Farm families on the Milk river farm security project
by Lawrence B Lyall
A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate Committee in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Degree of Master of Science in Agricultural Economics
Montana State University
© Copyright by Lawrence B Lyall (1938)
Abstract:
This study is primarily a descriptive analysis of the Milk River-Northern Montana Resettlement
Project. Special consideration is given to criteria and methods of selecting farm families for relocation
purposes, and to a statistical analysis of the characteristics and attributes of the families ultimately
selected for this particular project.
Part I of the study entails a description of the Milk River Irrigation Project and the Resettlement Project
itself, with a brief history of settlement and the combination of factors that contributed to the need for
readjustment in the area. Part II deals with the eligibility requirements of applicants for resettlement on
the project, the special qualifications adhered to in order to refine the large group of applicants, and the
methods of obtaining the information concerning the individual families. It was believed that this
refinement process would yield a more select group and thus give greater assurance for the success of
the project. The more important qualification requirements are briefly discussed to give an insight into
the traits and characteristics thought to be desirable or requisite in order to rehabilitate such farm
families. Part III Involves a statistical analysis of the farm families selected for relocation, A limited
comparison is made between this group and the group meeting the eligibility requirements but which
wore ultimately rejected in the refinement process.
It Is hoped and intended that this study will stimulate an interest in resettlement schemes of the type
undertaken in the Milk River Valley whereby a greater number of the destitute and low income dry
land farmers may be rehabilitated on irrigated land. There remain many such families which need to be
moved onto land that will give them, greater assurance of a livelihood from year to year, restore their
purchasing power, relieve tho local, state, and federal governments of their responsibility in caring for
many of them, and in general improve the social status of the families and the individuals in the
families„ It is likewise hoped that the study will be of some benefit in presenting ideas As to methods
and criteria of family selection that may be of some benefit to future projects of this kind® FAiJM FAMILIES OB IHE MILE EIFER
FAEl SECURITY PROJECT
by
LAKREBCE Bd LYALL
A THESIS
Subm itted, to th e S ra d u a te Committee
in p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e re q u ire m e n ts
f o r t h e Degree o f M aster o f S c ie n ce
in A g r ic u ltu r a l Economics a t
Montana S ta te C o lle g e
( J o A ^ 7 ^ ■
i o f Major^ASerk
^m ^bln^^^am m ittee
Chail
^ /
' t
/
/I /
r y C M L ^ m S r a d u a t e Committee
Bozeman, M ontana
Ju n e , 1938
-
2-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT .........................................................................................
3a
INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................
4
Purpose o f S tu d y ...................................................................................
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS .....................................................
L o catio n and H is to ry o f th e R e se ttle m e n t P r o je c t w ith
D e s c rip tio n o f P i l k R iv er I r r i g a t i o n P r o je c t ............................. ..
Ag I I '38
(XyUc.iXx
L o c a tio n .<
C lim ate . .
Topography
S o il ................................................................................................................
a t o r Supply ...........................................................................
P u b lic U t i l i t i e s .....................................................................................
Tovms ....................................................................
S e t t l e a n t H i s t o r y ..........................................................
P li g h t o f A g ric u ltu re in A r e a .............................................................
eed f o r r e a d j u s t m e n t ...............................................................
S tep s in A djustm ent ..........................................................
Aim, E x te n t, and O rg a n iz a tio n o f th e R ese ttle m en t
P r o je c t ...........................................
PA T l i t
7
7
<0-4-3
PART Ir
6
10
10
12
12
13
16
15
16
FAMILY SELECTION .....................................................................................
21
E l i g i b i l i t y Poquirem ents o f A p p lic a n ts f o r R e se ttle m e n t ...........
21
C o lle c tio n o f Data C oncerning th e Q u a lif ic a tio n s o f
The Pros p e c tiv e S e t t l c r s .................... ................................ .................
27
PA-T I I I :
STUDY OF LAMILICS APPROVED FOR RELOCATICB.............................
Ia m ily C om position . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.. .. .. ..
...
........................ ....
30
30
Fam ily and Household S j g e .................
SI
Sex and Age D is tr ib u tio n . ...................................................................... ..
36
N a tio n a lity ...........................................................................
47
R e lig io n .....................................................................
52
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FARM FAMILIES OP TBB MILK RIVER
FARM SECURITY. PROJECT
ABSTRACT
T his s tu d y i s p r im a r i ly a d e s c r ip ti v e a n a ly s is o f th e M ilk R lverB o rth e rn M ontana R e s e ttle m e n t P ro je c t# S p e c ia l c o n s id e r a tio n i s given
t o c r i t e r i a and methods o f s e le c tin g farm fa m ilie s f o r r e lo c a ti o n p u r­
p o s e s , and t o - a s t a t i s t i c a l a n a ly s is o f th e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and a t t r i b u t e s
o f th e f a m ilie s u l t i m a t e l y s e le c te d f o r t h i s p a r t i c u l a r p ro je c t#
F a r t I o f th o s tu d y e n t a i l s a d e s c r ip ti o n o f th e M ilk R iv er
I r r i g a t i o n P r o je c t and t h e R e se ttle m e n t P r o je c t i t s e l f , w ith a b r i e f
h i s t o r y o f s e ttle m e n t and t h e co m b in atio n o f f a c to r s t h a t c o n trib u te d
t o th e n e ed f o r re a d ju s tm e n t in t h e area# P a r t I I d e a ls w ith th e
e l i g i b i l i t y re q u ire m e n ts o f a p p lic a n ts f o r r e se ttle m e n t on th e p r o j e c t ,
t h e s p e c i a l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s a d h e re d t o in o rd e r to r e f i n e th e la r g e
group o f a p p lic a n ts , and th e m ethods o f o b ta in in g th e in fo rm a tio n con­
c e rn in g t h e in d iv id u a l f a m ilie s # I t was b e lie v e d t h a t t h i s re fin e m e n t
p ro c e ss would y ie ld a more s e l e c t group and th u s g iv e g r e a t e r a ssu ra n c e
f o r t h e s u c c e s s o f th e p ro je c t# The more im p o rta n t q u a l i f i c a t i o n
re q u ire m e n ts a r e b r i e f l y d is c u s s e d t o g iv e an in s i g h t in to t h e t r a i t s
and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s th o u g h t t o b e d e s ir a b le o r r e q u i s i t e i n o rd e r t o
r e h a b i l i t a t e such fa rm fa m ilie s # P a r t I I I In v o lv e s a s t a t i s t i c a l
a n a ly s is o f t h e farm fa m ilie s s e l e c t e d f o r re lo c a tio n # A lim ite d
com parison i s made between t h i s group and t h e group m e etin g t h e e l i g i ­
b i l i t y re q u ire m e n ts b u t w hich wore u l t i m a t e l y r e je c te d i n t h e r e f i n e ­
m ent p ro c e ss#
I t I s hoped and in te n d e d t h a t t h i s s tu d y w i l l s tim u la te an i n t e r e s t
i n re s e ttle m e n t schemes o f th e ty p e u n d e rta k e n in th e M ilk R iv e r V a lle y
w hereby a g r e a te r number o f th e d e s t i t u t e and low income d r y la n d f a r ­
m ers may b e r e h a b i l i t a t e d on i r r i g a t e d land# There rem ain many such
f a m ilie s w hich need t o b e moved onto la n d t h a t w i l l g iv e them, g r e a te r
a ss u ra n c e o f a liv e lih o o d from y e a r t o y e a r , r e s t o r e t h e i r p u rc h a sin g
pow er, r e l i e v e th o l o c a l , s t a t e , and f e d e r a l governments o f t h e i r
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n c a r in g f o r many o f them , and i n g e n e ra l improve th e
s o c i a l s t a t u s o f th e fa m ilie s and t h e in d iv id u a ls in th e f a m i l i e s „ I t
i s lik e w is e hoped t h a t th e s tu d y w il-1 be o f some b e n e f i t in p r e s e n tin g
id e a s As t o methods and c r i t e r i a o f f a m ily s e l e c t i o n t h a t may b e o f some
b e n e f i t t o f u t u r e p r o je c ts o f t h i s kind®
INTRODUCTION
The t Z1I “-co u n ty a r e a o f B la In e iff P h i l l i p s and V a lle y c o u n tI e s 3 l i k e
th e .many o th e r c o u n tie s i n n o r th e r n and e a s te r n Montana3 h a s undergone
v a s t changes s in c e t h e c a ttle m e n f i r s t drove t h e i r h e rd s i n from t h e
south*
The “ f r e e hom estead11 days saw t h e i n f l u x o f g r e a t numbers o f
s e t t l e r s w ith d is a s tr o u s e x p lo ita tio n o f human e f f o r t s a n d v i r g i n
p r a i r i e * . B o u n tifu l r e tu r n s from t h e la n d b e c a u se o f f a v o r a b le w eath er
c o n d itio n s and t h e new s o i l in t h e b e g in n in g s e rv e d t o in d u ce more '
s e t t l e r s t o f l o c k i n t o th e area*
There fo llo w ed # however# re c u rrin g ,
y e a rs o f l e s s fa v o r a b le r a i n f a l l w ith u n s ta b le economic c o n d itio n s a t
i r r e g u l a r in te r v a ls *
The incomes o f th e good y e a rs w ere so o n d is s ip a te d
i n t h e many p o o r y ears*
The t o t a l r e s u l t was a stra n d e d # d e s t i t u t e
p o p u la tio n and an u n p ro d u c tiv e a e rro d in g land*
The Farm S e c u r i t y A d m in is tra tio n e n te r e d th e p ic tu r e a t t h i s p o in t*
I t u n d e rto o k t o undo t h e damage done o v e r a 3 0 -y ear p e rio d *
Much has been
accom plished I n th e b r i e f tw o -y e a r p e rio d s in c e i t s in c e p tio n in b r in g in g
about a b a la n c e d a g r i c u l t u r e and a more economic u t i l i s a t i o n o f re so u rc e s
i n th e a re a*
New l i f e has b e en p u t in to th e country# b u t many y e a rs w i l l
be r e q u ir e d t o r e p a i r t h e damages o f th e 3 0 -y e a r perio d *
T his s tu d y p e r t a i n s o n ly t o th e w ork so f a r accom plished*
N early
a m illio n a c r e s o f la n d lias been d ev elo p ed and improved b y t h e c o n s tr u c tio n
o f s to ra g e r e s e r v o ir s # t h e o b l i t e r a t i o n o f abandoned fa rm ste ad s# th e
re s e e d in g o f b a r r e n f i e l d s and th e fe n c in g o f p a s tu r e lands*
now a v a i l a b l e t o th e sheepmen and th e cattlem en *
The la n d i s
A la r g e number o f s t r i c k e n
d ry - la n d fa rm e rs h as been r e lo c a te d i n t h e H ilk R iv e r T a lle y *
Ih e y a r e
now on good# i r r i g a b l e la n d w hich i s b e in g d ev elo p ed t o t h e p o in t w here
th e y can sow t h e i r cro p s w ith re a s o n a b le a s s u ra n c e o f wages a n d a l i v i n g
f o r t h e i r fa m ilie s *
Ih e eonmiunihies o f th e area# th e s t a t e # and th e c o u n try as a whole
w i l l b e n e f i t from t h i s u n d e rta k in g *
The la n d re s o u rc e s a r e b e in g p u t to
t h e i r p ro p e r u se and a more e co n o m ica lly and s o c i a l l y s e c u re f u tu r e i s b e­
in g e s ta b lis h e d f o r a farm p o p u la tio n d ependent h e r e to f o r e upon p u b lic a id
f o r a la r g e ' p a rt o f i t s Iiv in g 0
There i s s t i l l a la r g e amount o f la n d a v a il a b le in th e v a l l e y f o r
o th e r fa rm e rs who sh o u ld b e moved from t h e i r d ry la n d s » E f f o r ts a re b e in g
p u t f o r t h b y c i v i c o rg a n iz a tio n s # b u s in e s s men# and landow ners t o b r in g
a b o u t a c o n tin u a n c e o f t h e work o f t h e Farm S e c u r ity Admlni s t r u t io n on an
expanded b a s i s »
P urpo se o f S tu d y
T his s tu d y i s d e sig n e d :
I,
To p re s e n t a b r i e f d e s c r ip ti o n o f t h e r e s e ttle m e n t p r o
id e a a s sp o n so re d b y th e F e d e ra l Government i n an e f f o r t t o r e h a b i l i t a t e a
d e s t i t u t e o r low. income a g r i c u l t u r a l p o p u la tio n s
-S pecial a t t e n t i o n i s t o b e
g iv en t o t h e H ilk R iv e r R e s e ttle m e n t Pro j e c t i n H ontana0
2*
To a n a ly z e fa m ilie s s e le c te d f o r farm u n i t s on th e M ilk
R iv e r P r o je c t in n o r th e r n Montana and t o d e s c rib e t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
p o s se sse d b y th e s e f a m i l i e s »
fa m ily c o m p o sitio n and o th e rs#
This would in c lu d e age and s e x d is tr ib u tio n #
5,
To a n a ly s e methods, and c r i t e r i a u sed i n t h e s e l e c t i o n o f
t h e f a m ilie s f o r r e l o c a t i o n on f a m e in t h e Milfc B ire r- T a lle y so a s t o
determ ine*, i f p o ssib le* , the. m ore d e s ir a b le methods and t h e m ost e f f e c t i v e
c r i t e r i a t o b e u sed i n t h e future= -
I t i s a re c o g n ize d and a c c e p te d f a c t
t h a t t h e s u c c e s s o r f a i l u r e o f any c o lo n iz a tio n o r r e s e ttle m e n t p r o j e c t
i s l a r g e l y dependent upon t h e f a m i l i e s s e l e c t e d .
However* l i t t l e s tu d y
h as b een made o f s e l e c t i o n c r i t e r i a and methods=
4=
To develop s u g g e s tio n s f o r g u id an ce i n f a c i l i t a t i n g
f u t u r e econom ic and s o c i a l p la n n in g f o r f a m ilie s s e l e c t e d f o r such a re­
se ttle m e n t attem pt=
An InM gjbt in to t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and q u a l i t i e s o f
t h e s e le c te d f a m ilie s sh o u ld r e v e a l th e s o c i a l and economic needs=
This
w i l l a f f o r d a more so u n d ’'b a s is f o r a ty p e o f planning: t h a t w i l l s a t i s f y
th e needs and prom ote g r e a t e r S t a b i l i t y among the- f a m ilie s ' se le c te d =
5=
To show t h e need f o r f u r t h e r s tu d y o f t h i s ty p e b y way
o f d e v e lo p in g h e lp f u l s u g g e s tio n s a s t o methods and c r i t e r i a f o r fa m ily ■
s e le c tio n =
I t m ight be added h e re t h a t i n s u f f i c i e n t tim e h as e la p s e d
sin ce, t h e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f th e M ilk B iv e r P r o je c t t o n o te t h e r e s u l t s i n
te rm s o f th e su c c e ss o r f a i l u r e o f th e f a m ilie s se le c te d =
PART I*
-FOJfCT RESGBi TIOR AW? A ALT IS
k
L eeetlon aad H istory o f th e B eeettlo;: mat r o jo c t w ith
e e e r ln tlo n o i Ml'ik !T v e r 'lr r l''-e tle n '- m j o e f
Loot t len»— ilie S ilk E lver . era L ee u r lty
e lo o e t lo n
Mcmtem cm ip l e t s o f 1S2 lr r l g e t e e Hume ranging Ir e l s e
e c r e e , in a d d itio n t o 32 la b o r u n ite o f 3 to 6 acre*
-o.joct In
roes 40 t e 160
each*
lseee I e l t o r
are design**) ns c tA clete n o e borne u i t s fo r le b o r e re. on th e a d ja cen t fanes
mid in th e t en s#
These f a r m a r e s c a t te r e d throu > o t th e ' t i r e
Ilk
E lver I r r i -atIon p r o je c t, which Ie lo ca tm i In th e north cen r a l p e r t o f
th e s t a t e , eo*ten d in g L tc
I).
I e In c ,
1Ihe p r o je c t I t s e l f te a s e t u
h i l l l p a , and v a lle y ©ou t i e s (se n f l ure
in IWOL by th e
eateodc from Lohnan, a sh o rt d is ta n c e s e a t o f
d ie s gee.
e o lt a t Icn
urtiroi and
a v r e , t o Uash ia , e a s t o f
The t o t a l le n g th o f th e p r o je c t I s about IbO c ille e and th e width
ranros from o n c -h a lf to a o u t th r e e u lle ® .
C lim a te.— The area Included b y th e S ilk R iv e r I r r ig a tio n
t y p i c a l l y e e m i-a r id .
r o lo c t te
The c lim a te i s c h a r a c te r ise d b y a m oderately low
>ro~
c i p i t a t i c n ? th e summers a r e h o t , t h e w in ter s e r e c o ld , th e m taosphere i s
d ry Ritij th e r e i s a I a r i3S proportion of e u m y d a y s.
The a r .a i s su b je c t to
t h e f r e q u e n t and sudds# charges a h Ioh a r e c h a r a c t e r is t ic oi t h e n o r th ^vn
f r o s t F la in e , e s p e c ia lly c u r ia
iiie w in te r t e n t h s , l /
The average annual p r e c ip ita tio n in th e Milk B iv er
ta .
U dioa'sker,' L. t • , "^fcoi'ia o i1 n'lalne" vourty,"^
u l . 228, March. IvSC, p. 1 0.
a l l e y ranges
o n t . A;:.r* i'-xpt.
') L L
T O O L E
LIBERTY'
-----IC HOU
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MAuTA DIViaION
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MtLfi fitvtrt
A f o v t . - L o c f r'OM o r TM f A A /LA f i / v r r
S e to iv - O r T A / L f D
AAa p
P r c je c r
o r Tm t D p o u t c t
betw een 12 and 14 in c h es „
1'he lo w e st a n n u a l p r e c i p i t a t i o n f o r t h e a r e a
re c o rd e d was ab o u t 7 in c h e s and th e h ig h e s t was w e ll o v e r 20 in c h e s o
G en erally, ab o u t 60 p e r c e n t o f t h e p r e c i p i t a t i o n comes betw een A p ril I
and Septem ber I* 2 /
The mean a n n u a l tem p eratu re, ra n g e s fro m 40*8 Fp a t Glasgow t o 4 1 ,6 F 6
a t Chinook,.
The a v e ra g e f r o s t - f r e e p e r io d i n t h e M ilk B iv e r V a lle y d a te s
from May 20 t o Septem ber 1 8 , a lth o u g h te m p e ra tu re s o f 32 F* o r lo w er h av e
b e en re c o rd e d in e v e ry month o f t h e y e a r e x c e p t J u l y , rB j
Topography, -=^In g e n e ra l,, th e la n d i n t h e v a l l e y i s f a i r l y l e v e l .
f a c t , i n p la c e s i t is. so l e v e l t h a t i r r i g a t i o n i s d i f f i c u l t .
In
Throughout th e
v a l l e y t h e r e a r e many to p o g ra p h ic a l i r r e g u l a r i t i e s t h a t d iv id e th e a r a b l e
la n d in to v e r y i r r e g u l a r a re a s an d I n t e r f e r e w ith t h e i r u s e .
G e o lo g ic a lly ,
th e la n d a lo n g t h e s tre a m has b e en b u i l t up w ith a llu v iu m d e p o s ite d d u rin g
h ig h w a te r and i n some s e c tio n s i t i s a f o o t o r more above t h e lo w er p a r t
o f th e v a lle y .
T his f a c t o r in i t s e l f i s conducive t o p o o r d ra in a g e .
Form er
.channels ■o f th e r i v e r a r e now f i l l e d w ith w a te r a l a r g e r p a r t o f t h e time*
These to p o g ra p h ic a l f e a tu r e s have, c r e a te d s e r io u s d ra in a g e and
i r r i g a t i o n problem s..
In f a c t ,, th e su ccess, o r f a i l u r e o f fa rm e rs on th e
p r o j e c t has and w i l l depend la r g e ly upon t h e i r a b i l i t y t o cope, w ith th e s e
p roblem s.
L i t t l e p r o v is io n was made b y t h e B eelam atio n S e rv ic e t o develop
th e la n d p ro p e r ly f o r s u c c e s s f u l c u ltiv a tio n ..
I t d id p ro v id e s u rfa c e
d ra in a g e f o r t h e b e t t e r lan d s on th e M alta and Glasgow d iv is io n s when th e
~
J T S Ia g s v o ld , P , L» ,~ and Bingham, G» ET%""^%n A n a ly sis o F T g rie u l=
A ure' on th e M ilk E iv e r I r r i g a t i o n P r o je c t/* Mont, A gr» E x p t» S ta , B u i, 290,
J u n e , 1934, p» 1 0 ,
I b id , B u i, 290, p , 1 1 , and G ie se k e r, o p , c i t , , B u i, 228, p , 21,
-IO ct
d i s t r i b u t i o n sy ste m was i n s t a l l e d , b u t no p ro v is io n was made f o r i t on th e
Chinook d iv is io n *
to Ie v e lg
d itc h g
I t h as been n e c e s s a ry f o r t h e F a m S e c u r ity A d m in is tra tio n
and d r a in th e la n d i t p u rc h a se d on t h e p r o j e c t t o p u t i t
i n s u i t a b l e c o n d itio n f o r farm ing* 4 /
S o ilo --T h e s o i l ty p e s o f t h e a r e a a r e many and v a rie d *
The s o i l s
ran g e i n t e x t u r e from a f i n e sand t o a h e a v y c l a y o r "gumbo" w ith a h ig h
p e rc e n ta g e o f t h e l a t t e r ty p e in, t h e area* J j /
W ater Supply. —V iator f o r i r r i g a t i o n f o r t h e I i l k R iv e r P r o je c t i s
s to r e d i n th e S herburne Lakes i n G la c ie r l a t i o n a l P a rk a n d i s d iv e r te d
th ro u g h a c a n a l 29 m ile s i n le n g th in to th e n o r th f o r k o f t h e M ilk R iver*
The M ilk R iv e r flow s th ro u g h Canada f o r 216 m ile s , r e t u r n i n g to th e U n ite d
S ta te s n o r th o f Havre*
Then i t fo llo w s & v e ry m eandering c o u rs e th ro u g h
i t s p r e - g l a c i a l v a l l e y a s f a r e a s t as M alta*
D uring low w a te r i t i s a
s lu g g is h stre a m e n tre n c h e d 10 t o 16 f e e t below i t s flo o d p la in *
The stre a m
d r a in s a v e ry la r g e a r e a i n n o r th c e n t r a l M ontana, and d u rin g flo o d s i s
l i k e l y t o overflow i t s banks and in u n d a te a c o n s id e ra b le p o r tio n o f th e
v a lle y *
W ater i s d iv e r te d from t h e r i v e r b y dams n e a r Lehman and t h i s is f o r
F o r t B elknap, A l f a l f a V a lle y 9 and Z u ric k i r r i g a t i o n d i s t r i c t s , and s o u th e a s t
o f Chinook f o r t h e P a ra d is e V a lle y d i s t r i c t *
e l e c t r i c pumping p la n t e a s t o f Z urich*
The H arlem d i s t r i c t h a s an
These f i v e d i s t r i c t s c o n s t i t u t e
t h e Chinook d i v is io n o f th e M ilk R iv e r P ro je c t* 6/ ' The F a m S e c u r ity
^ r™™Slagsv^d and™Bingham7 "op* c i t * , p* IR , and G ie se k e r, op* c i t » ,
Bui* 290, p* 62*
5/ I b i d , Bui* 290, pp* 12 t o 17, in c lu s iv e , a ls o G ie se k e r, La P»,
" S o ils o f V a lle y , P h i l l i p s , and B la in e C o u n tie s," Mont* Agr* E x p t» Sta=
B u i’ s* 198, 199, and 228»
6/
S la g s v o ld and Bingham, op* c i t * , Bui* 228, p» 6 *
A dm nietr& 'bion has 34 farm u n i t s i n t h i s d iv is io n ; SS n e a r Z u ric h and 8
n e a r Harlem..
'
r
,
F o r t h e M alta d i v i s i o n , w a te r i s d iv e r te d b y means o f a dam n e a r
Dodson from t h e S i l k E iv e r t o ■tw o canals-*
The Dodson W orth C anal i r r i g a t e s
la n d n e a r Dodson and M a lta , and t h e Dodson South Canal conveys- w a te r t o
la n d n e a r Wagner5 M alta5 and Bowdofm5 and th ro u g h t h e K elso n R e s e rv o ir t o
la n d n e a r Saco and H insdale*
There a r e 6 u n i t s lo c a te d n e a r Dodson.
In
t h e Wagner a r e a t h e r e a r e 44 u n i t s i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e t w e n t y f i v e S a lta
o r i g i n a l ho m estead s» H ear H in sd a le t h e r e a r e IS u n its *
A dam n e a r F a n d a lia d i v e r t s w a te r from th e r i v e r i n t o th e V an d alia
d i v i s i o n c a n a l f o r t h e i r r i g a t i o n o f la n d n e a r Tampico5 Glasgow, and
Hashua0
There a r e 5 u n i t s a t Tampico and 2 a t Hashua0
A s e r io u s draw back t o t h e p re s e n t i r r i g a t i o n p la n o f th e M ilk E lv e r *
P r o je c t i s i t s d is ta n c e from th e w a te r s to r a g e s o u rc e .
The p r o je c t i s a l ­
m ost e n t i r e l y dep en d en t upon s t o r e d w a te r,, w hich a s a lr e a d y s t a t e d , i s
lo c a te d i n G la c ie r P a rk .
W ith t h e s to r a g e su p p ly s o f a r removed, t h e r e i s
a c o n tin u o u s t h r e a t o f w a te r s h o r ta g e .
Even a t f u l l c a p a c ity o f th e p r e s e n t
sy stem t h e r e have b e e n tim es d u rin g th e p a s t few y e a rs when th e s u p p ly h a s
n o t b e e n a d e q u a te .
However5 c o n s tr u c tio n o f t h e C hain Lakes r e s e r v o i r b etw een
H avre and th e C anadian b o rd e r t o su p p ly s to r a g e c lo s e t o t h e p r o je c t i s now
w e ll on th e way t o c o m p le tio n .
I t i s e x p e c te d t h a t t h i s a d d itio n a l s to r a g e
c a p a c ity w i l l n o t o n ly supplem ent t h e w a te r s to r a g e f a c i l i t i e s a t S t . Mary’ s
Lake i n G la c ie r P a rk so a s t o in s u r e more dependable and a d eq u a te su p p ly
o f w a te r f o r th e p r o j e c t a t a l l tim e s , b u t w i l l a ls o a s s i s t i n t h e c o n tr o l
o f f l o o d s , a u s u a l o c cu rren c e and t h r e a t In th e v a lle y *
The flo o d s have
”vl3"
o c c a s io n a lly done c o n s id e ra b le damage t o c ro p s and i r r i g a t i o n d itc h e s and
h av e p re v e n te d p ro d u c tiv e c u l t i v a t i o n C f much o f t h e farm la n d *
F q h lic U t i l i t i e s * *°-*Ihe e n t i r e v a l l e y i s a c c e s s ib le to t h e m ain l i n e
o f t h e G re at U b rth e rn R ailw ay w hich tr a v e r s e s t h e le n g th o f t h e p r o je c t and
a f f o r d s good c o n n e c tio n s w ith e a s te r n and w e ste rn -m a rk e ts .
an im proved a s p h a lt ro a d , p a r a l l e l s th e ra ilro a d *
Highway Ho* S9
E l e c t r i c i t y i s s u p p lie d
b y t h e M ontana Fewer Company and th u s f a r h as b e e n made a v a il a b le o n ly t o
t h e M alta o r i g i n a l hom esteads o f th e Farm, S e c u r ity Adminis t r a t i o n » ■I t i s
plan n ed t o make i t a v a il a b le to a l l u n i t s i n t h e p ro je c t*
Roads i n t h e
r u r a l d i s t r i c t s a r e im proved and a r e b e in g m aintained*
Towns *- “ There a r e a number o f im p o rta n t towns i n th e v alley*.
C hinook9
th e c o u n ty s e a t o f B la in e C ounty i s th e s i t e o f a b e e t- s u g a r f a c to r y o p era­
t e d b y t h e Htah-=Idaho Sugar Company*
im p o rta n t tow ns in t h i s county*
E a l t a 9 th e c o u n ty s e a t b f P h i l l i p s C ounty
i s n e a r t h e c e n te r o f th e p ro je c t*
W agner9 and Saco*
Z u ric h and H arlem a r e t h e o th e r two
O th er towns in t h i s c o u n ty a r e Bodsons
Glasgow i s t h e c o u n ty s e a t o f T a lle y County, Y a n d a lia 9
Tampico, and Uashua a re t h e l o c a l p o in ts i n 'th is county*
S e ttle m e n t H isto ry * —The s t o r y o f t h e s e ttle m e n t o f th e d ry la n d
a r e a s u rro u n d in g th e S i l k R iv e r V a lle y i s one common t o th e e n t i r e G reat
P la in s Region*
The c o u n try was f i r s t ta k e n up b y th e stockm en d u rin g t h e
l a t e e ig h tie s and n i n e tie s *
w a te rh o le s.
They s e t t l e d m a in ly a lo n g stre a m s and n e a r
The p o s s e s s io n o f t h e w ater h o le s b y t h e la r g e s to c k companies
enabled, them t o c o n tr o l t h e g ra z in g o f t h e s to c k i n t h i s a re a*
Between
1908 and 1917 th e d ry -la n d farm er came i n l a r g e num bers, a t t r a c t e d b y t h e
f r e e la n d —t h e s o - c a lle d " la n d o f o p p o rtu n ity * "
The r a i l r o a d s and s p e c u la to r s
s p u rre d t h i s s e ttle m e n t fo rw ard and i n th e sp a c e o f those, few y e a rs much
■“1 5 "
o f t h e t i l l a b l e land, was ta k e n up and p u t u n d e r t h e plow ,
A c la im sh ack
s to o d on e v e ry h a l f s e c t i o n and l i t t l e in la n d towns d o tte d th e countryside®
I r r i g a t i o n i n t h e M ilk E iv e r V a lle y owes i t s i n i t i a l developm ent t o
t h e stockm an who saw t h e n e ed o f su p p lem en tin g h is w in te r ra n g e s w ith n a t i v e
h a y t o p re v e n t o c c a s io n a l heavy w in te r l o s s o f stock®
ment d a te s from. 1890»
T h is e a r ly d ev elo p s
The B ureau o f R eclam atio n e n te r e d t h e p ic tu r e in
1905«, soon a f t e r th e p a ssa g e o f th e R eclam atio n B i l l b y C ongress i n 1902®
The f i r s t u n i t s o f t h i s p r o je c t w ere opened f o r s e ttle m e n t in 1915®
The
p r o j e c t u n d e rta k en embraced a t o t a l o f 192,000 acres® 7 /
R an c h e rs, b u s in e s s men, and s p e c u la to r s in v e s te d h e a v ily i n t h e
la n d a lo n g t h e river®
d ry land®
The new s e t t l e r s , however, p r e f e r r e d t h e ch eap er
The r e s u l t s w ere t h a t much o f th e la n d in th e v a l l e y was farm ed
i n v e r y la r g e u n i t s , o f te n w ith o u t g e ttin g even f a i r r e s u l t s , and th e d ry
la n d u n i t s w ere soon found t o be to o s m a ll f o r economic p ro d u c tio n and n o t.
a d a p ta b le t o t h e f a m i n g methods t o w hich th e p eo p le w ere accustomed® S /
P li g h t o f A g r ic u ltu r e in A re a ,-"T he c a ttle m e n who had been u s in g th e
p u b lic dom ain, fa c e d by su d d en ly r e s t r i c t e d ra n g e and p o s s ib le b a n k ru p tc y
a s a r e s u l t o f t h e in f l u x o f a g r i c u l t u r i s t s , w ere fo r c e d t o r e t i r e o r
o p e ra te upon a s m a lle r scale® 2 /
The d ry la n d e rs had a few s u c c e s s fu l y e a rs
a t f i r s t fo llo w e d b y many y e a rs w ith n o t more th a n a h a l f a dozen cro p s t o
'J j GfiesekerT"op® c it® , Bui® 198, p* 55; Bui® 199, p* 65 and
Bui® 228, p® 56®
j J Johnson and S aunders on, "Types o f Farm ing in M ontana, '* Mont®
A gr0 E x p t0 Sta® Bui® 328, P a r t I , O cto b er, 1936, pp® 32 and 40, and
G ie s e k e r3 op® c it® , Bui® 228, p« 59®
2/
Op® c it® , Bui® 328, p® 63®
“
"1 4 =
rew ard t h e i r e f f o r t s . i o /
In s p i t e o f new d ry la n d fa rm in g methods and
p r a c t i c e s in tro d u c e d b y th e e x te n s io n s e r v ic e t h e r e t u r n was small®
D e lin q u e n t ta x e s accum ulated and la n d was r e v e r t i n g t o th e c o u n tie s j
f o r e c lo s u r e s by lo a n companies and ban k s w ere becoming more numerous®
1917 o c c u rre d a. s e v e re d ro u g h t w hich l a s t e d f o r two years®
In
There fo llo w e d
a n economic d e p re s s io n r e s u l t i n g i n many f a i l u r e s and i n t h e c o n c e n tra tio n .
o f a la r g e a c re a g e o f la n d i n t h e hands o f m ortgage-holding companies®
itMany o f th e l o c a l banks and t r u s t companies,, w hich had lo a d e d h e a v ily on
la n d and l iv e s to c k d u rin g t h e f a v o r a b le y e a rs a w ent i n t o t h e hands o f
r e c e iv e r s d u rin g th e d e f l a t i o n p erio d *
I n 1925, 57»4 p e r c e n t o f th e farm s
i n o p e r a tio n in B la in e C ounty c a r r i e d a m ortgage in d e b te d n e ss a v e ra g in g
$5»20 p e r a c r e on la n d v a lu e d a t #11,08 p e r acre®5' l l /
Bcme o f t h e fa rm e rs l e f t d u rin g t h e s e u n fa v o ra b le y e a rs* b u t many
re m a in ed , u n a b le t o le a v e o r s t i l l r e t a i n i n g hope fo r t h e " n e x t year®"
The fa rm ste a d s,, l i t t l e improved s in c e th e d a y o f occupancy, and th e e q u ip -/
m eht, o ld and u n p ro te c te d from th e e le m e n ts , w ere becoming b ro k en down
and u s e le s s j th e farm la n d was blow ing,, and. th e ra n g e la n d was becoming
denuded o f i t s n a tiv e g ra s s e s and s u b je c t t o erosion®
The d ro u g h t and
economic d e p re s s io n b e g in n in g in 1952 n o t o n ly added t o th e h a rd s h ip s o f
th o s e fa rm e rs who rem ained b u t a c c e n tu a te d t h e i r plight®.
Seed lo an s i n t h e
s p r in g and f e e d lo a n s i n t h e f a l l , t o g e th e r w ith Bed C ro s s, County and
F e d e ra l human a id w ere becom ing th e u s u a l t h in g from y e a r fco y e a r to m a in ta in
'10/
Op® c it® , Bui® 228, pp® 22 and 51$ Bui® 328, p® 30»
11 /
Op.® c it® , Bui® 228, p ® 52®
<=*15=" ••
t h e farm ers, t h e i r f a m i l i e s , and t h e i r liv e s to c k *
Such was t h e p l i g h t o f
t h e fa rm e r i n t h i s a r e a i n 1935° 1 8 /
Ifeed f o r R eadjus tm ont a—ih e r e was a d e f i n i t e a g r i c u l t u r a l m aladjust-,
m eat i n t h e th r e e c o u n tie s w ith which t h i s s tu d y i s concerned*
Hot o n ly
was su h m arg in al la n d under, c u l t i v a t i o n , h u t i r r i g a t e d la n d i n t h e v a l l e y
was b e in g farm ed i n la r g e u n i t s w ith o n ly f a i r r e s u l t s i n m ost c ase s „
The
m a jo r d i f f i c u l t y l a y i n t h e im p ro p e r a d a p ta tio n o f a g r i c u l t u r e t o th e .
p h y s ic a l resources-®
The d ry la n d e r r e a l i s e d t h a t an a d ju stm e n t h a d t o h e made i f he w ere
t o s u rv iv e and th e landow ner in th e v a l l e y a rriv ed a t t h e c o n c lu s io n t h a t
h is exp en sive la n d must b e made t o pay.
i n t h i s a re a was a v i t a l problem®
The. readjustm ent o f a g r ic u ltu r e
The w e lfa re o f th e d ry la n d fa rm e rs and
th e landow ners in t h e v a l l e y and th e v e ry e x is te n c e o f t h e to w n s, so
dependent upon th e r u r a l r e s i d e n t s , was a t stake®
S te p s i n Ad.instment , — I n an a tte m p t t o cope w ith t h e p ro b lem , t h e
"M alta p la n " was c o n ce iv e d and ad v o cated b y .& group o f M alta c itiz e n s ®
I t was sp o n so re d b y t h e co u n ty e x te n s io n a g e n t, th e M alta Commercial Club
and th e B a lta I r r ig a tio n D istrict® ,
Tho id e a mas advanced as fa r back as
1925 and in v o lv ed t h e p la n o f removing farm ers from th e d ry land t o th e
ir r ig a t e d v a lle y la n d .
Tt e n t a ile d th e c u ttin g up o f t h e la r g e , un develop -
ed v a l l e y t r a c t s i n t o economic u n i t s t o w hich th e d ro u g h t s tr ic k e n d ry la n d ­
e r c o u ld b e t r a n s f e r r e d ,, and gave t h e r e s e t t l e d fa rm e rs a chance t o pay f o r
th e farms over a lo n g period o f tim e.,
T h is , i t was f e l t , mould s o lv e t h e
growing problem o f t h e subm argin al fa rm e r who c o u ld n o t make a l i v i n g on
J
—'—
12/ B e c k T f T ^ and F o r ste r , I . C!"/"5tSi x R u ra l P ro b lm c A re a s ,
Emergency
R
e
l
i
e
f
A
d
m
in
is
tra
tio
n
^
'
R e l ie f Reso u re e s -Rehabi l i t a t i o n , " F e d e ra l
16,
82,
an
d
103.
r e s e a r c h m onograph, W ashington, 1935, pp®
h is shalloiYg p a rc h ed acres*.
I t would a l s o r i d th e la u d -p o o r merchant;,
b a n k e r, and stockm an o f p r o p e r ty "they would soon have t o b r in g i n t o
p ro d u c tiv ity .
-
' Lack o f fu n d s, how ever, h an d icap p ed th e plan*
Only a few farm ers
who w ere a b le t o fin a n c e th em selv es or. S ecu re a id from l o c a l banks and
c r e d i t a g e n c ie s w ere s e t t l e d on t h e i r r i g a t e d lando-
The m ost im p o rtan t
p o i n t , th e developm ent o f t h e la n d i t s e l f th ro u g h th e c o n s tr u c tio n o f
d r a in s and d itc h e s , and th e le v e lin g o f la n d * c o u ld n o t b e u n d e rta k e n
b y a n y l o c a l groupo The few farm ers who w ere r e s e t t l e d a t t h a t tim e
have been a b le t o l i t t l e more th a n keep even w ith paym ents, ta x e s , and
w a te r charges*
In 1954, W . H9. L» L an tz,, a member o f th e Malta. Committee and a t
t h a t tim e c o u n ty e x te n s io n a g e n t i n P h i l l i p s County* was c a l l e d i n t o
W ashington t o c o n fe r w ith o f f i c i a l s th e r e i n re g a rd t o t h e c r i t i c a l s i t u ­
a t i o n e x i s t i n g in t h i s a re a *
As a r e s u l t o f t h e c o n fe re n c e a program o f
r e t i r i n g su b m arg in al la n d from p ro d u c tio n and r e lo c a ti n g t h e d is p o s s e s s e d
lo w income o r d e s t i t u t e fa rm e rs was u n d e rta k e n in t h e a r e a , an d w hen,' in
1935, th e R e s e ttle m e n t A c h i n i s t r a t io n was, e s t a b l i s h e d , Mr. L an tz was
named m anager o f t h e M ilk R iv e r-Z o rth e rn Montana P r o j e c t , t h e l a r g e s t r e ­
s e ttle m e n t u n i t in t h e U n ite d S ta te s *
Aim, E x te n t, and O rg a n iz a tio n o f th e R e s e ttle m e n t P r o je c t
W ith th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f th e R e s e ttle m e n t A d m in is tra tio n (now
c a l l e d t h e F a m S e c u r ity A d m in is tra tio n ) i n 1935 a program w ith th e fo llo w ^
in g o b je c tiv e s , was u n d e rta k e n ;
I*
The re tire m e n t, o f subm arginal t r y la n d from c u l t i v a t i o n th ro u g h
■u-l 7“
o u tr i g h t p u rc h a se b y th e government,
2*
The improvement o f such la n d f o r g ra z in g p u rp o ses b y th e con­
s tr u c tio n o f ra n g e r e s e r v o i r s t o augment th e s c a t t e r e d w a te r
h o le s and c re e k s $ t h e o b l i t e r a t i o n o f abandoned f arm stead s 5
t h e c o n s tru c tio n , o f d ip p in g v a ts and c o r r a l u n its ? th e con­
s t r u c t i o n o f fe n c e s ? th e g ra v e lin g o f ro ad s? th e e r a d ic a tio n
o f ro d e n ts? t h e developm ent o f r e c r e a tio n c e n te r s ? and t h e
o r g a n is a tio n o f g ra z in g a s s o c ia ti o n s 0
So
The re h a b I l i t a t i o n j, i n p la c e ^ o f farm ers who own la n d t h a t c o u ld
b e i r r i g a t e d o r developed a lo n g sound a g r i c u l t u r a l l i n e s b y
t h e g r a n tin g o f lo a n s f o r t h e purpose o f Improving th e land*
p u rc h a sin g m ach in ery and liv e s to c k * and f in a n c in g o p e r a tio n s ».
The g r a n tin g o f f i n a n c i a l a id t o fa rm e rs who w ere te m p o ra rily
i n need o f a id f o r l i v i n g p u rp o ses b y g iv in g w ork on t h e r e ­
s e ttle m e n t work p r o je c ts o r b y g iv in g them o u t r i g h t r e l i e f
on a b u d g e t b a s is th ro u g h th e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n program=
6*
The r e s e ttle m e n t o f fa rm e rs d is p la c e d b y t h e la n d p u rch ase p ro ­
gram and o th e r d e s t i t u t e fa rm e rs on i r r i g a t e d la n d I n t h e M ilk
R iv e r V a lle y p u rc h a se d b y t h e R e s e ttle m e n t A d m in is tra tio n f o r
th e s p e c i f i c purpose*
The f i r s t two o b je c tiv e s c i t e d above have b een c a r r i e d o u t u n d er t h e
s u p e r v is io n o f t h e Land U t i l i z a t i o n D iv isio n *
Much p ro g re s s h a s been made
b y t h i s d iv is io n to w ard improvement and developm ent o f su b m arg in al la n d f o r
g ra z in g p u rp o s e s.
O b je c tiv e s th r e e and f o u r came u n d e r th e s u p e rv isio n , o f
t h e R e h a b ilit a tio n D iv is io n .
Hot o n ly d id t h i s d iv is io n make lo a n s and
tihXSibsr
g r a n ts t o d e s t i t u t e fa rm e rs ( p a r t i c u l a r l y t o th o s e who w ere unable t o s e c u re ■
lo a n s from o t h e r c r e d i t a g e n c ie s ) , b u t s i x farm f a m ilie s from 'subm arginal
a re a s w ere lo c a te d on t h e s o - c a lle d Johnson t r a c t n o r t h o f M a lta in the,
M ilk H ir e r V alley *
ment D iv is io n ,
T h is t r a c t h as s in c e b een tu r n e d o v e r t o t h e R e s e ttle ­
The l a s t o b j e c t i v e , and th e one w ith w hich we a r e h e re eon*
c e rn e d , i s u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e . H e se ttle m e n t D iv is io n ,
B oth t h e Land U t i l i s a t i o n D iv is io n and th e R e s e ttle m e n t D iv is io n
have a ffo rd e d employment t o l a r g e numbers o f farm ers i n c a r r y in g o u t t h e i r
o b je c t iv e s .
I t has b een on a work r e l i e f b a s i s , t h e w o rk ers b e in g l i m i t e d
t o a c e r t a i n number o f ho u rs p e r m onth.
I t h a s a ffo rd e d t h e d e s t i t u t e and
low income fa rm e rs a liv e lih o o d t h a t c u l t i v a t i o n o f t h e la n d would n o t d u r­
in g t h i s a d ju stm e n t p e r io d .
The M alta o r i g i n a l hom esteads,, o r t h e S o u th Wagner P r o je c t,, was
among t h e f i r s t re s e ttle m e n t p r o je c ts i n i t i a t e d , i n t h e U n ite d S t a t e s ,
The
la n d , 2343,99 a c r e s , ly in g s o u th o f t h e M ilk H iv e r an d e x te n d in g from a
p o i n t f i v e m ile s e a s t o f Dodson t o a p o in t a b o u t t e n m ile s w e st o f M alta,
was p u rc h a se d f o r $6 5 ,0 6 0 , o r an av erag e o f #26.74 p e r a c re ,.
" .
The developm ent o f t h e S o u th Wagner P r o je c t f e l l in to th r e e n a t u r a l
d iv is io n s §
1»
The improvement o f t h e la n d i t s e l f - - t h a t i s , t h e le v e l in g o f
th e la n d , t h e c o n s tr u c tio n o f d itc h e s* d r a in d itc h e s and r o a d s ,
and t h e c le a r in g o f good r i v e r b o tto m la n d s .
2,
The c o n s tr u c tio n o f h o u ses and farm b u ild in g s *
T h is c o n s tr u c tio n
o f homes, b a m s* p o u ltr y h o u se s, f e n c e s , fe e d l o t s and th e d r i l l ­
in g o f w e lls was ■done b y th e C o n s tru c tio n D iv is io n o f th e Farm
S e c u r ity A d m in is tra tio n ,
5«
The s e l e c t i o n o f f a m i l i e s «
The la n d p u rc h a se d a t South Wagner m s f i r s t d iv id e d in to economic
farm u n i t s =
I t xms broken up in to tw e n ty - f iv e u n i t s and tw e n ty - f iv e farm
f a m ilie s w ere th u s s e t t l e d on la n d fo r m e r ly o ccu p ied b y a h a lf-d o z e n la n d o trn ers,
T his d iv is io n o f t h e la n d i n t o farm u n i t s was fo llo w e d b y a s u rv e y
o f th e la n d a s t o i r r i g a t i o n an d d ra in a g e needs*
Most o f t h e la n d had n e v e r
b een le v e le d f o r e f f i c i e n t ir r i g a t i o n # an d much w ork was in v o lv e d t o p u t
t h e la n d i n sh ap e f o r economic p ro d u ctio n *
The land# much o f w hich had
produced o n ly m eager cro p s o f w ild h a y o r had n e v e r b een plowed a t a l l ^ was
p u t in to s u g a r b e e t s , g ra in s # a l f a l f a # and gardens# t h e p r i n c i p a l crops o f
t h e a rea*
A d d itio n a l i r r i g a t e d la n d has s in c e b e e n p u rch ased a t Z urich# H arlem 8
Dodson, W agaer9 M a lta , H in s d a le , Tampico, and Hashua®
T his la n d has l i k e ­
w ise b e e n d iv id e d i n t o economic farm u n i t s * T h ere a re a t o t a l o f IQTjt b e ­
s id e s th e 25 a t S outh Wagner in t h e v a lle y *
Of t h e t o t a l 107 u n i t s , 70 u n i t s w ere s o ld i n t h e s p r in g o f 1957 t o
approved c l i e n t s u n d e r a l e a s e an d p u rch ase c o n tra c t*
D ir e c t lo a n s Tfere
made t o th e s e c l i e n t s f o r t h e c o n s tr u c tio n o f homes and o u t b u ild in g s , o r
f o r rem odeling e x i s t i n g s t r u c t u r e s , f o r fe n c e s o r t h e r e p a i r o f e x i s t i n g
fe n c e s g and f o r w e lls on t h e u n i t s purchased*.
T h is p u rc h a se p la n p ro v id e d t h a t approved c l i e n t s c o u ld p u rch ase
farm u n i t s on t h e p r o j e c t on a f o r t y - y e a r a m o r tis a tio n p la n w ith i n t e r e s t
o f th r e e p e r c e n t*
The la n d s w ere s o ld a t a f a i r a p p r a is a l p r i c e , in c lu d ­
in g such la n d le v e l in g o r o th e r tr e a tm e n t a s was found n e ce ssa ry *
The
-EO
p u rc h a s e r» u n d e r t h e p la n , i s e x p e c te d t o "build up a n e q u i t y in th e com­
p le te d fa rm ste ad s
I n th e ev en t h e w ithdraw s from t h e c o n tr a c t b e fo re i t s
c o m p le tio n , he t r i l l r e c e iv e t h e p r in c ip a l amount “p a id I n lt on an e q u ita b le
b a s is ,, t h e . i n t e r e s t f o r t h e p e rio d o f occupancy serv in g a s ren ts,
f i r s t paym ent on t h e c o n tr a c t i s due in t h e f a l l o f 1938»
The
Prepaym ents
may b e perm itted* b u t t h e f i n a l payment may n o t b e made u n t i l t h e end o f
t h e f o r t y - y e a r p e r io d w ith o u t th e cons o u t o f th e governments.
On th e r e ­
payment b a s i s a s s e t u p , t h e in d iv id u a l farmer pays a t o t a l o f $43*26 p e r
th o u san d d o l l a r s each y e a r*
The i n t e r e s t t h e f i r s t y e a r i s 030*00 and
t h e paym ent"on t h e p r in c ip a l i s $13,26 p e r thousand®
T o ta l payments o f
each fa rm e r w i l l amount t o l i t t l e m ore th a n i f th e fa rm e r w ere le a s in g on
a c ro p s h a r e b a s is *
The hem es, n o t a s e la b o r a te o r modern I n a l l r e s p e c ts as th o s e f i r s t
c o n s tr u c te d on t h e S o u th Wagner P r o j e c t , a r e v e r y n e a t and c o m fo rta b le and
q u ite u n lik e an y t h a t t h e s e fa rm e rs h a v e b een accustom ed t o .
The b a m s
a r e o f a sh ed ty p e an d t h e c h ick e n h o u ses o f t h e Montana ty p e as ad v o cated
b y t h e e x te n s io n s e r v i c e ,
la n d developm ent and t h e c o n s tr u c tio n o f d ra in s
and d itc h e s a r e b e in g done b y t h e c o n s tr u c tio n d iv i s i o n .
The o t h e r 37 farm u n i t s o f the. t o t a l 107 a r e le a s e d o u t on a cro p
sh are b a s is .
T w en ty -th ree a r e a t p r e s e n t u n d e r l e a s e t o approved c l i e n t s
and t h e rem ain in g 14 w ere s t i l l open f o r l e a s e as o f lo vem ber 31, 1937»
Of th e l a t t e r 14 u n i t s , t h e t i t l e s t o f i v e had n o t b e e n c le a r e d on th e
above d a te and tw o w ere t o b e le a s e d t o p re v io u s c l i e n t s i n o rd e r to s u p p le ­
m ent t h e i r o r i g i n a l u n its *
The n e c e s s a ry c o n s tr u c tio n work and la n d d e v e lo p ­
m ent i s b e in g done i n t h e same m anner a s on th e p u rc h a se u n i t s and on t h e
M a lta o r i g i n a l hom esteads.
*
21 -
To ta k e c a r e o f l i v i n g and o p e ra tin g ex p en ses, and t o e n a b le th e
farm ers to p u rc h a se n e c e s s a ry equipm ent, o p e ra tin g lo a n s a r e a v a ila b le*
T hese lo a n s , how ever, a r e a t a h ig h e r r a t e o f i n t e r e s t and c o v er a s h o r t
p e rio d o f time*,
In a d d itio n t o t h e farm u n i t s h e re d e s c rib e d , a t o t a l o f 32 s o c a l l e d la b o r u n i t s w ere s e t up® T h e se u n i t s c o n s i s t o f sm a ll t r a c t s o f
la n d , t h r e e t o s i x a c r e s , s e t up in g roups lo c a te d n e a r tow ns i n th e v a lle y *
A sm all h o u s e , h a m , and a c h ic k e n h ouse w ere c o n s tr u c te d on e a c h .
The
u n i t s w ere in te n d e d f o r approved c l i e n t s who a n t i c i p a t e o b ta in in g th e
m a jo r p a r t o f t h e i r liv e lih o o d from work on f a m s i n t h e v i c i n i t y , o r from
w h a te v e r o th e r la b o r can b e had i n th e n e a rb y towns®
These u n i t s w i l l
e n a b le th e c l i e n t s t o r a i s e a garden and m a in ta in a cow and a few ch ick en s
w hich w i l l p ro v id e a supplem ental, means o f liv elih o o d ®
quipped w ith ru n n in g w a te r and e le c tr ic ity ®
The hemes a r e e -
A re a s o n a b le r e n t a l is ch arg ed
t h e o c c u p a n ts ^
The t o t a l number o f u n i t s , b o th la b o r and farm , a r e u n d er t h e d i r e c t
s u p e r v is io n o f a ' p r o j e c t m anager a s s i s t e d b y an a s s i s t a n t p r o je c t m anager
and s u b o rd in a te personnel.®
The g e n e ra l d i r e c t i o n o f t h e p r o j e c t i s c a r r i e d
on b y t h e p r o j e c t manager® ■The a s s i s t a n t p r o j e c t manager works w ith th e
in d iv id u a l fa rm e rs d e v is in g farm p la n s , d i r e c t i n g , a d v is in g i n th e farm
o p e r a tio n s , and s u p e r v is in g i n th e making o f o p e ra tin g lo a n s and c o lle c tio n s®
■
PABT X I;
FAULT SELECTION
E l i g i b i l i t y R equirem ents o f A p p lic a n ts
S in c e t h i s p r o j e c t was s e t up f o r th e p rim ary p u rp o se o f r e h a b i l i t a t ­
in g d e s t i t u t e and low income d ry la n d fa rm e rs , th e r e a u to m a tic a lly a re o f
"22”
n e c e s s ity * c e r t a i n l i m i t a t i o n s upon th e c h o ice o f a p p lic a n ts f o r placement® .
A t th e same tim e , i t w s r e a l i z e d t h a t t h e r e w ere c e r t a i n a s c e r t a i n a b l e
q u a l i f i c a t i o n s t h a t a r e conducive g e n e r a lly to th e s u c c e ss o r f a i l u r e o f a n
In d iv id u a l e n te rp rise ®
The fo llo w in g l i s t o f t h e ty p e s o f fa m ilie s t h a t
w e re 'c o n s id e re d e l i g i b l e , th e s p e c i f i c q u a l i f i c a t i o n s r e q u ir e d o f th e s e
f a m ilie s , 1 3 / and o th e r q u a l i f i c a t i o n s w hich, th o u g h n o t r e q u ir e d , were
re a s o n a b ly th o u g h t t o p la y a p ark i n s e t t l e r su cc e ss shows th e circum scrib­
ed l im it s t o which th e f i n a l s e l e c t i o n was confined®
1® F a m ilie s e l i g i b l e f o r r e s e ttle m e n ts
a®
F a m ilie s re q u ire d to b e r e s e t t l e d in c o n n e c tio n w ith
la n d u s e p r o j e c t s ; t h a t i s , f a m ilie s d is p la c e d b y th e
la n d p u rc h a se program o f th e governm ent in B la in e ,
V a lle y and P h i l l i p s counties®
be
D e s t i t u t e and low income farm f a m ilie s o f t h e fo llo w in g
ty p e s s
(1 )
Farm ow ners, farm t e n a n t s , c ro p p e rs , farm, la b o r e r s
o r p erso n s who w ere r e c e n tly i n a n y o f th e fo re g o in g
classes®
(2 )
O ther p e rso n s w ith f a m in g e x p e rie n c e who were
r e c e n tly on r e l i e f ro ils®
(3 )
O th er p e rso n s w ith farm ing e x p e rie n c e who w ere
r e c e n t l y r e g i s t e r e d a s b o rro w ers o r r e c e iv e r s o f
p u b lic a id from a s t a t e R u ra l R e h a b ilit a tio n o r
from t h e R e s e ttle m e n t A d m in is tra tio n (Farm S ecu rity )®
(4 )
O ther p e rso n s w ith farm in g e x p e rie n c e who w ere i n
d e f a u l t in payments t o a F e d e ra l Land Bank and w ere
157
v i s io n 3j®-
FarniTy SeT ecM onT ^ndbook "8, A dm inist^
Farm S e c u r ity A d m in is tra tio n , Septem ber 2 5 , 1936®
" 2 <S“
(5 )
O th er p e rso n s w ith farm ing, e x p e rie n c e 1who were
i n d e f a u lt t o o r had t e e n d e n ied c r e d i t b y t h e
F a m C re d it A d m in is tra tio n o r any ag en cy t h e r e ­
of..
(6 )
O ther p e rso n s w ith fa rm in g ex p erien ce* in c lu d ­
in g e x - s e r v ic e men and young m a rrie d men j u s t
e n te r in g upon th e e n te r p r is e o f fa rm in g who
were found t o b e s i m i l a r l y in need o f p u b lic
a id e
2-o
S p e c if ic q u a l i f i c a t i o n s r e q u ir e d o f fa m ilie s found e l i g i b l e ;
a«
Bach f a m ily as a whole had t o v o l u n t a r i l y e x p re ss th e
d e s ir e f o r t h e o p p o rtu n ity made a v a il a b le ,
b.»
They had t o ev id en ce a n a cc e p tab le , i n i t i a t i v e and re s o u r c e fu ln e s s o
Ca.
They h ad t o show p ro m ise o f a b i l i t y t o e n te r in to community
l i f e and p r o f i t from in s tr u c t i o n s and g u id a n ce «
do
They had t o g iv e re a s o n a b le a ssu ra n c e o f a t t a i n i n g economic
s t a b i l i t y s u f f i c i e n t t o e n a b le them, t o m eet th e r e n t a l and
o t h e r payments on t h e farm s f o r which t h e y proposed t o
o b lig a te th e m s e lv e s o-
e0
They h a d t o show s u f f i c i e n t s t a b i l i t y o f re s id e n c e ,
fo
They had t o b e f r e e from in f e c tio u s d is e a s e s and d is ­
a b i l i t i e s t h a t w are l i k e l y t o o b s tr u c t t h e f u l f i l l m e n t
o f o b l ig a tio n s ,
g»
The h ead o f each fa m ily had t o b e a t l e a s t tw en ty -o n e
\
y e a rs o f .age®
P re fe re n c e was g iv e n t o heads o f fa m ilie s
u n d e r f i f t y - f i v e y e a rs o f age®.
. h»
The a p p lic a n ts had t o "be m a rrie d c o u p le s w ith 'o n e o r
more c h ild r e n o r o t h e r d e p en d en ts- In s p e c i a l c ase s,,
young m a rrie d c o u p le s w ith o u t c h ild r e n and f a m ilie s con­
s i s t i n g o f one sp o u se and o ld e r !c h ild re n o r o f in d iv id u a ls
w ith o th e r c lo s e fa m ily members were accepted®
A fa m ily
o f such sis© a s t o f u r n i s h an. a d e q u a te la b o r su p p ly w ith ­
o u t r e q u ir in g h ir e d la b o r was preferred® ,
i®
5»
They had t o have fa rm in g experience®
G eneral q u a l i f i c a t i o n s n o t r e q u ir e d o f a p p lic a n ts b u t c o n s id e re d :
a® A ru d im e n ta ry e d u c a tio n and as much a d d i t i o n a l e d u c a tio n
a s i s i n harmony w ith a fa v o ra b le a t t i t u d e to w ard life®
b*
C o o p e ra tiv e and harm onious fa m ily l i f e i t h a t i s , a w ife
and c h ild r e n f a m ilia r w ith farm l i f e and w il l i n g to con­
t r i b u t e t o i t s success.®
a® A s i z e an d a g e -se x co m p o sitio n o f t h e fa m ily t h a t would
.
p ro v id e fa m ily la b o r and c o n tr ib u te t o th e g e n e ra l w ork
o f th e farm 9 as w e ll a s a d ju s te d t o th e s i z e and ty p e o f
farm®
d®
.
C h arac te r# s t a b i l i t y , r e l i a b i l i t y , and a s e n s e o f r e s p o n s ib ility ®
*e»
I n te llig e n c e # a l e r t n e s s , re so u rce fu ln e ss.# and judgment®
fo
R e l i g i o s i t y o r l o y a l t y t o an i d e a l i s t i c group®
The fa m ilie s who s o ld la n d t o t h e governm ent o r w ere in any way
"2 5°
d is p la c e d "by th e la n d p u rc h a se program, r e c e iv e d f i r s t c o n s id e r a tio n and
Tje re d e s ig n a te d as th e 1tAn c la s s c a s e s ,
Ih e n t h e s e e a s e s w ere e x h a u ste d ,
th o s e o ases n o t d is p la c e d h u t m e etin g e l i g i b i l i t y requirem envs w ere n e x t
c o n s id e re d ,
T h ese w e re d e s ig n a te d a s th e nB” c a s e s .
The m a jo r ity o f t h e fa rm e rs s e le c te d had no p re v io u s e x p e rie n c e w ith
i r r i g a t i o n fa rm in g .
Inasm uch a s th e s e in d iv id u a ls have l i v e d a d ja c e n t t o
th e M ilk R iv e r V a lle y and a re th o ro u g h ly f a m i l i a r w ith M ontana c o n d itio n s ,
i t is fir m ly b e lie v e d t h a t w ith s u p e r v is io n and i n s t r u c t i o n t h e y w i l l
succeed,
A t l e a s t , th e y have a much b e t t e r chance th a n i f th e y w ere
b ro u g h t from some o th e r a r e a .
Such rem oval and r e l o c a t i o n o f th e f a m ilie s
in t h i s p a r t i c u l a r a r e a a r e a t th e same tim e t h e means o f s a t i s f y i n g econom™1
Ic and s o c i a l needs t h a t have b een r e q u ir in g ad ju stm en t f o r some y e a r s .
T his p r o j e c t may p o in t t h e way t o f u r t h e r work a lo n g t h e same l i n e t o
f u r t h e r r e l i e v e t h e m alad ju stm en t e x i s t i n g in s i m i l a r a r e a s .
The m ain c o n ce rn I n fa m ily s e l e c t i o n was d ir e c te d n o t so much a t
th e farm la b o r e r o r th o s e farm ers l i v i n g i n tow n, b u t to w ard t h e d e s t i t u t e
o r low income fa rm e r s t i l l r e s id in g on t h e la n d b u t u n a b lo t o make any move
o r a d ju stm e n t o f h is own a c c o rd .
te n a n t s .
These w ere th e farm owners and farm
Of c o u rs e , t h e r e was th e n e c e s s i t y t o make p ro v is io n s f o r th o s e
fa rm e rs who w ere d is p la c e d ? b u t i n many c a s e s such a move was n o t a d v is a b le .
I t was of p rim a ry im p o rtan ce t h a t a p ro s p e c tiv e fa m ily e x p re ss a
d e s ir e f o r placem ent on an i r r i g a t e d farm ,
Ih e n e x t im p o rta n t q u a l i f i c a ­
t i o n was t h a t o f fa rm in g e x p e r ie n c e , n o t n e c e s s a r i l y i n i r r i g a t i o n fa rm in g .
The f a c t t h a t b e t t e r th a n 61 p e r c e n t o f t h e c ase s s e le c te d had hom esteaded
and t h a t th e m a jo r ity o f th o s e h o m esteading d id so in t h e p e rio d from 1910
"■26”
t o 1917 i s s u f f i c i e n t e v id en c e t o in d i c a t e t h a t t h e s e f a m ilie s a re ex­
p erien ced h a n d s. 14-/ The m anner i n w hich th e y have managed t o w e ath e r th e
d ro u g h t yearsj, th e amount o f r e l i e f re c e iv e d , and t h e e f f o r t expended t r y ­
in g t o overcome t h e i r o b s ta c le s i s ev id en ce o f i n i t i a t i v e and r e s o u r c e f u l­
ness.
B ecause o f t h e s c a t t e r e d d i s t r i b u t i o n o f th e fa rm e rs i n t h i s a re a
and th e i s o l a t i o n o f many o f t h e f a m ilie s , l i t t l e o p p o rtu n ity was o ff e re d
f o r m ost o f them t o ta k e p a r t i n ecanmunity l i f e .
However, th e y were
gauged i n t h i s r e s p e c t b y th e r e a c tio n s o f t h e i r n e ig h b o rs , o r , in some
in s ta n c e s , b y t h e i r membership and le a d e r s h ip o f o r g a n is a tio n s r e q u ir in g
c o o p e ra tio n .
The p ro s p e c tiv e c l i e n t ’ s a t t i t u d e tow ard farm l i f e , a w ish
to farm and a w illin g n e s s t o s a c r i f i c e co m fo rts and o th e r v a lu e s when
n e c e s s a ry , a w illin g n e s s t o w o rk , judgm ent and c h a r a c te r a r e g e n e ra l in ­
d ic a t io n s o f t h e p r o b a b i l i t y o f a t t a i n i n g economic s t a b i l i t y s u f f i c i e n t
t o e n ab le them t o m eet th e r e n t a l and o th e r payments on t h e farm f o r w hich
th e y proposed t o o b lig a te th e m s e lv e s .
S t a b i l i t y o f re s id e n c e i s in d ic a te d
b y t h e i r movement w ith in t h e a r e a , w ith in t h e s t a t e , and from s t a t e to
s t a t e o v e r a p e rio d o f y e a r s .
h e a lth .
Farm ing a s a n o c c u p a tio n r e q u ir e s good
S in c e th e work i s g r u e lin g and r e q u ir e s en d u ran ce, g e n e ra l good
h e a l t h on th e p a r t o f a l l f a m ily members i s n e c e s s a ry .
A com plete p h y s ic a l
ex am in atio n was r e q u ire d f o r each member o f each fa m ily b y a com petent and
approved d o c to r.
The s i z e and a g e - s e x c o m p o sitio n o f th e fa m ilie s a lo n g w ith th e g e n er­
a l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s n o t r e q u ir e d o f a p p lic a n ts b u t w hich re c e iv e d due con­
s i d e r a t i o n , a r e d is c u s s e d in d e t a i l i n P a r t I i o f t h i s t h e s i s in th e s tu d y
~
1 4 / % il^ fe w ^ x c e ^ io n s " farm f a m ilie s who haX T arm ed up t o th e l a s t
y e a r o r so w ere chosen and i n t h e g r e a t m a jo r ity o f th e s e c a s e s th e y w ere
s t i l l r e s id in g on t h e i r o r i g i n a l h o m estead s.
o f fa m ilie s approved f o r re lo c a tio n ^
The m ere © num eration o f a l l t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s c o n s id e re d in t h i s
s e c tio n does n o t s i g n i f y t h a t th e y w ere s t r i c t l y adhered t o .
They form ed -
o n ly a "basis "by w hich comparisons^ c o u ld he- made, i n o rd e r t o s e c u re t h e
b e t t e r fa rm e rs from a l a r g e group o f a p p lic a n ts .
.
I t may "be n o te d 'h e r e t h a t inasm uch a s t h e p r o j e c t s e rv e d th e p u rp o se
o f r e h a b i l i t a t i n g d e s t i t u t e and low incom e fa rm e rs g. c a p i t a l was n o t a r e ­
quirem ent » ■ In f a c t 5 fa rm e rs w ith s u f f i c i e n t c a p i t a l t o make t h e ir own ad ­
ju s tm e n ts w ere n o t c o n s id e re d .
A1- s u c c e s s io n o f d ro u g h t y e a rs had l e f t
t h e fa rm e rs 'in t h i s a re a i n d e b t i n m ost in stan ces®
A d e b t ad ju stm en t
committee, was s e t up f o r t h e purpose o f a d ju stin g d e b ts f o r th e s e farm ers,
and: w herever a fa rm e r s e le c te d f o r p lacem ent h ad o u ts ta n d in g in d e b te d n ess,,
a rra n g em en ts w ere made w hereby the. a d m in is tr a tio n w ould ta k e o v e r and c a r r y
s u c h d e b ts a t a n a d ju s te d am ount.
C o lle c tio n - o f D ata C oncerning t h e Q u a lif ic a tio n s of t h e P r o s p e c tiv e
S e ttle rs
W ith t h e opening o f t h e E i l k R iv e r P r o je c t f o r t h e r e s e ttle m e n t o f
d r y l a n d fa rm e rs on i r r i g a t e d , economic farm u n i t s , l a r g e , numbers o f such
farm ers b e g an t o s i g n i f y t h e i r d e s ir e t o o b ta in su ch u n it s .
As d e s c rib e d
i n th e p re v io u s s e c t i o n , th e la n d p u rc h a se program w as i n f u l l sw ing a t
t h i s tim e and th o s e farm, f a m ilie s so d is p la c e d b y t h e s a l e o f t h e i r land,.,
o r t h e la n d which t h e y w ere l e a s i n g , t o t h e government w ere g iv e n f i r s t
c o n s id e r a tio n i n t h e s e l e c t i o n o f ' farm f a m ilie s f o r p lacem ent*
The e l i g ­
i b i l i t y re q u ire m e n ts and th e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s w ere imposed t o e lim in a te th e
m m eedy and l e s s s u c c e s s f u l p ro s p e c tiv e a p p lic a n ts and t o in s u r e , in t h e
•=■«38"
g r e a t e s t p o s s ib le degree# th e s u c c e s s o f e ac h farm v e n tu re .
A tta c h e d t o t h e p ro je c t# was a F am ily S e le c tio n S p e c i a l i s t who re *
e e iv e d a p p lic a tio n s # in te rv ie w e d and in v e s t ig a te d f a m i l i e s #■ a d v ise d a s
t o th e a c t i o n ta k e n on a p p lic a tio n s # a rra n g e d f o r m e d ic a l exam inations#
m a in ta in e d n e c e s s a ry re c o rd s# p re p a re d re p o rts- c o n c e rn in g th e p ro g re ss
o f fa m ily s e le c tio n # and a d v ise d th e r e g io n a l c h i e f o f fa m ily s e l e c t i o n
s e c tio n on problem s o f o c c u p a n t fa m ilie s *
A p p lic a tio n s w ere re c e iv e d
d i r e c t l y b y him o r t h e p r o j e c t manager# as w e ll a s t h e r e g io n a l c h ie f o f
F a m ily S e le c t io n S e c tio n # from i n t e r e s t e d f a m ilie s o r a p p ro v e d r e f e r r a l
-agencies*
To f a c i l i t i a t e and h a s te n t h e work# fa m ily s e l e c t i o n com m ittees
w ere a p p o in te d i n t h e v a rio u s d i s t r i c t s o f th e t h r e e c o u n tie s ,
lis ts of
a p p lic a n ts w ere S u b a iitte d t t o th e s e com m ittees f o r re v ie w and comment*
In ­
asmuch as t h e com m ittee members w ere f a m i l i a r w ith m ost o f th e farm ers in
t h e i r d i s t r i c t s # i t was hoped t h a t i n t h i s way th e l e s s l i k e l y p ro s p e c ts
an d th o s e w ith t h e l e a s t p o s s ib le chance f o r su c c e ss on a n i r r i g a t e d u n i t
c o u ld b e e lim in a te d , th u s re d u c in g th e l i s t o f a p p lic a n ts t o a more w o rk ab le
group*
I t was a l s o n e c e s s a ry t o h o ld p e rs o n a l fa m ily in te rv ie w s to a
minimum i n o r d e r t o n o t r a i s e u n n e c e s s a r ily th e hopes o f f a m ilie s who c o u ld
n o t h e p ro v id e d f o r i n t h e program, s in c e t h e farm o p p o r tu n itie s t h a t c o u ld
he o f f e r e d w ere lim ite d *
The a p p lic a n ts n o t e lim in a te d b y t h e com m ittees w ere s tu d ie d b y means
o f one o r more p e rs o n a l in te rv ie w s * D ata o b ta in a b le th ro u g h t h e s e in t e r ­
view s w ere lim ite d u s u a ll y t o a s c e r ta in a b le f a c ts w ith w hich t h e a p p lic a n t
was f a m ilia r *
The d a ta were as o b je c tiv e and c o n c lu s iv e as p o s s ib le *
The
"2 S =1
in te rv ie w s p ro v id e d o p p o rtu n ity f o r th e a p p lic a n t t o in d i c a t e h is p la c e
o f re s id e n c e s le n g th o f re s id e n c e a t hi® l a s t I o c a tio n 3 I n th e Oomnty3 in
th e S t a t e 3 and i n th e c o u n try ^ m a r i t a l s t a t u s ? b ir th p la c e ; th e s i z e and
a g e -s e x co m p o sitio n o f th e fam ily ? e d u ca tio n ? e x te n t o f farm ex p erien ce?
o th e r e x p erien c e ? f i n a n c i a l sta n d in g ? p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n community a c t i v i t y ?
and g e n e ra l h e a lt h o f family®
I n a d d itio n * n a r r a t i v e r e p o r ts w ere made
on e ac h fa m ily and a tta c h e d t o each T e p o rt3 t r a c i n g th e fa m ily h i s t o r y i n
l o g i c a l o r d e r and g e n e r a lly expanding in fo rm a tio n in c lu d e d i n th e f a m ily
h i s t o r y sheets®
A lso 3 t h e In te rv ie w e r *s r e a c t i o n a s t o t h e a t t i t u d e ,,
c h a r a c t e r , r e s o u r c e f u ln e s s , judgment, and s t a b i l i t y was u s u a l l y n o te d , as
w ere t h e r e a c tio n s and o p in io n s o f r e fe re n c e s „ W ith a d d itio n a l in v e s tig a ­
t i o n , t h e t o t a l in fo rm a tio n was s y n th e s iz e d and recom m endations made t h e r e ­
from b y t h e F am ily S e le c tio n S p e c ia lis t®
The r e g io n a l c h i e f o f t h e F am ily
S e le c t io n S e c tio n re p r e s e n te d th e r e g io n a l d i r e c t o r i n d e te rm in in g j o i n t l y
w ith th e community m anager t h e f a m ilie s who w ere f i n a l l y s e le c te d f o r t h e
p roject®
. Ih e u s e o f r e f e r e n c e s , a p ro c e d u re u n d er w hich p e rs o n s f a m i l i a r
w ith th e a p p lic a n ts w ere c o n ta c te d f o r s u g g e s tio n s and recom m endationsa
a id e d m a t e r i a l l y t h e s e l e c t i o n o f f a m ilie s f o r placement®
H ot o n ly was
in fo rm a tio n a t hand v e r i f i e d b y t h i s m eth o d , b u t i t e n a b le d t h e i n v e s t i g a t ­
o r t o o b ta in a more a c c u r a te an d com plete p i c t u r e o f t h e a p p lic a n t and M s
fa m ily i n t h e i r n a t u r a l e n v iro n s and i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e i r community®
r e fe re n c e s included®
I.
M erchants
2®.
Bankers
U su al
S0. C re d it a g e n c ie s z "both governm ent and p r i v a t e ( o th e r th a n h a n k s ) ,
4,
A g r ic u ltu r a l s p e c ia lis ts - .
So
Iie d ic a l a u t h o r i t i e s ,
5,
County and c i t y o f f ic e r s * a n d le a d e r s i n community c o o p e ra tiv e
a g e n c ie s ,
7,
N eighbors*
These s o u rc e s were p a r t i c u l a r l y v a lu a b le i n f u r n is h in g in fo rm a tio n
on th e fo llo w in g :
I,
The. f a m ily as a u n i t - ^ i t s s t a b i l i t y and t h e c o o p e ra tio n and
harmony o f i t s members*.
2*
Farm ing e x p e rie n c e and a b i l i t y * and t h e a b i l i t y and w illin g n e s s
t o m eet th e a d ju stm e n t from d ry la n d farming t o i r r i g a t e d fa rm in g ,
3*
H e l i a b i l i t y a s a c r e d it ris k *
4,
F in a n c ia l sta n d in g *
5,.
G en eral c h a r a c te r , s t a b i l i t y * in te llig e n c e * an d judgm ent,
6*
F am ily h e a lth *
A pproxim ately a th o u san d p e rso n s made a p p lic a tio n .
th e s e p e rso n s w ere from o u t o f t h i s area*
b y th e com m ittees t o a more w ork ab le q u o ta .
I n many in s ta n c e s
T h is number was g r e a t l y re d u c e d
The f i n a l s e l e c t i o n r e p r e s e n ts
th o s e fa rm e rs and t h e i r f a m ilie s who have met a l l e l i g i b i l i t y re q u ire m e n ts
and have d is p la y e d th o s e p a r t i c u l a r q u a l i t i e s so n e c e s s a ry in any s u c c e ss ­
f u l fa rm in g e n te r p r is e *
PAHT I I I , —STODY OF FAMILIES APPROVED FOR EELOCATIOl
F am ily C om position
As age and m a r i t a l s t a t u s w ere among t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s d e te rm in in g
t h e a c c e p t a b i l i t y o f a farm fa m ily f o r relo catio n ^,, t h e c o m p o sitio n o f the. ■
h o u seh o ld s o f th o s e s e le c te d was d e f i n i t e l y lim it e d t o p a r t i c u l a r ty p e s o f
h o u se h o ld s.
P r e f e r e n c e i n s e l e c t i o n was g iv en th e younger households? t h a t
i s , t o t h e young and m id d le -a g e c o u p le s w ith c h ild r e n u n d er 16 y e a rs o f
age?
The second p r e f e r e n t i a l group was t h e m id d le-ag ed and o ld e r co u p les
w ith c h ild r e n o v e r and u n d e r 16 y e a rs o f age»
I t was b e lie v e d t h a t h ouse­
h o ld s o f th e s e ty p e s would d is p la y th e g r e a t e s t s t a b i l i t y , a s w e ll as demon­
s t r a t e g r e a t e r a b i l i t y t o cope w ith t h e s o c i a l and economic problem s a r is in g ,
o u t o f a., new s t a r t i n a t o t a l l y - d i f f e r e n t farm in g environm ent th a n t h a t to
w hich th e y h ad b e e n accustomed,,
T able I c l e a r l y shows t h i s te n d e n c y i n th e
s e l e c t i o n o f h o u seh o ld s w ith c h ild r e n u n d er 16 an d w ith c h ild r e n ' o v er and
under 16, t h e r e b e in g 56„4 p e r c e n t and 29=1 p e r c e n t r e s p e c t i v e l y o f th e
t o t a l h o u seholds i n 't h e s e , groups®
C o n sid e ra tio n was g iv en t o s in g le p e rso n s
w ith d e p e n d e n t s t h e r e b e in g no s in g le p e rso n s w ith o u t dependents selected= .
Broken h o u se h o ld s 1 5 / w ith c h ild r e n w ere n o t selected®
T here i s a s i m i l a r predom inance o f ho u seh o ld s w ith, c h ild r e n u n d e r
16 and w ith c h ild r e n o v e r and u n d e r IS in t h e c a s e s n o t selected ®
^
T h is
t
a r i s e s o u t o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e m a jo r ity ,o f th e s e cases re c e iv e d ' c o n s id e ra ­
t i o n d u rin g th e p e rio d o f a p p lic a tio n b u t w ere u l t i m a t e l y e lim in a te d f o r
re a so n s o th e r th a n age o f m a r i t a l statu s®
F a m ily and H ousehold S ig e
The l i v e s a n d a c t i v i t i e s o f r u r a l p e o p le c e n te r a b o u t t h e home®
Thus, th e co m p o sitio n o f t h e home and i t s S i s e a r e im p o rta n t f a c to r s in
^ t 1 5 / M b r o k e t h o u seh o ld h e rs ^ ^
m ale head o n ly w ith c h ild r e n , th e fem ale h e ad ( o r w if e ) b e in g d iv o rc e d o r
s e p a r a te d from h e r husband# o r dead®.
32
TABLE I . — COMPOSITION OF HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED
AND NOT SELECTED FOR RELOCATION ON THE MILK
RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT
ConpuSi t i o n o f Household
T otal
Cases S e le c te d
Per cen t
No. o f
of to ta l
house­
holds
117
100.0
Cases not S e le cted
Per cent
No. o f
house­
of to ta l
holds
118
100.0
S in g le Persons
O
0
7
6 .9
S in g le persons w ith oth ers
4
3 .4
3
2 .6
Husband and w ife on ly
4
3 .4
16
12.7
Husband and w ife w ith others
I
.9
0
0
Unbroken household w ith c h ild ren
under 16 years o n ly
66
66 .4
47
39.8
Unbroken household w ith ch ild re n
over 16 o n ly
8
6 .8
6
5 .1
Unbroken household w ith c h ild re n
both over and under 16
34
29.1
37
31.4
0
Men w ith c h ild ren under 16 o n ly
O
0
0
Men w ith c h ild re n over 16 only
O
0
I
.8
Men w ith c h ild re n both over and
under 16
O
0
2
1 .7
35-
c o n tr ib u tin g to th e euccees o f a farm e n te r p r is e .
The farm fa m ily i s an
economic u n it in th a t every member o f th e household a s s i s t s in th e farm
op eration s as long as he is a member.
I t is a s o c ia l u n it as w e ll.
The
c lo s e a s s o c ia tio n s o f th e fa m ily is conducive to coh esion and s o lid a r it y
which r e s u lts in g rea ter s t a b i l i t y .
The Farm S e c u r ity A dm inistration is
d e f i n i t e l y concerned w ith th e su ccess o f each farm e n te r p r is e , because th e
su ccess o f th e p r o je c t as a whole i s dependent on th e su c ce ss o f i t s in­
d iv id u a l u n it s .
S in ce th e fa m ily or household is th e b a sic fa c to r behind
th e su c ce ss o f each u n it , g rea t care must be e x ercised in th e c h o ic e o f
fa m ilie s t o be r e lo c a te d .
The optimum s i z e o f th e fa m ily can not be p rescrib ed as th e cap­
a b i l i t i e s o f th e in d iv id u a ls , th e le v e l o f liv in g w ith which th e fam ily
w i l l be c o n te n t, th e s i z e o f th e farm u n it , and th e ty p es o f farming to
which th e u n its are adapted vary g r e a tly .
more c h ild ren were given p r e fe re n c e.
However, fa m ilie s w ith one or
There were more fa m ilie s s e le c te d
w ith fou r members, th a t i s , fa m ilie s w ith two c h ild ren (s e e fig u r e s 2 and
5 and appendix ta b le s I , I I , and I I I ) .
Three c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s were s e t up t o f a c i l i t a t e a n a ly s is :
1.
S iz e o f fam ily a t home, by which i s meant th e s i z e of th e fa m ily
r e s id in g a t home excluding members married, a tten d in g sch ool
or c o lle g e elsew h ere, and th o se working out tem p orarily or
permanently.
2.
The t o t a l s iz e o f th e fam ily; th a t i s , th e t o t a l members a t
home and away from home.
3.
The s i z e o f th e household which in clu d es th e fa m ily and r e la t iv e s
or oth er in d iv id u a ls liv in g in th e household.
30
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30
■ Cases Se/ec/ed
□ Coses N o t Ce/ected
d i l l
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To t a l
P /o u ftt J
O t
N umf i t ft o t at f t s o n s
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AND
zv
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S /z t
o t P a m /l /p s
C ftS tS N o t S t L t C T t o
^utce o f D oL a- f a SJe ITj A p p e n d /x f i
These c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s r e v e a l th e f a c t t h a t o f t h e c a s e s s e le c te e l
o v e r SO p e r c e n t o f them h a v e f i v e o r more members»
The m edian s i z e
o f t h e f a m ilie s a t home group w hich w ere s e le c te d i s 5 ,7 7 p e rso n s and
5 e l6 p e rso n s f o r th o s e n o t selected®
The median s i z e o f th e t o t a l fa m ily
group o f c a s e s s e l e c t e d i s 6 ,1 9 p e rso n s a n d 6 e5 p e rso n s f o r c a s e s n o t
selected®
The m edian s i z e o f th e h o u seh o ld s o f o ases s e le c te d i s 5®85
p e rso n s an d 5®24 p e rso n s f o r th o s e n o t selected ®
Ho s i n g l e p erso n s w ere
s e le c te d f o r placem ent and t h i s te n d s t o make th e m edian s i z e s l i g h t l y
l a r g e r in e ac h ease*
In th e c h o ic e o f f a m ilie s f o r t h e farm u n its 3 i t was assumed t h a t
c h ild r e n would n o t o n ly be an economic ad v an tag e in t h a t t h e y a re la b o r
a s s e t s , b u t s o c i o l o g i c a l l y t h e y te n d t o b in d a fa m ily to g e t h e r , in c r e a s e
in g th e s t a b i l i t y o f th e fa m ily as a lr e a d y d e s c rib e d , and th e y te n d t o
in flu e n c e i t in i t s r e l a t i o n t o t h e community®
Farm ing i s a fa m ily a ffa ir®
T herefore-, c o o p e ra tio n o f b o th w ife
and c h ild r e n w ith th e head and w ith each o th e r i s h ig h ly im portant®
Co­
o p e r a tio n o f t h e w ife is. p a r t i c u l a r l y important i n th e s u c c e s s o f a farm*
ltF a m management h a s b een s t r e s s e d and home management h a s b een em phasized,
b u t o v er b o th and encom passing t h e tw o, i s fa m ily management®
A p e c u li a r
r o l e o f th e fa m ily i s t h a t o f h e lp in g to w ork o u t some sem blance o f con­
sen su s and some harmony o f su c h re la tio n s h ip s ® lt 1 6 /
Sem and Age D is tr ib u tio n
The w ife o f a fa rm e r p la y s a v i t a l p a r t in t h e s u c c e s s o f a fa rm in g
e n t e r p r i s e th ro u g h h e r c o n tr ib u tio n i n t h e home and i n fa m ily management,
1 6 / '' K olb, “j »
S o c ie ty , pp® 57, 38®
d e 8 ® /^ ^ S t u d y l o F ^ u r a r
"but g i r l s » e x c e p t in s o f a r as th e y a i d i n t h e h o u seh o ld a c t i v i t y , a r e o f
li m i t e d im p o rtan ce t o fa rm in g a c ti v ity =
"E xcept i n f a m ilie s o f re c e n t
European e x tr a c tio n ,, b o th th e women an d g i r l s a r e n o t re g a rd e d a s p r o f i t ­
a b le crop and d a ir y hands= 1 7 /
Eor t h i s reason, t h e s e x d i s t r i b u t i o n
i n c o n s id e r a tio n o f farm o a se s f o r r e l o c a t i o n d e se rv e s some th o u g h t=
A
m ale c h ild is a. la b o r a s s e t , h e w i l l o r does ta k e t h e p la c e o f a farm
hand t h a t would o th e rw is e have ,to b e h ire d =
H ence, a c h o ic e o f a farm
fa m ily sh o u ld b e in flu e n c e d t o some e x te n t b y t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s t h e r e a r e
o f m ale members a s s i s t i n g i n th e farm w o rk , p a r t i c u l a r l y w here th e ag e o f
t h e p a re n ts i s d e c re a s in g t h e i r fa rm in g a c t i v i t y , o r o f e v e n tu a lly ta k in g
o v e r t h e com plete management and o p e ra tio n o f t h e fa rm in g e n te r p ris e =
Ih e n t h e age o f t h e head o f a fa rm h o u seh o ld exceeds t h e l i m i t d e s ig n a te d
t o q u a l i f y f o r r e l o c a t i o n , th e p ro s p e c ts o f farm repaym ent b e f o r e th e
d e a th o f th e in d iv id u a l b e g in t o d e c lin e u n le s s th e r e i s a so n t o c a r r y
on t h e fa rm o p e ra tio n s=
L ik ew ise, t h e r e i s a f i n a n c i a l r i s k i n y o u th f u l-
n e s s , u n le s s th e r e i s an o ld e r h ead t o d i r e c t , as t h e fo rm e r in v o lv e s
in e x p e rie n c e and a d e f ic ie n c y o f farm in g ju d g m en t.
Both a n g le s have t o
b e o b serv ed and stu d ie d =
Of e q u a l im p o rtan ce i s th e age d is tr ib u tio n , p a r t i c u l a r l y o f th e
males=
I t in d ic a te s th e number o f p e rso n s a v a il a b le t o do t h e farm w ork
a t th e p r e s e n t and t h e number t h a t a r e p o t e n t i a l l y a v a ila b le =
H ow ever,.
i t m ust b e k e p t i n m ind t h a t a fa rm e r may d e r iv e more income from t h e
c h ild r e n th a n th e y c o s t him , h u t as th e y grow o ld e r and more demanding
17/™Ho 11, John B o,
A n a ly sis o f Methods 'a n d l)rit^ fia ^ B s " e d " in
S e le c t in g F a m ilie s f o r C o lo n iz a tio n P r o j e c t s ," S o c ia l R esearch R e p o rt,
Ho=- I , W ashington, D= C=, Septem ber, 1937, p= S=
th e y Bay become l e s s and le s s o f a n economic a d v an ta g e , c o n s t i t u t i n g a
g r e a t e r t o t a l c o s t th a n h i r e d h e l p , p a r t i c u l a r l y when th e w ork i s n a rro w ly
s e a s o n a l,
T h is , o f c o u r s e , would, n o t b e t r u e i n a l l f a m i l i e s , b u t a c a r e ­
f u l s tu d y o f e ac h f a m ily w ould b e a d v is a b le t o d eterm in e t h e i n i t i a t i v e ,
r e s o u r c e f u ln e s s , e n th u sia sm , and c a p a b i l i t y o f th e members who a r e t o do
t h e farm, w ork, 1 8 /
D e f in ite a g e l i m i t s f o r th e h e a d o f th e fa m ily w ere s e t up a s -an
e l i g i b i l i t y re q u ire m e n t i n o rd e r t o e x clu d e y o u th fu ln e s s . Which in v o lv e s
in e x p e rie n c e an d d e f ic ie n c y o f fa rm in g judgm ent a s a lr e a d y d e s c r ib e d , and
o ld a g e , w hich in c r e a s e s t h e hazards f o r farm repayment®
The u p p e r,a g e
l i m i t was n o t ad h ered t o s t r i c t l y as c o n s id e r a tio n was g iv e n o ld e r farm ers
w ith sons w i l l i n g t o c a r r y on t h e farm e n t e r p r i s e and assum e th e o b lig a ­
t i o n s in v o lv e d .
I n t h i s c a s e , a l l ag reem en ts w ere made i n th e name o f th e
p a r e n t r a t h e r th a n i n t h e name o f a so n t o in s u re t h e p a r e n ts a home as
lo n g a s th e y l i v e .
Prom s tu d ie s made a s t o th e r e l a t i o n between ag e and e a rn in g power
i t m s found t h a t th e a g e s from 35 t o 45 y e a rs a r e a p p a r e n tly t h e prim e .
o f l i f e and t h a t th e a v e ra g e ag e o f g r e a t e s t e a rn in g power o f t h e fa rm e r
c l o s e l y c o rre sp o n d s t o t h a t o f a l l men, 1 9 /
As s t a t e d , y o u th fu ln e s s in v o lv e s in e x p e r ie n c e , b u t t h i s f a c t may
b e o f f s e t b y a g r e a t e r i n i t i a t i v e and e n th u siasm an d a r e s u l t i n g g r e a te r
a p p lic a tio n t o a t t a i n farm ow nership and economic s ta b ility ® .
An age and s e x d i s t r i b u t i o n a n a ly s is o f th e d a ta co m piled on. th e
18/
E o l t / 'o ^ '^ C i ^ / P=' Te'
19/
I b i d v p® 9,-
'
fa m ilie s, c o n s id e re d f o r placem ent on t h e H ilk E lv e r P r o je c t re v e a ls th e
te n d e n c ie s d e sc rib e d *
T h at i s t o s a y 3. farm fa m ily h ead s betw een th e ag es
o f 50 and 49 y e a rs re c e iv e d g r e a t e r c o n s id e r a tio n th a n a n y o th e r group (s e e
f ig u r e 4 ) o
The- m edian a g es o f farmers s e le c te d and n o t s e le c te d was 43=72
y e a rs and 44*18. y e a rs r e s p e c tiv e ly *
A l i t t l e o v er 62 p e r c e n t o f t h e f a r ­
m ers s e l e c t e d . f e l l i n t h e age group 30 t o 49 y e a r s , w h e rea s, o n ly 10 p e r
c e n t w ere below and 27 p e r c e n t w ere above.
Of t h e 27 p e r c e n t above 49
y e a r s , 22 p e r c e n t w ere betw een 50 an d 59 y e a rs o f age (s e e t a b l e I I ) a
T here w ere none b elow 20 y e a rs o f a g e .
This s e rv e s t o d e m o n strate t h a t
g r e a t e r r e l i a n c e a s a f i n a n c i a l r i s k and a s a p ro s p e c t f o r t h e s u c c e s s fu l
o p e ra tio n o f a farm e n t e r p r i s e was p la c e d i n t h e fa rm e r whose age was n e a r
fo rty .
However, some in f lu e n c e was e x e rte d i n th e d i r e c t i o n o f a c h o ice
o f a n in d iv id u a l n e a r f o r t y i n t h e f a c t t h a t a g r e a t e r p ro p o r tio n o f th e
r u r a l farm ers o f th e t h r e e c o u n tie s , t o w hich t h e s e l e c t i o n o f e l i g i b l e
c a s e s f o r placem en t was c o n fin e d ,, f e l l i n t h e age group 30 t o 49 y e a rs
(s e e cen su s p o p u la tio n , f i g u r e 5 ) ,
n e v e r th e le s s , i t was f e l t t h a t th e
fa rm e rs o f t h i s ag e group would g iv e more a s s u ra n c e o f a t t a i n i n g economic
s t a b i l i t y s u f f i c i e n t t o e n ab le them t o m eet th e r e n t a l and o th e r payments
on farm s f o r w hich th e y p ro p o sed t o o b lig a te th e m s e lv e s ,
In t h e age group
50 and over.,, t h e r e w ere, i n th e g r e a t m a jo r ity o f c a s e s , so n s a v a ila b le
t o a s s i s t o r c a r r y on t h e farm w ork.
The w ives o f th e fa rm e rs who r e c e iv e d c o n s id e r a tio n show a te n d en c y
t o b e younger th a n t h e i r h u sband s, a s i s in d ic a te d b y th e m edian age w hich
i s 58,25 y e a rs f o r c a se s s e le c te d and 5 7 ,6 y e a rs f o r c a s e s n o t s e l e c t e d .
Of th e c a s e s s e l e c t e d , 20 p e r c e n t o f th e women a r e u n d e r t h i r t y a s a g a in s t
A /a l e s
Fem aleg
Caseo Ce/ec/ed
s
a
L/r>ier 3 0
a
3C
A
F 'G O A E 4
ge
~ A
s
a
4
S
s
O ^er
s
M o/ Ascer/o/noA/e
C 9( // s
L <$ )< r
0 / 5 t s / b o t / o m o s F e an s OE F o u s e s o l d s
Source o f Do/a EoD/es SE f V1 A/opend/* S
~
CcK>es ^ S e / e c / e d
r ~-<—Cases Not Ctetected
P tr tC fN T
C e n s u s P o p o /o tto n
d /w & r
Cf JP
/O /f
/3 /4
<33^%P
JD U #
J t5 < #
J3 -6 4
O fe r
P/O. S ~ A o t D /CTrt/rtUT/ON ON P t r t C t N T A O t P A O /S O f C tN S O S P o r t u / a T/ o n
O t T / / t T N r ttt Co u n t / t o a n d o t Ca s t s C t / t c r t o a n d C a s t s
P o T
C tL t c r t o
Coorce ~ ToD /e ZZ rtppenct/x 3
o n ly 10 p e r c e n t o f th e men a
T h ir ty ^ f lv e p e r c e n t a r e betw een t h e ag es o f
50 and 59 a s a g a i n s t 125 p e r c e n t o f th e men,
T here i s a b o u t an eq u al
p e rc e n ta g e in th e 40 t o 49 y e a r gro u p and o n ly 8 p e r c e n t 50 y e a rs and
above as a g a in s t 2? p e r c e n t f o r t h e men (s e e t a b le I I ) „
s im ila r te n d e n c y i n t h e e a s e s n o t se le c te d *
T h ere i s a
T h is i s due* ,in p a r t , t o t h e
e a r l y p io n e e r s e ttle m e n t i n w hich la r g e numbers o f s in g le men s e t t l e d i n
t h e a r e a and t h e s c a r c i t y o f e l i g i b l e women,
' A ' com parison o f th e t o t a l m ale and the, t o t a l fe m ale p o p u la tio n o f
t h e o a s e s s e le c te d - a n d h o t s e l e c t e d w ith th e t o t a l m ale and fe m a le p o p u la r
t l o n o f t h e t h r e e c o u n tie s r e v e a ls '’s i m i l a r tr e n d s (s e e f ig u r e s 6 and 7)»
T here i s a predom inance q f c h ild r e n i n th e 5 t o 14 age g ro u p .
This i s l i k e ­
w is e Shovm i n f i g u r e S3 w hich g iv e s a d i r e c t com parison o f t h e m ales and,
fem ales o f c a se s s e le c te d and n o t s e le c te d *
T his predom inance o f c h ild r e n
i n t h i s age group may b e a t t r i b u t e d ' t o th e predom inance o f p a re n ts i n th e
a g e g ro u p 50 t o 49 years*.
The s e l e c t e d 'o a s e s show a g r e a t e r number o f
c h ild r e n i n t h i s a g e group t h a n do th e c a s e s n o t 's e l e c t e d o f : t h e t o t a l cen su s
p o p u la tio n , o f t h e t h r e e c o u n tie s ,
.School f a c i l i t i e s - have h a d t o b e c r e a te d o r expanded to accommodate'
t h e in c r e a s e i n number o f c h ild r e n i n t h e v a rio u s - d i s t r i c t s - in. th e v a l l e y
a s a r e s u l t o f t h e r e s e ttle m e n t program ,
Sn t h e o th e r Iiand3 School prdb-=»
Iems o f many f a m ilie s w hich w ere I s o l a t e d b e fo re rem oval t o th e v a lle y h av e
b een a lle v ia te d = .
In c re a s e d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n re q u ire m e n ts have- a ls o r e s u l t e d
fro m t h e in c r e a s e i n h ig h s c h o o l S tu d e n ts*
The age group 15 t o 24 years-
p ro v id e s t h e yo u th t o a s s i s t i n t h e fa rm work a t t h e p r e s e n t .
45-
TABLE I I . —HEADS* OF T E HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED AND
NOT SELECTED FOR RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER
RESETTLEMENT PROJECT CLASSIFIED BY AGE AND SEX
Age Groups o f
Heads o f HouseIlOltifi
T otal
Cases S e le c te d
Per cen t o f Per c en t o f
t o t a l males t o t a l fem ales
Cases Not S e le c te d
Per c en t o f
Per cen t o f
t o t a l males t o t a l fem ales
100.0
100.0
100.0
Under 20 years
0
0
0
20 - 29
10.2
2 0 .4
12 .7
2 1 .9
50 - 59
2 5 .7
55 .4
1 9 .5
25 .8
40 - 49
56.8
56 .5
5 6 .4
22.9
60-69
22.2
7 .1
2 0.5
9 .6
6 .1
.9
6 .8
5 .8
4 .2
17.1
60 and over
Not a s c e r ta in a b le
Median Age
0
#
4 5.72 yre *
0
33•25 y r s •
4 4 .1 8 yrs •
100.0
1 .0
5 7 .6 y r s .
♦Refers t o th e husband and w ife in each household.
/
P ttC E A /T
/5
Under <5
<5~/4
/5 ~<?4
'34
3S~44
45-^4
U<5~64
Over 64 Nof
AscerZoJned
/ r JO U df 6 - 1 C o M P A fA T JV f P o f P J S T d i r / TJOJJ O f /4 JL / [ / A J f S OA A J J f T j J P f f
A j v o o f Ca s t s
S j r C J fO a j v d
C a s s s /Z o t S f j f C T f O
C o u r c e -T o d Z e IU Ij A p p en d /* C
C o UJVTJfSj
Coses Ce/ec/ed
Coses A/of Ce/ecfad
To/o/ Ce/Txy/e Popo/o //o n - /SJO C e n so s
I
P J -J J
A on
J J ~44
op
Cp s p s
ll
C p / pctpo
I
O ver 04
a /q /
'
C nonPJ
P/o. 7 ~ CoM pnPA r/i/£ A on D /s m /d o r /o n / o n A
m /v n
1 f) ~ 6 4
P p m ^ l p j o p Ch p 7 h h p p
p a /d
Cp s p s P o /
C ouht /p s
C plpctpd
Sou rce - ToJ/e PZZI, P ppend/x G
4 sc p o -
/o/ned
JO
/J o /P S
F e m a /c s
Cospj
C p / p c / pc /
Cases A /of 'oefpcfod
A Q
PS 34
F / 6 Uft£ S
O ts r P /3
Vf V
V/
V
O
?z -c
A
3
A
* 3 3 44
jz
C aoczps a n d
:
Cp o latzo n
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DY O
od
3
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4 5 -3 4
Ca s d
ot
a a /d
3
5 5 '6 4
Co p d s
Ca s t s
C dx
3 O orce o f
C dldctdzd
Over
3
,fSZot
64
A s c e r ta in e d
AND
C ASD S
D a fo - Taffp TK, A ppen d/x 3
-
47 -
'
F ig u re 8 shows an a lm o st e q u a l d i s t r i b u t i o n o f m ales and fem ales
In t h e a g e groups up t o 44 y e a rs s e x c e p tin g t h e a g e group u n d e r f i v e
y e a rs o f a g e .
B eginning a t 48 y e a rs and above t h e r e i s a predom inance
o f m ales i n each o f t h e ag e groups*
T his i s duea a s a lr e a d y s t a t e d , t o
t h e f a c t t h a t w ives o f t h e fa rm e rs c o n s id e re d w ere g e n e r a lly younger
th a n t h e i r h u sb an d s.
In g e n e r a l, th e o a se s s e l e c t e d , a s w e ll a s th e c a se s n o t s e le c te d #
m ig h t b e s a id t o b e a f a i r l y r e p r e s e n ta tiv e sam ple o f t h e t o t a l r u r a l
farm, p o p u la tio n o f th e t h r e e c o u n tie s ( s e e f ig u r e 5 ) .
N a tio n a l ity
I n th e c o n s id e r a tio n o f c l i e n t s f o r re s e ttle m e n t farm u n its # no
d is c r im in a tio n b a se d on n a tio n a lity # r a c e o r c re e d was made u n le s s t h e r e
was a n extrem e te n d e n c y i n an y d i r e c t i o n .
However# hom ogeneity i n th e
f a m ilie s s e le c te d i s d e s ir a b le t o promote community l i f e .
T h is f a c t o r
p la y e d l i t t l e p a r t i n t h e s e l e c t i o n o f fa m ilie s f o r t h e M ilk B iv e r P r o je c t.
I n t h e e a r l y s e ttle m e n t o f t h e a r e a from w hich t h e f a m ilie s w ere chosen#
n a t i o n a l i t i e s w ere f a i r l y w e ll d i s t r i b u t e d w ith t h e r e s u l t t h e r e a r e few
d i s t i n c t n a t i o n a l i t y g ro u p in g s.
Furthermore# th e f o r e ig n b o ra a r e
A m ericanized in m ost r e s p e c ts and a r e a b le t o ta k e p a r t i n community
a ffa irs .
T h e ir c h ild r e n too# s e rv e t o prom ote t h e i r community a c t i v i t y .
Of th e c a s e s s e le c te d # o n ly 28 m ales o r 21 p e r c e n t and 25 fem ales
o r 22 p e r c e n t w ere f o r e ig n b o r a .
g e n e r a tio n A m ericans.
g ro u p .
Of th e n a tiv e born# many w ere second
Ho d a ta a s t o n a t i o n a l i t y w ere o b ta in e d f o r t h i s
The c a s e s n o t s e le c te d show a s im ila r p r o p o r tio n o f f o r e ig n bora#
th e r e b e in g 25- o r 22 p e r cent, o f t h e m ales and 18 o r 17 p e r c e n t o f th e
fem ales b o rn o u t o f t h i s c o u n try (s e e t a b l e I I I ) * •
A com parison o f .t h e f o r e ig n born, as t o c o u n try o f o r ig i n shows t h a t
t h e g r e a t e s t number had come from B u s s ia i n b o th e ase s s e l e c t e d and c ase s
n o t s e le c te d ,,, w ith Canada and Horway ra n k in g second and t h i r d (s e e f ig u r e .
9, c h a r ts 2 and 5)»
The c h a r ts lik e w is e show t h a t th e c o u n tr ie s r e p r e s e n t­
ed b y t h e g r e a t e s t number i n th e c a s e s s e l e c t e d and th e cases' n o t s e le c te d
c o rre sp o n d c l o s e l y t o th e c o u n tr ie s re p re s e n te d b y t h e g r e a t e s t number
i n c h a r t I 3 w hich g iv e s t h e p ro p o r tio n b y w hich th e v a r io u s c o u n trie s a r e
re p re s e n te d in th e t o t a l f o r e ig n b o m p o p u la tio n o f th e th r e e co u n tie s*
The chance s e l e c t i o n o f th e in d iv id u a ls o f f o r e ig n b i r t h y ie ld e d a group
t h a t i s f a i r l y r e p r e s e n ta tiv e o f th e t o t a l p o p u la tio n o f f o r e ig n b o m .
p e rso n s o f t h e t h r e e c o u n tie s*
Ih e p o in ts o f d if f e r e n c e l i e i n th e f a c t
t h a t R u s s ia ran k s f i f t h i n th e t o t a l p o p u la tio n o f t h e c o u n tie s , w ith
Canada f i r s t and Horway Second*
Hermans*
There i s a ls o a g r e a t e r p ro p o r tio n o f
The n e a rn e s s o f Canada t o t h i s a r e a a cc o u n ts f o r th e predom inance
o f C anadian b o m persons*
However, t h e C anadian b o rn p e rso n s a r e in m ost
in s ta n c e s c h ild r e n o f f o r e ig n b o m p a re n ts*
F ig u re 10 shows t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n t f s t a t e s o f b i r t h o f th e n a tiv e
b o m heads o f h o u seh o ld s and t h e i r w ives (th e s e a re t h e c a s e s s e le c te d f o r
placem ent)*
The m a jo r ity of t h e in d iv id u a ls came from, s t a t e s im m ediately
t o th e e a s t and s o u th e a s t, th e ,s o - c a l l e d w e s t n o rfch c en tral s t a t e s *
The
e a s t n o r th c e n t r a l s t a t e s produced th e n e x t l a r g e s t number o f in d iv id u a ls *
Only one s t a t e i n th e P a c i f i c C o ast re g io n and th r e e s t a t e s i n t h e M ountain
re g io n , in c lu d in g M ontana3 w ere re p re se n te d *
The. movement in th e s e ttle m e n t
49”
TABLE III,-"HEADS* OF THE HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED
ABD HOT SELECTED FOE RELOCATION ON'THE SILK
RIYEE RESETTLEMENT PROJECT, CLASSIFIED BY
BATIYLTY AID COUNTRY OF BIRTH
C ases Not S e lb e te d
Cases S e le c te d
P la c e o f B i r t h
T o ta l D eported
N a tiv e Bom
. Female
Male
Fesaale
Male
117
HS
118
105
88
92
88
9Z ■
O
O
I
5
25
2.5 .
25
is..
.A u s tria
I
I
I
O
Bohesftia
O
■o.
I
i
B elgium
.0
O
I
O
Canada.
2
7
S
5
Denmark
4
Q
I
2
England
5
O
2
I
F in la n d
I
O
Q
F ran ce
O
O
I
O
Germany
2
I
I
I
H o lla n d
I
I
I
O
Mexicq-
Q
O
I
I
Norway
4. ,
4
4
Poland
O
I
O
O
R u ss ia
5
6
6
4
S c o tla n d
O
O=
I
O
South Am erica
O
O
I
O
Sweden
2,
. 5.
O
2
Not A s c e rta in a b le
F o re ig n B om
■ I
-
^R efers to t h e husband and w ife In each h o u seh o ld .
.
I
P o/an c/
CPA/3U<5 /JOPULAT/OP
Td
e
T/cupp
Tp
pe e
9
-
Tp e
AJ o t
C ol/d
Ca SPS
OP
PL L C T E D
Ca SES A/oT
SELECTED
t /e s
Co m pa p /so n
Td p e e
S
S
o p
Co o u t/e
e le c te d
s
do
T o p e / ga/
a d d
/u
Cooutpt
S opd
/ a/
Ca se s
o p
o p
Ced su s
S elected
C o pu lat/o n
a d d
o p
Ca s e s
/ g/u .
S o u r c e - To S /e X ; A p p en d /x S
/ rZG
/ O - / L ^ Z 3 S/^OW /A/G / / z z ? TZZZ3LyA C E S
O f H f A OS
OZr H O U S E ZZOZ-O S ZZZ C / S O S
Source
-
<5O Z OOZOO
Tczd/e XI X/opend/x S
-
o f t h i s a re a was from t h e n o r th e r n s t a t e s and from t h e e a s t t o th e W est9-.
w hich a cc o u n ts f o r so few h av in g b een b o rn i n th e Aocky M ountain and P a c i f i c
C o ast reg io n s*
Montana and M innesota ra n k f i r s t in number re p re s e n te d , w ith
Z o rth D akota, Iowa9 I l l i n o i s , M isso u ri,, South D akota9 W isco n sin , Zebraska9
and Kansas ra n k in g in t h e o r d e r named,
t h e rem ain d er o f t h e s t a t e s a r e
■ rep resen ted b y o n ly a s m a ll number o f in d iv id u a ls ,
n a t i o n a l i t y as a f a c t o r i n s e l e c t i o n and l o c a t i o n was n o t em phasised
b e ca u se background o f n a t io n a lit y m ix tu re had n o t b u i l t up n a t i o n a l i t y
c o n sc io u sn ess *
A e ljg io n
Zd em phasis was p la c e d upon m em bership in r e l i g i o u s , i d e a l i s t i c , o r
c u l t u r a l groups a s a q u a l i f i c a t i o n f o r p la ce m e n t.
I t can b e u n d e rs to o d ,
how ever, t h a t membership i n a r e l i g i o u s o r g a n is a tio n o r r e l i g i o s i t y would
f o s t e r c o o p e r a tio n , harm onious fa m ily l i f e , c h a r a c te r and o th e r d e s ir a b le
q u a l i t i e s w hich c o n tr ib u te g r e a t l y t o th e su c c e ss o f a fa rm in g a d v e n tu re .
Community governm ent, e d u c a tio n , s o c i a l s e r v ic e ,, and economic e n te r p r is e
a r e g e n e r a lly prom oted b y r e l i g i o u s s e c t s .
nIh e g e n e r a l c o n c lu s io n i s
t h a t r e l i g i o n c r e a te s group u n i t y and m o ra le , a common p u rp o se and a common
c o d e ." Z o /
Among t h e f a m ilie s s e le c te d a r e re p re s e n te d a g r e a t many o f th e more
im p o rta n t r e lig io u s denominations,.-
F a ith i n th e L u th era n Church predom inates-
This i s v e ry l i k e l y a t t r i b u t a b l e t o th e predom inance o f S c a n d in av ian s an d
n o r th e r n Europeans i n t h i s g ro u p .
20/
H o lt, op. c i t * 9 p . 15
The M eth o d ists and C a th o lic s ra n k n e x t
" SS”
(s e e t a b l e IV )»
The deg ree o f r e l i g i o s i t y was n o t m easured, . I t i s n o t
known w h a t ehure'h f a c i l i t i e s t h e Trarious d e n o m in atio n al g roups I n th e
c o u n tie s o f s tu d y Im ds, b u t i t c a n b e g e n e r a lly co ncluded t h a t church
a tte n d a n c e was low b e c a u se o f th e rem oteness of th e m a jo r ity o f th e c a s e s
s e le c te d from towns o r com m unities w here t h e r e a r e c h u rc h e s ,
R e lo c a tio n
o f th e f a m ilie s i n th e v a l l e y n e a r tow ns w i l l u n d o u b ted ly in c re a s e th e
church a tte n d a n c e o f t h i s group®-
Ho d a ta were secu red on c a s e s n o t
s elected®
E d u catio n
A t l e a s t a ru d im e n ta ry e d u c a tio n sh o u ld b e re q u ire d o f a p p lic a n ts
f o r re se ttle m e n t®
f u l farming®
H ig h er e d u c a tio n i s n o t a n e c e s s a ry r e q u i s i t e f o r s u c c e s s ­
John B0 H o lt in h is r e p o r t draw s th e t e n t a t i v e c o n c lu sio n t h a t
“up t o a p o in t w hich v a r ie s w ith in d iv id u a ls , g e n e ra l e d u c a tio n i s l i k e l y
t o b e v a lu a b le to th e S e ttle r®
Beyond t h i s minimum, in c re a s e d y e a rs o f
g e n e ra l e d u c a tio n do n o t a p p ea r t o b e c o r r e la te d w ith success®
I t Is im­
p o r ta n t, how ever, n o t t o confuse g e n e r a l e d u c a tio n w ith t e c h n i c a l knowledge
o f a g ric u ltu re ® ” B i /
A s tu d y o f t h e c a se s c o n sid e re d f o r r e lo c a ti o n .shows t h a t th e m edian
g rad e com pleted i n sc h o o l i s 7 ,6 f o r c a s e s s e le c te d and 8®1 f o r c ase s n o t
selected®
Of th e c a s e s s e le c te d , 90®6 p e r c e n t o f t h e m ale heads o f th e
h o u seh o ld s had above a f o u r th g rad e education®
Ih e fe m a le s o f t h i s group
( t h a t i s , th e w ives o f m ales who a r e c l a s s i f i e d as h ead s o f th e hou seh o ld s
and-to. whom.the farm u n i t s were a ss ig n e d ) show a g r e a te r p e rc e n ta g e , 94.7
"21/ H o lt, op®- ext® , p®. 7«
TABtB IT .— CBDECB EHBFERHStJE OP HEADS* OP HOUSE­
HOLDS SELECTED POE BEL0CAII01 OS THE MILK EITMJ
• EESEITLEMEST PROJECT
Church
M ale
Fem ale
L u th eran
31
31
M eth o d ist
16
IB
C a th o lic
15
16
B a p t is t
7
4
L a te r Day S a in ts
4
4
C h r is tia n
2
3
S eventh .Day A d v e n tis t
2
E
U n ite d B re th e ra n
2..
2 ■
E p isc o p a l
2.
I
O ther
6
.7
Eone
8
5
22
23
E o t A s c e rta in a b le
^R efers t o t h e husband and w ife i n each household®
p e r c e rtts w ith, a f i f t h g rad e o r " b e tte r e d u c a tio n (s e e t a b l e V ).
There i s
lik e w is e a. g r e a t e r p e rc e n ta g e w ith h ig h e r e d u c a tio n among t h e fe m a le s.
I h i s may h e a cc o u n te d f o r i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e m ales do o r a r e fo rc e d t o
go t o w ork a t an e a r l i e r age®
Of th e m ales ,, 65»8 p e r c e n t have "between
a f i f t h and a n e ig h th g rad e e d u catio n # and 6 0 .2 p e r c e n t o f th e fem ales
have a s i m i l a r e d u c a tio n (s e e t a b l e Z I I i n appendix)o
A l i k e te n d e n c y is d is p la y e d by t h e c a s e s n o t selected® .
th e m edian grade o f t h i s group is. s l i g h t l y higher®
However^
T his l i e s i n th e f a c t
t h a t t h e r e a r e a g r e a te r number w ith h ig h e r education®
Though e d u c a tio n
i s an im p o rta n t c o n s id e ra tio n # o th e r f a c t o r s more r e l a t e d t o t h e su ccess
o f an in d iv id u a l on a r e s e ttle m e n t farm s e r v e d to d is q u a l i f y t h i s group®
S in o e th o s e c a se s t h a t re c e iv e d c o n sid e ra tio n # b o th th o s e s e le c te d
and th o s e n o t s e le c te d # a r e on t h e w hole f a i r l y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f th e
w hole p o p u la tio n o f th e t h r e e c o u n tie s # i t can b e . s a f e l y assum ed t h a t a
c o rre sp o n d in g p e rc e n ta g e o f th e t o t a l p o p u la tio n o f t h e th r e e - c o u n tie s
re c e iv e d b e t t e r th a n a f o u r t h grade education®
T h erefo re# p e rso n s ap p ly ­
in g f o r r e l o c a t i o n had a t l e a s t a ru d im e n ta ry e d u catio n *
I n fa c t# no
c a se s w ere a c t u a l l y d i s q u a l i f i e d f o r la c k o f education®
Table 71 and 7 l l have been in s e r t e d h e re t o show- t h e number e n s
p e rc e n ta g e o f th e c h ild re n , a t home and n o t a t home o f b o th c a s e s .s e le c te d
and e a s e s n o t s e le c te d # as w e ll as t o show th e sc h o o l -atten d an ce o f t h e
c h ild r e n a t home b y number and percentage®
The l a t t e r t a b l e b e a r s ou t th e
n eed f o r in c re a s e d s c h o o l f a c i l i t i e s c r e a te d b y t h e rem oval o f th e f a m ilie s
-^selected from t h e i r d ry le n d farm s' t o farm s i n th e valley® ,
lik ew ise # th e
t a b l e shows th e fa m ily la b o r a v a il a b le now and a v a il a b le f o r p a r t tim e
56'
TABLE V .—HEADS* OF HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED
FOR RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER RE­
SETTLEMENT PROJECT CLASSIFIED BY
AMOUNT OF FORMAL SCHOOLING
Male
Amount o f Formal
S ch o o lin g
Grades
T o ta l
Number
P er Cent
o f T o tal
117
100.0
Female
Number
P e r Cent
o f T o tal
113
100.0
O
I
.9
None
O
1 -4
11
9 .4
5
4 .4
5 -8
77
66.8
68
60.2
9-12
22
18.8
28
24.8
6
4 .3
10
8 .8
2
1 .7
I
.9
Over 12
Not A s c e rta in a b le
+R efers t o th e husband and w ife in each household
“ 57“
TABLE V I.— CHILDREN OF HOUSEHOLDS SEL CTED
AND NOT SELECTED FOR RELOCATION ON THE
MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT CLASSIFIED
ACCORDING TO NUMBER AT HOME AND NOT HOME
Cases S e le c te d
T o tal
P e r C ent
o f T o tal
S ta tu s o f
C h ild re n
T o tal
Not Home
At Home
Cases Not S e le c te d
T o tal
P er Cent
o f T o tal
469
100.0
401
100.0
61
1 3 .0
72
18.0
408
8 7 .0
329
82.0
TABLE V I I .—CHILDREN OF HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED
AND NOT SELECTED CLASSIFIED ACCORD­
ING TO THE NUMBERS IN
AND OUT OF SCHOOL
School
S ta tu s
Cases S e le c te d
P e r C ent
to ta l
o f T o ta l
Cases Not S e le c te d
T o tal
£ er deni
o f T o tal
408
100.0
329
100.0
Under School Age
99
24 .3
72
21.9
Out o f School o r
Over School Age
56
13.7
63
16.1
In Grade School
199
4 8 .8
146
44.1
In High School
46
11.3
69
17.9
8
2 .0
0
0
T o ta l
Not A s c e rta in a b le
novfo
There i s a g r e a t e r p e rc e n ta g e o f ' c h ild r e n i n h ig h s c h o o l a n d o u t o f
sc h o o l o r o v er school, age i n t h e c a se s n o t s e le c te d .
T h is r e f l e c t s th e
h ig h e r m edian age o f th e heads o f t h e h o u seh o ld o f t h i s group®
A d u lt e d u c a tio n and farm management c o n tr o l b y t h e a d m in is tr a tio n
w i l l b e im p o rta n t f a c t o r s i n in f lu e n c in g t h e g e n e ra l and te c h n i c a l know- '
le d g e o f th e r e lo c a te d f a m i l i e s .
T his w i l l e n a b le th e f a m ilie s t o b e t t e r
a d j u s t th e m selv e s t o th e re q u ire m e n ts b f i r r i g a t i o n farming®.
R esid en ce i n S t a t e
R esidence i n one o f t h e t h r e e c o u n tie s s B la in e 9 P h i l l i p s , o r V a lle y
was an e l i g i b i l i t y re q u ire m e n t o f a p p lic a n ts f o r r e s e ttle m e n t on t h e M ilk
R iv e r Project®
L ength o f co u n ty re s id e n c e d a ta w ere n o t a v a il a b le , b u t
in fo rm a tio n f o r le n g th o f re s id e n c e in th e s t a t e was obtained®
A m a jo r ity
o f th e c a se s a r e " o ld tim e rs " t o t h i s a r e a ; t h a t i s , th e y hom esteaded h e r e ,
o r t h e i r p a re n ts hom esteaded here®
Of th e c ase s s e l e c t e d 59.8 p er. c e n t
o f th e fa rm e rs and 46® 9 p e r c e n t o f t h e i r w ives M d b e e n i n t h e s t a t e b e ­
tw een 20 and 29 y e a rs (se e t a b l e V I I I ).® T his goes b a c k to when hom estead­
in g was a t i t s height®
L ikew ise,. 50®8 p e r c e n t o f th e fa rm e rs n o t s e le c te d
and 41.® 5 p e r c e n t o f t h e i r w ives had b een i n t h e s t a t e betw een 20 and 29
y ears.
Only a v e ry sm all p e rc e n ta g e o f t h e in d iv id u a ls i n e i t h e r group h a d
b e e n in th e s t a t e l e s s th a n 10 y e a r s .
homesteaded®
Of t h e 117 c a se s s e l e c t e d 7.2 had
The g r e a t e s t hom esteading a c t i v i t y f o r t h e group o c cu rred i n
V
th e y e a r s from 1910 th ro u g h 1917 (se e t a b l e IX)®
Inasm uch as m ost o f th e fa rm e rs had b e e n i n t h e s t a t e f o r more th a n
10 years,,, th e y a re w e ll a c q u a in te d w ith th e Montana c o n d itio n s and t h e con­
d itio n s o f th e a r e a a s w e ll.
Less a d ju stm en t sh o u ld b e r e q u ir e d o f th e s e
59-
TABLE V I I I .—HEADS* OF THE HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED
AND NOT SELECTED FCB RELOCATION ON THE
MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT CLASSIFIED
BY YEARS RESIDENCE IN MONTANA
Cases S e le c te d
Years in
S ta te
Male
Number Per Cent
o f T o ta l
Cases Not S e le c te d
Female
Number P er Cent
o f T o tal
Male
Number P e r Cent
o f T o ta l
Female
Number Per C ent
o f T o ta l
117
100.0
113
100.0
118
100.0
106
1 0 0 .0
3
2 .6
8
7 .1
8
6 .8
6
6 .7
IO - 19 "
21
1 7 .9
20
17 .7
16
1 3 .6
12
1 1 .3
20 - 29 "
70
59.8
53
4 6 .9
60
50.8
44
4 1 .5
30 - 39 "
8
6 .8
6
5 .3
6
4 .2
5
4 .7
40 o r more
2
1 .7
0
0
3
2 .5
2
1 .9
Not A scer­
ta i n a b l e
13
11.1
26
2 3 .0
26
2 2 .0
37
34 .9
T o tal
1 -9
y rs.
•R e fe rs to th e husband and w ife in each h o u seh o ld .
_
60-
TABLE IX .—LlALE HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD SELECTED AND
NOT SELECTE! FOE RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER RE­
SETTLEMENT PROJECT CLASSIFIED BY YEAR OF MAKING
HOMESTEAD ENTRY
Y ear Homesteaded
T o ta l A ll Cases
T o ta l A ll Cases
Cases S e le c te d
Cases Not S e le c te d
235
117
118
Cases Not A s c e rta in a b le
21
6
15
Cases Did Not Homestead
92
39
63
T o ta l Cases Homesteaded
122
72
50
1902
1908
1909
1910
1911
I
I
I
9
6
I
I
0
5
I
0
0
I
4
6
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
5
12
18
11
16
2
8
12
6
11
3
4
6
6
5
1917
1918
1919
1921
1922
16
3
7
I
2
9
2
6
0
I
7
I
I
I
I
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
I
I
2
2
I
I
0
I
I
0
0
I
I
I
I
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
I
I
I
2
I
I
I
0
I
I
0
0
I
I
0
•
■
61 '
s e t t l e r s th an i f th e y were b ro u g h t from o u t o f th e s t a t e o r from some
o th e r d i s t r i c t in th e s t a t e where c o n d itio n s a r e n o t in a l l re s p e c ts
s im ila r.
' *»i62=‘
SUMafiEY
The s t a t u s o f a g r i c u l t u r e i n t h e more a r i d p o rtio n s o f th e U n ite d
S ta te s can h o s t b e d e s c rib e d t h u s 5.
llThe c o n tin u a l im pact o f t h e p h y s ic a l
environm ent w ith m o is tu re th e c h ie f lim i t i n g f a c to r ^ i s g r a d u a lly com pell­
in g a d ju stm e n t t o th e p ro p e r la n d u s e V 2 2 /
T his f a c t i s e s p e c i a l l y a p p lic
a b le to t h e th r e e - c o u n ty a re a w ith which t h i s s tu d y i s c o n c e rn e d , and i t
e x p la in s , i n p a r t , th e re a s o n f o r th e developm ent o f th e r e s e ttle m e n t p ro ­
j e c t in th e M ilk R iv e r TEalley i n n o rth e rn M ontana,
The r e s e ttl e m e n t p r o j e c t was d e sig n e d to m eet a th r e e f o l d needs
(1 )
The rem oval o f d ry la n d farm ers from sub m arg in al la n d s u i t ­
a b le o n ly f o r g ra z in g and r e l o c a t i n g th e f a m ilie s on t h e ad­
ja c e n t i r r i g a b l e la n d ,
(2)
The r e tu r n o f t h e d ry land' t o range u s e , lo o k in g t o th e b e t t e r
a d ju stm e n t betw een t h i s la n d and th e i r r i g a t e d la n d in t h e
a d ja c e n t v a l l e y ,
(5 )
...
The more econom ical u t i l i z a t i o n o f th e i r r i g a t e d la n d i n th e
M ilk R iv e r V a lle y ,
This la n d had been farm ed i n u n i t s to o
l a r g e to produce th e b e s t r e s u l t s ,
The r e l o c a t i o n o f 'dry la n d farm ers o n to i r r i g a t e d la n d w as, i n th e
m ain, c o n fin e d t o two d i s t i n c t groups s
(1 )
D e s t i t u t e and low income farm f a m ilie s who w ere u n a b le t o make
any a d ju stm e n t o f t h e i r own a c c o rd ,
"
(2 )
Fann f a m ilie s d is p la c e d th ro u g h t h e p u rch ase o f t h e i r la n d b y
22/
Jo h n so n “and S aunderso n , op® c i t , , E u l» 328, p p , 52 and 40,
-
68 -
t h e governm ent o
The econom ical s t a t u s o f "both groups was v e ry much th e same®
The a v a il a b le farm s on w hich t o r e lo c a te th e s e f a m ilie s w ere l i m i t ­
ed in number®
T h erefo re* e v ery e f f o r t was made t o s e l e c t th o s e fa m ilie s
who n o t o n ly d is p la y e d a d i s t i n c t d e s i r e f o r th e o p p o rtu n ity made a v a i l ­
able* b u t a ls o p o sse sse d o th e r d e s ir a b le c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s th o u g h t n e c e s s a ry
i n a s u c c e s s f u l fa rm e r and farm fa m ily .
Inasmuch as th e two above g ro u p ss
th o s e who w ere d e s t i t u t e and th o s e who w ere d is p la c e d b y th e f e d e r a l p u r­
c h ase program* w ere o f uniform, s t a t u s w ith r e s p e c t t o f in a n c e s , and s in c e
t h i s c o u ld n o t be s p e c i f i c a l l y a t t r i b u t e d t o mismanagement o r poor farm in g
a b i l i t y becaus e o f th e s e r i e s o f a d v e rse y e a rs * th e problem o f cho o sin g
th o s e who seemed, t o o f f e r t h e b e s t chances f o r su c c e ss on th e r e s e ttle m e n t
farm s was a d i f f i c u l t one®
I t was n e c e ssa ry * th e r e f o r e * to a d h e re t o s p e c ia l c r i t e r i a b a se d
,
on c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t h a t w ere th o u g h t t o b e conducive t o t h e s u c c e s s fu l
o p e r a tio n o f a fa rm in g e n te rp rise ®
nam ely, s p e c i f i c and general®
T hese c r i t e r i a w ere o f two ty p es*
The fo rm er was re q u ire d o f a l l th e f a m ilie s
f a l l i n g in th e two groups d e s c rib e d above i n o rd e r t o q u a lif y .
The l a t t e r "
was u s e d t o f u r t h e r r e f in e th e q u a lif y in g fam ilies®
The s p e c i f i c c r i t e r i a may b e summarised b r i e f l y a s fo llo w s ;
(1 )
The a p p lic a n t m ust have e x p re ssed a d e s ir e f o r t h e opportunity®
(2 )
He m ust have d is p la y e d i n i t i a t i v e and re s o u rc e fu ln e s s ®
(S )
He m ust have d is p la y e d a b i l i t y to e n te r i n t o community l i f e
and p r o f i t from i n s t r u c t i o n and guidance®
(4 )
He m ust h a v e shown s t a b i l i t y o f residence®
64
(5)
“
I t was n e c e s s a ry t h a t he and h is dependents b e f r e e from
in f e c tio u s d is e a s e s and d i s a b i l i t i e s t h a t w ould l i k e l y
o b s tr u c t th e f u l f i l l m e n t o f o b lig a tio n s =
(6 )
I t was c o n sid e re d n e c e s s a ry t h a t th e fa m ily head b e w ith in
t h e ages o f 21 and 56 ( th e r e w ere a few e x c e p tio n s )»
(7)
He was t o b e m a rrie d and have one o r m ore dep en d en ts (e x c e p t­
io n s w ere made w here th e a p p lic a n t, though s i n g l e , had
dependent members)«
(8 )
I t was e s s e n t i a l t h a t th e p ro s p e c tiv e fa m ily r e s id e on a farm
a t t h e tim e o f a p p lic a tio n o r t h a t i t had l e f t th e farm o n ly
re c e n tly 0
The g e n e ra l c r i t e r i a in clu d ed a
(1 )
A ru d im e n ta ry education=
(2 )
E vidence o f c o o p e r a tiv e and harm onious fa m ily lif e =
(3)
Fam ily o f such s iz e and a g e -se x co m p o sitio n t h a t t h i s f a m ily
would c o n tr ib u te to th e farm e n t e r p r i s e i n t h e way o f la b o r
and in c re a s e d fa m ily s t a b i l i t y =
(4 )
The le s s .m e a s u ra b le c h a r a c te r is tic s - such a s c h a r a c te r , s t a b i l i t y ,
r e l i a b i l i t y , i n t e l l i g e n c e , a l e r t n e s s , r e s o u r c e f u ln e s s , r e l i g i o s ­
i t y , and judgment=
I t i s im p o ssib le t o e s t a b l i s h any in d ex b y
•which t o e v a lu a te th e s e l a t t e r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , b u t an i n v e s t i g a t ­
o r can b e re a s o n a b ly ce'rtaJLn, a f t e r due in v e s tig a tio n - and ob­
s e r v a tio n , a s t o w h eth er an a p p lic a n t p o s se ss e s a s a t i s f a c t o r y
d e g re e o f an y one o f them=
-wSSw
Due c o n s id e r a tio n was g iv e n t o th e f a c t t h a t many o f th e above char­
a c t e r i s t i c s a r e r e a d i l y s u s c e p tib le t o th e in flu e n c e o f e d u c a tio n o r su p e r­
v is io n ,
F o r in s ta n c e * c h a r a c t e r may be b u i l t up th ro u g h r e s p o n s i b i l i t y •
d e v elo p e d o u t o f f a m ow nership and th e t r u s t imposed in t h e c l i e n t b y th e
a d m in is tra tio n ? c o o p e r a tiv e a b i l i t y may b e d ev elo p ed by community i n t e r e s t
and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n community a f f a i r s *
Also* s u p e r v is o r y a s s is ta n c e b y
a c o u n ty e x te n s io n a g e n t o r a p r o je c t f a m m anager, t r a i n i n g c o u rs e s , and
a d u lt e d u c a tio n p r o je c ts can b e u sed t o b u i l d up c e r t a i n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
t h a t make f o r s u c c e s s f u l farming®
Ih e su c c e ss o f t h e s e l e c t i o n o f fa rm fa m ilie s f o r r e lo c a ti o n depends
v e ry much upon t h e number an d k in d o f q u a l i t i e s r e q u ir e d o f t h e a p p lic a n t,
t h e a c c u ra c y o f t h e i r d e te r m in a tio n , and th e e f f i c i e n c y and co m p leten ess
o f th e in v e s tig a tio n s ®
Wo c o n c lu s iv e s t a t i s t i c a l s tu d ie s a r e a v a i l a b l e t o show t h e r e l a t i v e
in flu e n c e o f v a rio u s q u a l i f i c a t i o n s in a c c o u n tin g f o r t h e s u c c e ss o f la n d
s e ttle r s ®
As a r e s u l t , t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s e s ta b lis h e d f o r t h e p r o je c t
w e re , f o r t h e m ost p a r t , th o s e which w ere th o u g h t t o b e m ost s ig n ific a n t®
Ih e '’d e s ir a b le 11 t r a i t s i n s e t t l e r s w ere p o in te d o u t i n t h i s t h e s i s and th e
b e s t methods o f d e te rm in in g th e p re se n c e o f t h e s e t r a i t s w ere reviewed®
Ih e
r e s u l t s o f th e s e l e c t i o n p ro c e d u re u sed w i l l b e re v e a le d o n ly l a t e r a f t e r
a p e rio d o f years®
So no d e f i n i t e c o n c lu sio n s in t h i s r e s p e c t can b e made
a t t h i s tame®
A s t a t i s t i c a l re v ie w o f th e f a m ilie s o r ho u seh o ld s s e le c te d f o r re­
lo c a tio n r e v e a ls th e fo llo w in g f a c t s s(l)
F i f t y - s i x and f o u r - te n th s p e r c e n t o f th e h o u seh o ld s bad
c h ild r e n u n d e r 16 y e a rs o f a g e , in d ic a tin g a group i n t h e
\
--!”
6 6
"
prim e o f l i f e where e a rn in g power i s g r e a te s t.
(2 ) ■A nother 2 9 .1 p e r c e n t o f t h e h o u seh o ld s h ad c h ild re n , o v er
and u n d e r 16 y e a rs o f a g e .
The ag es o f th e fa m ily heads o f
t h i s group w ere a l i t t l e h ig h e r th a n th e ages o f th e fo rm er
group.
is )
I o s in g le perso n s w ith ou t d e p en d e n tss o r b ro k en households
w ith c h ild r e n w ere s e l e c t e d .
(4 )
F a m ilie s w ith one o r more c h ild r e n w ere g iv e n p r e f e r e n c e .
There, w ere more f a m ilie s s e le c te d w ith fo u r members th a n any
o th e r s i a e .
(5 )
The m edian S ia e o f t h e h o u seh o ld s s e le c te d was 5=86 p e rs o n s .
(6 )
Farm fa m ily heads betw een t h e ag es o f 30 a n d ■49 y e a rs were f a r
m ore p r e v a le n t th a n an y o th e r age group.
I t was f e l t t h a t th e
p ro sp e c ts- o f repaym ent a b i l i t y would b e g r e a t e s t i n t h i s age
group®
(? )
The w ives o f th e farm ers s e l e c t e d show a te n d e n c y t o b e cons id e r a b ly younger a s in d ic a te d b y a m edian age o f 38.25 y e a rs
\
f o r th e w ives and 4 3 .7 2 y e a rs f o r th e fa rm e rs .
(8 )
Of t h e e a s e s s e le c te d * o n ly 21 p e r c e n t o f th e m ales and 22
p e r c e n t o f th e fem ales w ere fo r e ig n b o rn .
Of t h e s e fo r e ig n
born* th e g r e a t e s t number came from R u ssia* w ith Canada and
Iforway ra n k in g second and t h i r d r e s p e c t i v e l y .
N a tio n a lity as
a f a c t o r in s e l e c t i o n and r e lo c a ti o n was n o t em phasized .be**
c a u se background o f n a t i o n a l i t y m ix tu re h ad n o t h u i l t up
n a t i o n a l i t y consciou sn ess,.
'
>
(9 )
F a ith in th e L u th era n ch u rch p re d o m in a te s»
T his i s v e r y l i k e l y
a t t r i b u t a b l e t o t h e predom inance o f S c a n d in av ian s and n o rth e rn
Europeans in t h e group selected ®
F a i t h in th e M eth o d ist and
C a th o lic c h u rc h es ra n k n e x t in order*
Ifo em phasis,w as p la c e d
upon membership i n re lig io u s ^ , i d e a l i s t i c , o r c u l t u r a l groups
as a q u a l i f i c a t i o n f o r placement*- ■
(10)
E in e ty and s i x - t e n t h s p e r c e n t o f th e male- heads o f ho u seh o ld s
and 94* 7 p e r c e n t o f t h e fem ale heads had a f i f t h g rad e o r
b e t t e r education®
The m edian g rad e com pleted in sch o o l f o r
b o th was 7*6* .This b e a r s o u t th e g e n e ra l q u a l i f i c a t i o n o f
r e q u ir in g a t l e a s t a- ru d im e n ta ry e d u c a tio n i n s e t t l e r s s e le c te d *
(1 1 )
M n e ty -s e v e n and t h r e e - t e n t h s p e r c e n t o f th e m ale heads o f "
c a se s s e l e c t e d and 92»9 p e r c e n t o f t h e .fe m a le heads had been
r e s i d e n t s o f t h e S t a t e o f Montana 10 o r more y e ars*
117 e a se s 72 had homesteaded®
Of th e
The g r e a t e s t h o m esteading
a c t i v i t y f o r th e group o c c u rre d i n th e y e a r s from 1910 th ro u g h
1917® ■
■ '
-
A s i m i l a r s t a t i s t i c a l a n a ly s is was made o f th o s e c ase s c o n sid e re d b u t
u l t i m a t e l y r e je c te d *
The r e s u l t s w ere much t h e same i n a l l respects®
In a s ­
much as th e s e l a t t e r e a s e s -m et a l l th e s p e c i f i c q u a l i f i c a t i o n s , t h e im­
p o rta n c e o f th e g e n e ra l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s f o r f u r t h e r r e f i n i n g t h e s e le c tio n
i s rev ealed *
I n s e l e c t i n g f a m ilie s f o r r e s e ttle m e n t th e names o f su ch p ro s p e c ts
w ere su b m itte d t o “ com m ittees11 o f f o u r o r f iv e members each from th e v a rio u s
d i s t r i c t s in the. a re a*
The o b je c t was t o g e t a c h a r a c te r r a t i n g o f th e
in d iv id u a l a p p lic a n t f o r th e purpose o f e lim in a tin g t h e l e a s t s u c c e s s f u l o r
more u n d e s ir a b le fa rm e rs*
f M e method i s d e s e rv in g o f some e rifis is m a -
Tbough t h e eemm itteeB t^ere made
o f BSTem l memboro, many a p p lic a n ts
■were fc&om t o o n ly one -or t w mesBers-o
B ia s -or p e rs o n a l p r e ju d ic e m ig h t
b a r e e n te r e d into- t h e re c o m e m & tio n e o f t h e s e p articiL L ar merdbers.*
%e
e n t i r e com m ittee group may h a v e th u s b e en in f lu e n c e d b y one- o r to o membersE
r e s u l t i n g i n t h e -e lim in a tio n o f many -worthy a p p lic a n ts who m ig h t b a r e
m e rite d g r e a t e r c one I de r a t i o n t h a n some o f t h e fa rm e rs a c t u a l l y s e le c te d *
I t must b e admitted^ how ew ry th a t t h e committees did a s s i s t v m y
m a t e r ia lly i n th e s e le c t io n p r o c ess$- Iks. la r g o l i s t o f a p p lic a tio n s %?as
reduced t o # more workable o n o , e lim in a tin g in- t h i s way many e x c e s s iv e
in ter v ie w s and n e e d le s s in v e s tig a tio n *
I t m ast b e remembered to o * t h a t
from t h e sta n d p o in t -of p r o je c t su c c e ss* such -severe s e le c t io n i s fa v o ra b le*
p rovid in g th e group from # i i c h t o s e l e c t i s la r g e emcugb*
From th e -stand­
p o in t o f th e im&lvida&l fa m ilie s * however* such s e l e c t i o n may k e toosevere=
fh o In v e s tig a to r- was a b le t o make M s p e rs o n a l e s tim a tio n o f t h e
a p p lic a n ts d u rin g t h e tim e o f t h e interviews--
A t t h i s tim e a com plete
fa m ily h i s t o r y %as o b ta in e d on e a c h family®.
The in fo rm a tio n a s t o t h e
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and p e rs o n a l a t t r i b u t e s o f the- f a m ilie s th u s o b ta in e d w as*
f o r t h e m o st g arb * -su b je ctiv e*
Among t h e d e s ir a b le q u a l i f i c a t i o n s re »
qua ro d b y t h e fa m ily s e l e c t i o n program w e re item s t h a t -as a p p lic a n t vim
i n a r e l a t i v e l y good p o s i t i o n t o know*
F o r example* he w as a b le t o g iv e
t h e e x te n t -of M s fa rm ex p erien c e * t h e e d u c a tio n o f h im s e lf an d fam ily*
t h e S ia o and. a g e - s e x c o m p o sitio n o f Iiie fa m ily * t h e g e n e r a l h e a lt h o f t h e
f a m ily , a n d M s f i n a n c i a l s ta n d in g *
I n a d d itio n * t h e in te r v ie w e r was a b le
t o a s c e r ta in * t o ft v e ry m arked d egree* su ch o th e r d e s ir a b le c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
as c h a r a c te r , i n t e l l i g e n c e , th e d e s i r e f o r r e l o c a t i o n and f o r fa rm l i f e ,
t h e harmony w ith in th e fa m ily and t h e i r w illin g n e s s t o c o o p e r a te , and th e
r e l i g i o s i t y o f t h e fam ily*
S in c e t h e in v e s t i g a t o r was th o ro u g h ly f a m i l i a r w ith t h e o p p o r tu n itie s
a v a ila b le f o r t h e p ro s p e c tiv e s e t t l e r s an d th e ty p e o f f a m ilie s d e s ir e d ,
th e in fo rm a tio n o b ta in a b le th ro u g h t h e p e rs o n a l in te r v ie w was in v a lu a b le *
However, th e v a lu e o f su ch in fo rm a tio n i s l i m i t e d t o a g r e a t e x te n t t o th e
e f f i c i e n c y and th e a b i l i t y o f th e in v e stig a to r®
The in te r v ie w was t h e b a s is f o r se le c tio n ®
I t re v e a le d th e fundamen­
t a l q u a l i t i e s o f t h e a p p lic a n ts and e n a b le d th e in v e s t i g a t o r t o c o n c e n tra te
h i s e f f o r t s on t h e b e t t e r q u a l i f i e d fam ilies®
F u r t h e r ' in v e s t ig a ti o n
th ro u g h t h e c o n ta c tin g o f r e f e r e n c e s and p erso n s who h ad done b u s in e s s w ith
t h e a p p lic a n ts o r th o s e who w ere in some way f a m i l i a r w ith t h e p a s t re c o rd
and h i s t o r y o f th e in d iv id u a l f a m ilie s s e rv e d t o v e r i f y in fo rm a tio n a t hand
and t o p ro v e o r d is p ro v e c o n c lu s io n s a lr e a d y a r r iv e d at®
The a p p lic a n t’ s
farm in g a b i l i t y , judged from h i s p a s t farm re c o rd , M s fa m ily l i f e , h is
w illin g n e s s t o w ork, h i s c h a r a c te r , a t t i t u d e , s t a b i l i t y , r e l i a b i l i t y and
s e n s e o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , h i s i n t e l l i g e n c e , re s o u rc e fu ln e s s and judgm ent,
h is c o o p e ra tiv e a b i l i t y , his. a s p ir a ti o n s and many o th e r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
and q u a l i t i e s t h a t s e rv e t o in d ic a te him a s a good o r p o o r p ro s p e c t could
be a s c e r ta in e d and v e r i f i e d w ith a f a i r amount o f accuracy®
The w o rth o f t h e in fo rm a tio n o b ta in e d th ro u g h r e f e r e n c e s o r o th e r
c o n ta c ts depends l a r g e l y upon t h e im p a r tia ln e s s o f su ch persons®
P er­
s o n a l c o n s id e r a tio n s , i n t e r e s t s , b i a s e s , o r p re ju d ic e s may b e in v o lv e d ,
i n which c a s e , i f re c o g n iz e d , i t sh o u ld b e d is c o u n te d o r re je c te d *
Qn
th e Tarhole9 r e l i a b l e and e s ta b lis h e d f ir m s 9 b u s in e s s Bien9 a g r i c u l t u r a l
te c h n ic ia n s j, and dependable fa rm e rs can b e r e l i e d upon f o r a c c u r a te and
u n p re ju d io ed in fo rm a tio n ,
The d a ta o b ta in e d th ro u g h th e in te rv ie w and from, a l l o th e r so u rc es
p o s s ib le was compared^ w eighed f o r v a l i d i t y , and summarised*
On t h i s b a s is *
i t was b e lie v e d t h a t a f a i r l y a c c u ra te recommendation c o u ld b e made as t o
t h e d is p o s it io n o f each a p p lic a n t.
I t i s v e ry l i k e l y t h a t i t w i l l b e n e c e s s a ry t o c u l l o u t c e r t a i n f a r ­
mers on t h e M ilk E lv e r P r o je c t whose d e f ic ie n c ie s escap ed t h e in v e s t i g a t o r
in th e c o u rs e o f s e l e c t i o n .
This p ro c e ss can b e r e s o r te d t o in t h e c a s e s
o f th o s e c l i e n t s who have p la c e s u n d e r lease=
fh e o b lig a tio n on th e p a r t
o f th e p u rc h a se c l i e n t s and th e a d m in is tr a tio n i s more perm anent* and re­
moval can b e r e s o r te d t o o n ly when th e c l i e n t f a i l s t o m eet payments on
h i s farm, and when t h i s i n a b i l i t y t o m eet t h e o b lig a tio n s i s due t o f a c t o r s
u n d e r h i s c o n tro l=
T his c u l l i n g p ro c e ss sh o u ld n o t b e p r e v a le n t i f th e
in v e s t ig a ti o n s w ere b a se d upon ad eq u ate q u a l i f i c a t i o n s and e f f i c i e n t methods =
C r itic is m sh o u ld b e made o f th e h a s te w ith which many o f th e le a s e
c l i e n t s and a lm o st a l l o f th e p u rch ase c l ie n ts ' w ere chosen and th e d e la y
in g e ttin g them underway=
Money was made a v a il a b le f o r a d e s ig n a te d tim e
f o r c o n s tr u c tio n and d e v elo p in g p u rposes on farm s s o ld , a f t e r w hich th e
money was t o r e v e r t b ack t o t h e t r e a s u r y o f t h e U n ite d S t a t e s »
To f u l l y
u t i l i z e th e money w ith in t h e a l l o t ed tim e i t was n e c e s s a ry t o review
t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s o f th e a p p lic a n ts w ith h a s te which r e s u l t e d in in . e f f i c i e n c y and in a c b u ra e y i n s e le c tio n =
The d e la y in g e t t i n g th e c l i e n t s
s t a r t e d a f t e r th e y were s e l e c t e d was p erh ap s i n many c a s e s u n av o id ab le due
-7 1 -
t o n e c e s s a ry governm enta l re d t a p Qo
I t n e v e r th e le s s s e rv e d t o t r e e d d i s ­
c o n te n t and d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n among t h e s e ttle r s ®
The q u a l i f i c a t i o n s review ed h e re a r e b e lie v e d t o b e n e c e s s a ry to
in s u r e s e l e c t i o n o f s e t t l e r s who w i l l be s u c c e s s f u l oh a r e lo c a tio n p ro ­
j e c t o f such a ty p e a s t h e M ilk B iv e r Project®
F o r th e most p a r t , th e y
a r e t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s re q u ir e d In o th e r ty p e s o f c o lo n iz a tio n p ro jects®
Most o f them w ere d is c u s s e d i n some d e t a i l i n Mr® H o lt *s r e p o r t and t h i s
t h e s i s s e rv e s t o b e a r him o u t an d t o make a d d itio n s w here possible®
ACKlOlLEBSmi'S
. The a u th o r would l i k e t o e x p re ss h i s a p p r e c ia tio n and th an k s t o
B r0 Co. Fo K ra e n se l f o r h is v a lu a b le .su g g estio n s and c r i t i c i s m s th ro u g h ­
o u t th e study® ■ S p e c ia l r e c o g n itio n is. t o be g iv en t o th e F am ily S e le c t­
io n D iv is io n o f t h e Farm S e c u rity .A d m in is tra tio n ^ R e s e ttle m e n t) f o r t h e i r
c o o p e r a tio n , and t o th o s e who a r e c l o s e l y co n n ected w ith t h e "a d m in is tra ­
t i o n o f th e M alta Project.®-
BIBLIOSEAFfiY
1«,
Asoh3 B e rta and Mangus„ A« Re3 "Farm ers on R e l i e f and R e h a b i l i t a t i o n ,"
R esearch Monograph V III3 Works P ro g re ss A d m in is tra tio n 3 D iv isio n
o f S o c ia l R e se a rc h , U n ited S ta te s Government P r i n t i n g O ffic e ,
W ashington3 1937o.
2«
BeeR3 Po Go and F o r s t e r , M0 Co, " S ix R u ra l Problem A reas R e lie f "R esources
R e h a b ilit a tio n ," . R esearch Monograph I 3 F e d e ra l Emergency R e lie f
A d m in is tra tio n , D iv is io n o f R e se a rc h , S t a t i s t i c s and F in a n c e ,
R esearch S e c tio n , W ashington, 1955«
Se
F a m S e c u r ity A d m in is tra tio n , F am ily S e le c tio n , Handbook Ho.. 8,. Septo
25, 1956»
4»
G ie s e k e r, L» F e , " S o ils o f V a lle y C ounty," S o i l R econnaissance o f
M ontana, Montana A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent S t a t i o n , B u l le tin Ho.
1 9 8 , December, 1926»
5»
G ie s e k e r, Le F®, " S o ils o f P h i l l i p s C ounty," S o i l R econnaissance o f
M ontana, M ontana A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent S t a t i o n , B u l le tin Ho.
199, December, 1926*
6.
G ie se k e r, L . F . , " S o ils o f P h i l l i p s C ounty," S o il R eco n n aissan ce o f
Montana3 Montana A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent S t a t i o n , B u l le tin Ho*
228, M arch, 1950«
7.
H o lt, John B», "An A n a ly sis o f Methods and C r i t e r i a U sed i n S e le c tin g
F a m ilie s f o r C o lo n iz a tio n P r o j e c t s ," S o c ia l R ese arch R ep o rt
Ho* I , W ashington, D. C ., September., 1937»
8.
Johnson, H e ll W., and Saunders on, H. B . , "Types o f Farming in M ontana,"
Montana A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent S t a t i o n , B u l l e t i n Ho. 528, O cto b er,
1936.
'.
.
9.
K ir k p a tr ic k , E» I * , K ra e n z e l, C a rl F . , and Thomas, R uth M.., " R e s e ttle ­
ment and R e h a b ilita tio n - in t h e C e n tra l W isconsin R e s tin g A re a ,"
P re lim in a ry R e p o rt, O ctober 1 5 , 1935.
10»
H o le, U. Ho and B ru n n er, Edmund deS, "A S tu d y o f R u ra l S o c ie ty ," McGrawH i l l Book Company, I n c . , Hevr York and London, .1933»
11»
S la g s v o id , Po Lo, and Bingham, G= H o, "An A n a ly sis o f A g ric u ltu re on
t h e M ilk R iv e r I r r i g a t i o n P r o j e c t ," Montana A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent
S t a tio n , B u l l e t i n Ho. 290, J u n e , 1934.
“>74“
APPEitDH A
Source o f Infom afclcm
As th e R e se ttle m e n t'p ro g ra m on t h e S a l t s P r o je c t g o t underway* a
c a s e h i s t o r y was o b ta in e d on each fa m ily c o n sid e re d f o r r e lo c a tio n ^
Ilie
h i s t o r i e s w ere o b ta in e d b y p e rs o n a l in te rv ie w (a lm o st e n t i r e l y b y o ffic e ,
in te rv ie w ), b y th e w r it e r , who se rv e d i n t h e .c a p a c ity o f F am ily S e le c tio n
S p e c i a l i s t on th e p r o j e c t , and b y o th e r -employees on t h e p r o je c t.
C opies
o f th e c a s e h i s t o r i e s o f th o s e a p p lic a n ts s e le b te d f o r r e l o c a t i o n and
t h o s e .a p p lic a n ts , who r e c e iv e d c o n s id e r a tio n b u t w ere u l t i m a t e l y r e je c te d
w ere a b s t r a c t e d from th e o r i g i n a l c a s e h i s t o r i e s now on f i l e i n th e M alta
o f f i c e o f th e Farm S e c u r ity A dm inistration & T h is was done a f t e r th e con­
s e n t o f th e F am ily S e le c tlq n S e c tio n o f t h e A d m in is tra tio n a t th e Region­
a l O ffic e i n D enver, C olorado and o f M r, H , L, b a n t s , p r o j e c t manager o f
t h e M ilk R iv e r N o rth e rn M ontana R e s e ttle a e n t P ro je c t* h a d been o b ta in e d .
F o u r f a c t o r s re n d e r a th o ro u g h and com prehensive a n a ly s is o f th e
farm, f a m ilie s an im p o s s ib ility ^ .
1,
In many in s ta n c e s th e p e rso n in te rv ie w e d was u n a b le to su p p ly
t h e in fo rm a tio n d e s ir e d i n th e c a se h is to r ie s , a t th e tim e o f
interview ®
2,
■
Dndue h a s te was r e q u ir e d in t h e s e l e c t i o n o f th o s e a p p lic a n ts
t o whom farm s were sold*, as money f o r c o n s tr u c tin g o r r e p a i r ­
in g hom es, b a m s * and o th e r b u ild in g s on t h e fa rm ste a d s was
a v a i l a b l e «f o r o n ly a lim ite d tim e ,
3»
More th a n one ty p e o f in fo rm a tio n b la n k was u s e d ,
4,
More th a n one p e rso n d id t h e in te rv ie w in g .
»75"
The w r i t e r , h a v in g worked a s F am ily S e le c tio n S p e c i a l i s t on th e
p r o j e c t , i s p e r s o n a lly f a m i l i a r w ith q u a l i f i c a t i o n re q u ire m e n ts s e t up
b y th e Farm S e c u r ity A d m in is tra tio n a n d th e methods an d c r i t e r i a u sed
i n s e le c tio n = '
The e a r l y h i s t o r y o f th e p r o j e c t was o b ta in e d from th e
p r o je c t h is to ria n ®
A d d itio n a l in fo rm a tio n on t h e p r o j e c t h i s t o r y , t o ­
g e th e r w ith in fo rm a tio n as t o th e d e s c r ip ti o n o f t h e M ilk B iv e r I r r i g a ­
t i o n P r o j e c t , was o b ta in e d from a s e r i e s o f b u l l e t i n s d e a lin g w ith th e
s o i l s and t h e i r r i g a t i o n developm ent o f t h e M ilk. H iv e r V alley=
The
d e s c r ip tio n o f t h e M ilk H iv e r r e s e ttle m e n t p r o j e c t i t s e l f was made from
s t a t i s t i c s and re c o rd s o b ta in e d in t h e M alta o f f i c e o f t h e Farm. S e c u r ity
A d m in is tra tio n and from p e rs o n a l knowledge as w e ll.
P ro ced u re
-
A ll p e r t i n e n t in fo rm a tio n c o n ta in e d i n t h e c a s e h i s t o r i e s o f t h e
f a m ilie s f i n a l l y s e le c te d f o r r e l o c a t i o n and o f th e f a m ilie s c o n sid e re d
f o r r e lo c a ti o n b u t u l t i m a t e l y r e j e c t e d was ta b u la te d .
The f ig u r e s as t o
th e o u ts ta n d in g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and q u a l i t i e s w ere t h e n assem bled and
condensed in to t a b l e s t o f a c i l i t i a t e t h e developm ent and d is c u s s io n o f
such c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and q u a l i t i e s t h a t le n d th em selv es t o th e s e l e c t i o n
•of th e b e t t e r q u a l i f i e d fa rm f a m ilie s «
As t h e number o f t h e c a se s c o n sid e re d b u t u l t i m a t e l y r e je c te d g r e a t
I y exceeded th e number a c t u a l l y s e le c te d f o r r e lo c a tio n , i t was th o u g h t
d e s ir a b le t o e lim in a te e v e ry t h i r d c a s e h i s t o r y o f th e fo rm er group so a s
t o o b ta in a com parable number o f c a s e s .
The sam ple,, c o n s is tin g o f e v e ry
t h i r d c a s e , in s u r e s a r e p r e s e n ta tiv e group#
■**75®*
A th o ro u g h com parison o f t h e c a s e s s e le c te d and t h o s e 'n o t s e le c te d
c o u ld n o t be made, however^, a s th e r e j e c t e d e a s e s i n m ost in s ta n c e s ^ w ere
e lim in a te d b e f o r e com plete h i s t o r i e s w ere O b tain ed 8 l h e s e c a s e s w ere
e lim in a te d on t h e b a s is o f t h e v e ry q u a l i t i e s ( m a r ita l s t a t u s , fa m ily
c o m p o sitio n , a g e, h e a l t h , farm, e x p e rie n c e , e t c «) we w ish ed t o compare,
w hereas th o s e c ase s c o n s id e re d f u r t h e r , b u t i n t h e f i n a l a n a ly s is r e j e c t e d ,
w ere so r e j e c t e d b e c a u s e o f t h e l e s s m easu rab le q u a l i t i e s such a s charact­
e r , s e n se o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , r e s o u r c e f u ln e s s , and judgment*
These l a t t e r
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s w ere o b ta in e d b y c o n ta c tin g r e f e r e n c e s su ch a s b u s in e s s
men, m e rc h an ts, bankers., n eigh b o rs, and a c q u a in ta n c e s .» As a r e s u l t , th e
com parison b etw een t h e a c tu a l c a s e s s e le c te d and th o s e n o t s e le c te d c o u ld
h e made a t o n ly a few p o i n t s , a n d d e f in lte c o n c lu s io n s a r e n o t w a rra n te d '
i n in s ta n c e s w here such c o n c lu s io n s would b e d e s ir a b le *
The fa m ilie s i n ­
te n d e d f o r re s id e n c e on t h e s m a ll t h r e e t o s i x a c r e la b o r u n i t t r a c t s
w ere n o t s tu d ie d ,
77
APPENDIX B
TABLE I . - HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED AND NOT SELECTED
FOR RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT
PROJECT CLASSIFIED BY SIZE OF HOUSEHOLD
i o f Household
T o ta l
Cases S e le c te d
P er Cent
Number o f T o ta l
177
1 0 0 .0
Cases Not S e le c te d
Per Cent
Number
o f T o tal
118
100.0
5
4 .3
I
O
0
2
5
4 .3
17
14.4
3
16
13 .7
13
1 1 .0
4
33
28.2
25
21.2
6
17
1 4 .5
16
13.6
6
10
8 .5
17
14.4
7
10
8 .5
13
11 .0
7 .7
4
3.4
9
8
9
5
4 .3
6
5.1
IO
6
6 .1
I
.8
11
4
3 .4
I
.8
12
2
1 .7
0
0
78.
TABLE IT .—FAMILIES SELECTED AND NOT SELECTED
FOR RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT
PROJECT CLASSIFIED BY TOTAL SIZE OF FAMILY
T otal S iz e o f
Family
T otal
Cases S e le c te d
Number Per Cent
o f Total
Cases Not S e le cted
Per Cent
Number
o f T otal
117
100.0
118
100.0
I
6
4 .3
7
6 .9
2
4
3 .4
10
8 .6
3
11
9 .4
14
11 .9
4
30
2 6 .6
21
17.8
6
12
1 0 .3
20
1 6 .9
6
10
8 .6
16
1 2 .7
7
16
12.8
9
7 .6
8
10
8 .6
6
4 .3
9
6
6.1
9
7 .6
IO
2
1 .7
4
3 .4
11
4
3 .4
3
2 .6
12
3
2 .6
0
0
13
I
.9
0
0
14
0
O
I
16
3
2.6
O
O
1
.9
O
O
Not A scerta in a b le
.8
79-
TABLE I I I . —FAMILIES SELECTED AMD MOT SELECTED
FOR RELOCATION OR THE MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT
PROJECT CLASSIFIED BT SIZE OF THE
FAMILY AT HOME
S iz e o f Fam ily
a t Home
Cases S e le c te d
Per Cent
Number
o f T otal
Cases Not S e le c te d
Per Cent
Number
o f Total
117
100.0
118
1 00.0
I
4
3 .4
7
6 .9
2
6
4 .3
16
1 3 .6
3
16
13 .7
14
11 .9
4
29
24 .9
24
2 0 .3
6
17
1 4 .5
18
15 .3
6
10
8 .6
16
1 2 .7
7
11
9 .4
12
1 0 .2
8
9
7 .7
3
2 .6
9
4
3 .4
7
6 .9
IO
6
5 .1
I
.8
11
4
3 .4
I
.8
12
2
1 .7
0
T otal
0
30-
TABLE TV.—HEADS* OF THE HOUSEHOLDS
SELECTED FOR RELOCATION ON THE
MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT
CLASSIFIED BY AGE AND SEJ
T o ta l
P e r Cent
Number o f T o ta l
Heads
Age Groups
o f Heads o f
Households
230
to
1
0
60 .9
0
113
0
49.1
0
0
0
S
OT
I
CM
O
CM
50 - 69
117
0
35
16.2
12
5 .2
23
10.0
"
70
30.4
30
1 3 .0
40
1 7 .4
84
36.6
43
18.7
41
17.8
"
34
14.8
26
11.3
8
3# 5
7
3 .0
6
2 .6
I
.4
0
0
0
0
Under 20 y e a rs
30-39
100.0
Females
Per Cent
Number o f T o ta l
Heads
3
T o ta l
Males
P e r Cent
Number o f T o ta l
Heads
60 and over
Not A s c e rta in a b le 0
♦R efers t o th e husband and w ife in each h o usehold
0
-P ITABLE V .—HEADS* OF THE HOUSEHOLDS NOT SELECTED
FOR RELOCATION OH THE MILK RIXrER
RESETTLEMENT PROJECT CLASSIFIED
BY AGE AND SEX
Age Groups
o f Heads
o f H ouseholds
T o ta l
Under 20 y r s .
T o ta l
P er Cent
Number o f T o ta l
Heads
Males
P e r Cent
Number o f T o ta l
Heads
223
1 0 0.0
118
I
.6
0
62 .9
0
Females
P er Cent
o f T o tal
Number
Heads
106
47.1
I
.4
20-29
”
38
1 7 .0
16
6.7
23
10.3
30-39
"
48
2 1 .6
23
10.3
26
11.2
40 - 49
"
67
3 0 .0
43
19 .3
24
10.7
60 - 69
"
34
16.3
24
10.8
10
4 .6
60 and o v e r
12
6 .4
8
3 .6
4
1 .8
Not A s c e rta in ­
a b le
23
10.3
5
2 .2
18
8.1
♦R efers t o th e husband and w ife in each household#
82
TABLE V I.—ACE GROUP COMPARISON OF THE POPULATION
OF CASES SELECTED AND CASES NOT SELECTED FOR
RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT
PROJECT WITH TEE TOTAL RURAL-FARM
POPULATION*OF THE THREE COUNTIES
INCLUDED IN THE STUDY
T o ta l R ural-F arm
P o p u la tio n
T o ta l A ll Cases
P er Cent
P e r Cent
Age
T o ta l
Under 5 y e ars
Cases S e le c te d
P er Cent
Cases S o t
S e le c te d
P e r Cent
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
11.6
11 .8
12.2
11.4
1 1 .9
16 .7
19 .7
13.1
10 - 14
It
11.7
1 4 .6
14.8
14.4
15 - 19
If
9 .4
12.7
1 2 .0
13 .6
20 - 24
N
7 .4
5 .7
4 .3
7 .5
CM
Il
6 .7
6 .7
5 .4
6 .0
30 - 34
n
5.8
5 .0
6 .2
3 .6
36 - 44
n
15.6
1 1 .5
1 2 .0
10.8
45 - 54
it
1 1 .2
10.2
1 0.3
10.1
56 - 64
6 .5
3 .0
2 .8
3 .4
Over 64
4 .0
1 .1
.4
1 .9
Not A s c e rta in ­
a b le
O
1 .9
O
4 .3
o>
CM
I
ft
IO
5 —9
♦Sources
Montana P o p u la tio n C ensus, 1930, Second S e r i e s ,
Table 1 4 .
83-
TABLE V I I .—AGE GROUP COMPARISON OF THE MALE POPULATION OF CASES
SELECTED AND NOT SELECTED FOR RELOCATION ON THE
MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT WITH THE TOTAL
MALE POPULATION* OF THE THREE COUNTIES IN­
CLUDED IN TEE STUDY
T o ta l Male
P o p u la tio n
P e r Cent
Age
T o ta l
T o ta l A ll Cases
P e r C ent
Cases S e le c te d
P e r Cent
Cases Not S elecl
Her Cent
1 00.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
10.1
12.9
1 3 .6
12.1
"
10.8
15.6
18.2
12.6
10 - 14 "
10.7
14.6
15 .3
13 .5
15 - 19 "
8 .3
1 3 .4
12.1
14.9
20 - 24 "
7 .3
5 .3
4 .0
6 .9
25 - 29 "
6 .2
5 .2
4 .9
6 .5
30 - 34 "
5 .8
3 .6
4 .0
3.1
35 - 44 "
16.9
11.2
1 1.6
10.7
45 - 64 "
12.8
1 2 .6
11.8
13.5
56 - 64 "
6 .5
3 .6
3 .8
3 .6
Over 64
4 .7
1 .2
.6
2.1
Not A scer­
ta in a b le
O
.8
0
1 .7
Under 6 y r s .
6 -9
♦ S ou rcei
Montana P o p u la tio n C ensus, 1930, Second S e r i e s , Table 11
84-
TABLE V I I I .—AGE GROUP COMPARISON OF THE FEMALE POPULATION OF CASES
SELECTED AND CASES NOT SELECTED FOR RELOCATION ON THE
MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT NITH THE
TOTAL FEMALE POPULATION* OF THE THREE
COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE STUDY
T o ta l Female
T o ta l A ll cases
P o p u la tio n
P er C ent
P e r C ent
Age
Cases Not S e le c te d
P e r Cent
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1 2 .3
10.6
10.5
10 .6
"
12.7
18.0
21 .4
13.8
10 - 14 "
12.9
1 4 .7
14.1
15.4
1 5 - 19"
1 0 .3
12.0
11.8
12.2
20 - 24 "
8 .0
6 .2
4 .6
8.1
26 - 29 "
6 .3
6 .2
6 .9
6 .6
S
T o ta l
Cases S e le c te d
P er Cent
6 .0
6 .6
8 .6
4 .1
36 - 44 "
14.6
11.8
12.5
1 1 .0
45 - 54 "
9 .0
7 .5
8 .6
6.1
66 - 64 "
4 .6
2 .4
1 .6
3 .3
Over 64
3 .3
.9
.3
1 .6
Not A scer­
ta in a b le
0
Under 6 y rs .
6 -9
3
•
O
to
♦Source:
3 .3
0
7 .3
Montana P o p u la tio n C ensus, 1930, Second S e r i e s , Table 11
TABLE IX .—SEX AND AGE CLASSIFICATION OF ALL PERSONS
IN TEE HOUSEHOLDS OF CASES SELECTED AND CASES NOT
SELECTED FOR RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER
RESETTLEMENT PROJECT
Cases S e le c te d
Cases Not S e le c te d
Age
T o ta l Male P e r C ent Female !Per Cent T o ta l Male Per Cent Female
Per Cent'
______________________________ o f T o tal___________o f T o tal_______________ o f T o ta l____________ o f T o tal
T o ta l
Under 6 y ears
650
346
63.2
304
4 6 .8
635
289
54.0
246
4 6 .0
79
47
7 .2
32
4 .9
61
36
6 .5
26
4 .9
5 -9
"
128
63
9 .6
66
1 0 .0
70
36
6 .7
34
6.4
10 -
14 "
96
63
8 .2
43
6 .6
77
39
7 .3
38
7.1
16 -
19 "
78
42
6 .6
36
5 .5
73
43
8 .0
30
5 .6
20 -
24 "
28
14
2 .2
14
2 .2
40
20
3 .7
20
3.7
25 -
29 "
35
17
2 .6
18
2 .8
32
16
3 .0
16
3 .0
30 -
34 "
40
14
2 .2
26
4 .0
19
9
1 .7
10
1 .9
35 -
44 "
78
40
6.2
58
5.8
68
31
6.8
27
6 .0
45 -
64 "
67
41
6 .3
26
4 .0
54
39
7 .3
16
2 .8
55 -
64 "
18
13
2 .0
6
.8
18
10
1 .9
8
1 .6
Over 64
Not A s c e rta in a b le
3
0
2
O
.3
I
0
.2
10
6
1.1
.9
4
18
.7
3.4
0
o
23
5
oo
7
- 86-
TABLE X .—COMPARISON BY COUNTRY OF BIRTH OF THE FOREIGN
BORN HEADS* OF THE HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED AND NOT SELECTED
FOR RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT PROJECT
ViITH THE TOTAL FOREIGN BORN OF THE THREE COUNTIES
INCLUDED IN THE STUDY
C ountry
of
O rig in
T o ta l P o p u la tio n
P e r Cent
Number
o f T o ta l
Cases S e le c te d
P e r Cent
Number o f T o ta l
Cases Kot S e le c te d
P e r Cent
Number o f T o ta l
T o ta l
3582
100.0
50
100.0
43
100.0
A u s tria
33
.9
2
4 .0
I
2 .3
Canada
766
2 1 .4
9
18 .0
8
1 8.6
Denmark
132
3 .7
4
8 .0
3
7 .0
England
146
4 .1
3
6 .0
3
7 .0
F in la n d
41
1 .1
2
4 .0
0
0
F rance
57
1 .6
O
0
I
2 .3
Germany
382
10.7
3
6 .0
2
4 .7
H olland
S3
.9
2
4 .0
I
2 .3
Norway
746
20.8
8
1 6 .0
5
1 1 .6
Poland
94
2 .6
I
2 .0
0
0
R u ssia
255
7 .1
11
2 2 .0
10
2 3 .3
S c o tla n d
123
3 .4
O
0
I
2 .3
Sweden
343
9 .6
5
10.0
2
4 .7
O ther
431
1 2 .0
O
0
6
13 .9
♦S ource:
Montana P o p u la tio n C ensus, 1930, Second S e r i e s , Table 18
87'
TABLE X I.—HEADS* OF HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED
AND NOT SELECTED FOR RELOCATION
ON THE MILK RIVER RESETTLEMENT
PROJECT CLASSIFIED BY
STATE OF BIRTH
S ta te o f B ir th
Cases S e le c te d
Male
Female
Cases Not S e le c te d
Male
Female
I
O
2
8
2
I
I
4
7
3
I
O
3
5
O
O
I
O
3
I
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Mass a c h u s e tts
M ichigan
11
5
O
O
2
6
2
O
I
O
11
I
3
O
2
8
2
O
O
2
M innesota
M isso u ri
Mmitana
N ebraska
N orth Dakota
9
6
8
4
10
11
9
12
5
8
20
4
11
6
13
19
6
13
I
11
New J e r s e y
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
P en n sy lv an ia
I
O
I
2
I
O
I
O
3
I
O
O
I
O
O
O
O
O
I
3
Rhode I s la n d
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
O
7
3
O
2
O
5
O
2
O
O
O
I
O
O
I
O
I
O
I
V irg in ia
Aashln to n
M sco n s in
Wyoming
3
O
5
O
O
I
6
O
I
O
8
I
O
O
6
I
O
2
23
O
7
18
I
3
22
6
5
13
A rkansas
C olorado
Idaho
Illin o is
In d ia n a
Not A s c e rta in a b le
C anadian Bona
F o re ig n Born
♦R efers t o th e husband and w ife in each household
—88“
TABLE X II . —HEADS* OF HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED AND NOT
SELECTED FOR RELOCATION ON THE MILK RIVER RE­
SETTLEMENT PROJECT CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO
THE AMOUNT OF FORMAL SCHOOLING
T o ta l A ll
Amount o f Formal
S ch o o lin g
T o tal Male Female
Grades
Cases S e le c te d
T o ta l Male Female
Cases Not S electee
T o tal
Iale Female
453
236
218
230
117
113
223
118
105
None
2
O
2
I
0
I
I
0
I
1 -4
22
17
5
16
11
6
6
6
0
5 -8
256
140
116
145
77
68
111
63
48
9 -1 2
106
47
58
50
22
28
66
26
30
28
9
19
15
5
10
13
4
9
Not A s c e rta in a b le 40
22
18
3
2
I
37
20
17
7 .6
8 .2
7 .6
7 .4
7 .9
8 .1
7 .7
8 .6
T o ta l
Over 12
Median Grade
Completed
7 .8
♦R efers t o th e husband and w ife in each household