Good life in the country: Rural households and the American pie, 1900-1930

This dissertation focusses on the dialogue within the rural community and between the country and the city about the "good life," about how the rural community fit into a modern, consumption-oriented, industrial-based economy. Sentiments of farm families usually were expressed by rural women--literate women. Previous histories have looked to the messages going into the rural community from reformers and advertisers. This study looks, instead, at the desires and demands emanating from farm families, often in letters to federal agencies. As another source, Country Life reformers and national advertisers were making a concerted effort to tap into rural opinion, distributing surveys and sponsoring essay contests in farm journals. These efforts were aimed toward "progressive" rural families; not necessarily those who were currently affluent and influential, but those who were so placed by education and initiative as to benefit from reform efforts and become affluent and influential. In the words of rural women about quality of life, in their buying patterns, are shades of nuances that add depth and perspective to our understanding both of rural life and of Progressive era reform. The piece of the debate over rural life controlled and directed by "progressive" farm women suggests that there was no homogeneity of opinion within the rural community. Families were neither fully resistant nor fully accepting of the changes of the twentieth century. Though they were clearly intrigued by the accoutrements of industrialism, rural women differed as to how crucial such acquisitions were to living the good life. They picked and chose what they bought and what they expressed a desire to buy. Likewise, they embraced certain Progressive reforms and ignored others. The promises of Progressivism came packaged in the household technologies and entertainments of a new era; debate over the good life hinged directly on the comforts of the industrial age. Every modern convenience acquired was, in a sense, a promise kept. Letters and essays and surveys stemming from the rural community suggest that enough conveniences were flowing into enough farm houses as to make the promises of Progressivism seem both valid and possible.