PREFACE In selecting localities for the social and economic surveys conducted by the Division of Research in Agricultural Economics of the University of Minnesota, it has been the object to choose communities that are typical of different sections of the State. The first, published in 1913, covered a township in southeastern Minnesota which is representative of those regions where diversified farming and dairying have reached a fairly high state of development. The community selected for this survey is in the Red River Valley, near Crookston, and is typical of the large-farm, grain-growing section of Minnesota. The farming community covered does not represent the very best section of the valley; better-kept farms and more fertile soil are to be found nearer the river itself, and on the Dakota side. The section covered in the survey includes not only land with rich "gumbo" soil, but also sandy land where farming has not developed to so high a point. On the whole this community is typical of the average Red River Valley community in that it stands midway between the most highly developed parts of the valley and the poorer parts. This survey and the one taken simultaneously in the "cut-over" potato section in eastern Minnesota, differ from that previously described in that an attempt has been made to include both a farming and a village community instead of a farming community alone. A village has been selected as the center of economic activities, and the territory covered is that which is tributary to the village, that is, the territory which uses the village both as a shipping point and as a place in which to buy supplies and professional services. In this way it has been intended not only to bring out a comparison between life on the farm and life in a small Minnesota village, but also to bring out the economic dependence of the one on the other. In this survey it was found that the differentiation between village life and farm life had developed to so great an extent that the two are treated separately in the presentation of the data. In the eastern Minnesota survey, on the other hand, the village life and farm life are carried along together. The object of these surveys is to subject to statistical measurement certain rural social and economic forces in order to furnish more exact data as a foundation for constructive programs of rural betterment. No attempt is made in the presentation of these reports to offer such constructive programs, principally because the data obtained are confined to such. restricted localities that it would be dangerous to make broad generalizations. It is hoped, however, that as these studies continue, and comparisons of conditions in different communities are thus made possible, certain fundamental facts will gradually unfold, with the result that sane and definite methods of procedure may be evolved. In the meantime it is also hoped that the facts set forth will not only prove suggestive to those who are studying the rural-life problem, but that these facts may also furnish definite evidence, either corroborative or adverse, as to the wisdom of policies and theories that they may be advocating. This series of surveys was originally planned by Mr. C. W. Thompson, formerly Director of the Bureau of Research in Agricultural Economics, University of Minnesota, but since June, 1913, with the Rural Organization Service. The preliminary arrangements for this survey and the detailed planning of the schedules and methods of procedure were perfected by Mr. Thompson before his resignation from the University of Minnesota. It should also be stated that Mr. Thompson has given generously of his time in reading manuscript and in giving valuable counsel throughout the preparation of this report. The field work was performed during the summer of 1913 by the author, assisted by Mr. C. A. Halverson. The able assistance of Miss Olga Axness in working up the statistical results from field notes is gratefully acknowledged. L. D. H. Weld, |