The Changing Role of Women The Changing Role of Women on Iowa Farms: Implications on Iowa Farms: Implications for Communitiesfor Communities

Paul LasleyPaul Lasley

Department of SociologyDepartment of Sociology

Iowa State UniversityIowa State University

The Social Aspects of Rural The Social Aspects of Rural Life and Farm Tenantry, Cedar Life and Farm Tenantry, Cedar County, IowaCounty, Iowa

Bulletin 217Bulletin 217Iowa State College of Agriculture Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanical Artsand Mechanical ArtsAugust, 1923 August, 1923

The Rural HomesteadThe Rural Homestead

400 farm families in northwest 400 farm families in northwest Cedar CountyCedar County

Average family size 4.22Average family size 4.22

The Rural HomesteadThe Rural Homestead

80% of homes had screens80% of homes had screens 94% had cellar or basement94% had cellar or basement 31% had modern heating systems31% had modern heating systems 20% had running water20% had running water 18% had bathtubs and indoor toilets18% had bathtubs and indoor toilets 20% had electricity or gas20% had electricity or gas 91% had telephone91% had telephone

Housing CharacteristicsHousing Characteristics

OWNERSOWNERS 15 were one-15 were one-

storystory 64 were 1 ½ 64 were 1 ½

storiesstories 151 were two 151 were two

storiesstories 2 were 2 ½ stories2 were 2 ½ stories Avg number of Avg number of

rooms 7.8rooms 7.8

TENANTSTENANTS 12 were one story12 were one story 54 were 1 ½ 54 were 1 ½

storiesstories 85 were 2 stories85 were 2 stories 2 were 2 ½ 2 were 2 ½

storiesstories Avg number of Avg number of

rooms 7.8rooms 7.8

The Work Farm Women Do The Work Farm Women Do Outside of the HouseOutside of the House

OWNERSOWNERS TENANTSTENANTS 75% take care of chickens75% take care of chickens 7070 71% take care of the garden71% take care of the garden 6565 10% milk cows10% milk cows 1111 13% work in the field13% work in the field 1010 5% keep children home 5% keep children home 3 3

from school to help outfrom school to help out

The Rural HouseholdThe Rural Household

96% had gardens96% had gardens– 50% were within 50 feet of the house50% were within 50 feet of the house

84% had lawns or grass plot84% had lawns or grass plot 35% had walks35% had walks 91% had trees or scrubs91% had trees or scrubs 51% had flower beds51% had flower beds 84% had fence around the yard84% had fence around the yard

Comments from Farm WomenComments from Farm Women

““We are too far from town to belong to a We are too far from town to belong to a lodge or anything like that”lodge or anything like that”

““I wish we had some way to get acquainted. I wish we had some way to get acquainted. We need some spirit in this community”We need some spirit in this community”

“ “ Farmers are not as sociable and Farmers are not as sociable and sympathetic of each other’s needs as they sympathetic of each other’s needs as they should be”should be”

““Have no social life here. Have no time to get Have no social life here. Have no time to get into anything, Haven’t even any neighbors”into anything, Haven’t even any neighbors”

Changes in visiting patterns of Iowa Changes in visiting patterns of Iowa farmers in the past 10 years: farmers in the past 10 years: (continued)(continued)

Do you feel that neighborsDo you feel that neighbors 20062006 6161 373722

helping each other over thehelping each other over the 19961996 7676 242411

past 10 years haspast 10 years has 19901990 7070 282822

Over the past 10 years, howOver the past 10 years, how 20062006 3535 595966

has your level of helpinghas your level of helping 19961996 3737 565677

other neighbors changed?other neighbors changed? 19901990 3434 595977

RemainedRemainedYearYear DeclinedDeclined the Samethe Same

IncreasedIncreased

Community life scores for 1984, 1996 and 2006Community life scores for 1984, 1996 and 2006

20062006 9393 44 33People don’t depend uponPeople don’t depend upon 19961996 9191 33 66each other like they once dideach other like they once did 19841984 9393 22 55

YearYear AgreeAgree UncertainUncertainDisagreeDisagree

Several people have commented on the changes in their Several people have commented on the changes in their neighborhoods. Please indicate which category comes closest neighborhoods. Please indicate which category comes closest to representing your opinion about your community.to representing your opinion about your community.

------------------ percent ------------------------------------ percent ------------------

Community life scores for 1984, 1996 and 2006 Community life scores for 1984, 1996 and 2006 (continued)(continued)

I’m so busy nowadays I don’tI’m so busy nowadays I don’t 20062006 5050 13133636

seem to have time to visit seem to have time to visit 19961996 6262 883030

with my neighborswith my neighbors 19841984 6464 553131

About the only time I seeAbout the only time I see 20062006 5454 9936 36

my neighbors is when theymy neighbors is when they 19961996 5959 663535

drive past my farmdrive past my farm 19841984 5454 334343

------------------ percent ------------------------------------ percent ------------------

YearYear AgreeAgree UncertainUncertainDisagreeDisagree

Community life scores for 1984, 1996 and 2006 Community life scores for 1984, 1996 and 2006 (continued)(continued)

It is difficult to get peopleIt is difficult to get people 20062006 5050 2727 2323to volunteer to help onto volunteer to help on 19961996 5959 1919 2222community projectscommunity projects 19841984 6262 1212 2727

20062006 5656 1818 2626

I’m not as active in communityI’m not as active in community 19961996 6161 1313 2626affairs as I should beaffairs as I should be 19841984 6565 1010 2525

------------------ percent ------------------------------------ percent ------------------

YearYear AgreeAgree UncertainUncertainDisagreeDisagree

Rural PopulationRural PopulationIowaIowa

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 20000

0.5

1

1.5

2Millions

Country Place Farm

What factors have contributed to What factors have contributed to the decline in neighboringthe decline in neighboring

Population changePopulation change Changing role of women, the historic carriers of Changing role of women, the historic carriers of

civic spiritcivic spirit Multiple job holdingMultiple job holding Smaller families (fewer children)Smaller families (fewer children) Hectic LifestylesHectic Lifestyles Aging populationAging population Individual vs group entertainmentIndividual vs group entertainment

In the past community development In the past community development was about building things..roads, was about building things..roads, schools, churches, industrial parks, schools, churches, industrial parks, etc..etc..

Now it appears the future of Now it appears the future of community development is about community development is about

building or strengthening relationships.building or strengthening relationships.