrolled in? (check one)
0. N ot at all____
2. Attend all meetings with husbands____
1. Attend special meetings
3. Attend separate meetings____
51. Should the public schools offer broad programs of instruction in agriculture for adults?
(check one)
I . Yes____
2. No____
50--------
51.
How well do you think the following types of activities might fit into (or supplement) future instructional programs in agriculture
for adult farmer classes?
1 2
3
4
Very FairNot N ot
well
Iy
so well
well well at all
(Check in only one column)
52.
Discussion of the place of farm organizations and services in
community life
------
63. Discussion of public, civic and political problems
54.
____
------
------
------
52.
____
____
____
53.
54--------
Instruction in conducting a meeting
55. Instruction in selecting an insurance program for farm and
family
------
------
------
------
5 5 .------
56. Organized athletic events
------
------
------
------
5 6 .------
57. Outdoor sports (hunting, fishing, camping, etc)
------
------
------
------
57--------
58. Organized trips and tours to study local problems
___
____
___
____
5 8 .------
59. Health and safety programs
------
------
------
------
59--------
60. Study your local schools and local opportunities for the edu­
cation of your children
------
------
------
------
6 0 .------
61. Social and family activities (dancing, cards, music, plays,
etc.)
——
—
------
------
61. — —
62. How much would you be willing to pay in tuition per year to support an instructional
program in agriculture for adult farmer classes? (check one)
0. None____
4.
$20.00_
1. $5.00
5.
$25.002. $10.00____
6. $50.00 or over___
3. $15.00____
63.
W hat percent of the taxes that you now pay would you be willing to have used to sup­
port school adult programs, including agriculture? (check one)
0. None____
3. Three percent-----1. One percent___
4. Four percent____
2. Two percent___
5. Five percent____
62_____
6 3 .___
- 120 _
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.
Administration of Vocational Education, Bulletin No* I, Revised 19U8,
federal Security Agency, Washington,D*C.
2.
Bolster, H. G* and Stucky, H. R., General Information About Ifontana
Agriculture, Bulletin No, 228, Kay, i9ii£, teontana Agricultural Ex­
tension Service•
3*
Census of Population; 1930, U* 3. Department of Commerce, Bureau of
the Census, Volume i*
Ue
Chavez, Dan J., wArizona I.O.F. Programw, Agricultural Education
Magazine, Volume 2^282, June 1932#
3#
Eaton, E.O., "I.O.F. Training in Vermont", Agricultural Education
Magazine, Volume 25$107, November, 1952.
6.
Education of Veterans in Farming.
Research Bulletin, ^o. 5, 1952.
7*
Fidler, L. B., “Ohio Evaluation of I.O.F. Training", Agricultural
Education Magazine, Volume 23s22U, April, 1951.
8.
Hoskins, E. R., “Research in Veterans* Education", Agricultural Education Magazine, Volume 26s71, September, 1953»
9*
Hotz, He G., History and Development of Insitutional On-Farm Training
in Arkansas. Arkansas State Department of Education, Little Rock,
Arkansas, December, 1950.
American Vocational Association
10. Information Related to the Purposes, Organization, Procedures, Adminis­
tration, and. Instructional Methods for Institutional On-Farm Educa^Tonal and Training d a i s ’ for Veterans of World tlfhr 11. feimebgraph,
State Department of Vocational Agricultural Education, Helena, Montana.
11. Kelso, M. M., “Changes in Montana Rural Life", from Bulletin, Montana
Agriculture at Mid-Century, Montana State College, Agricultural
Experiment Station, Bozeman, Montana.
12. Kitts, H e W., Educational and Occupational Readjustment of Rural
Veterans. Rural Education Bulletin, Cornell University, June, 19U9.
13# Lintner, J. H., "Values of Farm Veteran Training", Agricultural Educa­
tion Magazine, Volume 23$158, January, 1950» Based on a Study for the
Master1S Degree, Chio State University, 19l|9.
- 121 llu Montana Agricultural Statistics, Volume III, Montana Department of
Agriculture, Labor, and industry. Bureau of Agricultural Economics,
Helena, Montana, December, 1950«
15* Public No. 3U7, Sixty-Fourth Congress, S. 703 National Vocational
Education (Smith-Hughes Act) •
16. Reitz, L.P., Crop Regions in Montana as Related to Environmental
Factors, Bulletin tfo. 3U0, May, 1937, Agricultural Experiment Station,
Bozeman, Montana.
17. Public Law, 11*6-77th Congress, First Session, Chapter 269, (H. R. 1*926),
Subdivision I*, July I, 191*1, (PeL. 11*6 & 135 here) .
18. Public Law, 13$-78th Congress, First Session, Chapter 221, (H. R. 2935),
Subdivision 3, July 12, 191*3«
19e Report on Education and Training Under the Servicemen*s Readjustment
Act, as Amended From the Administrator oi* Veterans Affairs, House
Committee Print No. 210, 81st Congress, U. S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, 19I&.
20. Rodeberg, H. E., A Suggested List of Accepted Practices and Improve­
ments, Mimeograph, Department of Agricultural Education, Montana
State College, March, 1951*
21. School and Society, ttThe G.I. Bill of Rights and the Future of Educationtt, September 8, 1951
22. Smith, Hunter E., "Accomplishments in Veterans Program*, Agricultural
Education Magazine, Volume 22g153» January, 1950.
23 . Snider, A. J., Institutional On-Farm Training for Veterans in Missouri
(191*6-50) , University of Missouri Bulletin, Volume 52, No. Il*,
Columbia, Missouri, January, 1951«
“
21*. Swecher, J e B. "West Virginia Veterans Making Progress Toward Estab­
lishment in Farming", Agricultural Education Magazine, Volume 23«
226, April, 1951*
~
“
"
25« Thompson, Layton S., Changing Aspects of the Farm Real Estate Situa­
tion in Montana, Bulletin i*l*0, January, 191*7, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Montana State College, Bozenan,
Montana.
26. United States Census of Agriculture for Montana, 1950, Volume I,
Part 27, tJo S. Department of Commerce, Table 3»
- 122 27. Veterans1 Edacation and Training Program, General Accounting Office
Report of Survey. Report by the Chief of Investigations of the
General Accounting Office. House Committee Print No. 160, 82nd
Congress, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1951.
28. Weigers, George W. Jr., wSome Outcomes of ICFT in Eissouriw, Agri­
cultural Education Magazine, Volume 22$15U, January 19%0,
- 123 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In mellow tone with rolling “rr's**, an old Scotch friend one day
conveyed to me this thought -•When ye ha* b*nn giv*n a hand when ye need it, and
encouragement too, wha* but can ye say but, wThanks to ye,
Fisterne
Th* words are but meagher means of sayin* wha’
really’s in your heart#
For man to man, ye feel a sincere
appreciation f ’r the things tha’ h a ’ b ’nn doon f ’r ye*
Te
need not be a poet to h a ’ men understand, f ’r a man tha’
woo’d understand, knows full well, tha’ each other man ha’s
f ’r h ’mself a bridge to build#’
This thought then, would in some measure, carry the appreciation
of the author to those who have aided so much in this study —
Dr# Leo
L# Knuti and Professor H# E# Rodeberg of the Agricultural Education
Department#
Helpful suggestions have also been received from other members of
the thesis committees
Professors Frank M# Harrington, Robert F. Eslick,
and Roy E# Huffman#
The author is indebted to the generous help of the State Depart­
ment Field Supervisors for the Veterans’ Training Programs
Pat Woolard,
Basil Ashcraft, James Michels, Russell Steen, and Jeff Mathews•
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
111
762 100 4484 7
N578
LSllm
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cop. 2
Lee, Don G
Montana veterans in farming
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