DEVELOPMENT OF OCCUPATEONAL AND COMMUNITY PREFERENCES AMONG YOUTH OF A RURAL COMMUNSTY Thesis far the Degree of M. A. MICHGAN STATE COLLEGE Grant Bogue $§54 l‘fiae‘tb This is to certify that the thesis entitled "DeveIOpment. of Occupational and. Comunity Preferences Among Youth of a Rural Community“ presented by Grant Bogue has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for MOA. degree in SOCiOlogy & AntMOPOlogy Major professor? % Date July 28: 19511 0-169 mmmsm or occvruxom. AND COMMUNITY PREFERENCES prom room or .t RURAL comm: BY Grant Bogue A E83318 Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial Mfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OI ARES Department of Sociology and Anthropology 1954 'H E, b.’ \I' LGKNUWLEDGMENTS I am gratefully indebted to the members of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Michigan State College for their invaluable assistance and many helpful suggestions. I particularly fish to thank Dr. William 3. rom for his generous guidance and assistance in the development of the thesis and hisedirection and supervision of the study. The generous assistance of the teachers of Pittsford.Rural Agricultural School and North Adams Consolidated High School in data gathering is greatly appreciated. eeeeeeeseeeesseees TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I II III Introduction The Problem The Literature The Hethod Hypotheses to be Tested The Analysis The Social Setting of the Study Nature of the Community The School System Occupational Identifications Choice Patterns Social rectors Age Change Summary Community Identification Choice Patterns Social.rectors ‘Age Change WIT Occupation.and Community Identifications Choice Patterns Social,ractors Age Change Summary iii 1H5: TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued CHAPTER VI Summary and Conclusion Review of the Study Review of the Problem Appendices Bibl iogrlplw iv LIST OF TABLES TABLE I II III VII VIII II III XIII XIV Occupational Identification Coding Guide Percentage Distribution of the Occupational Choice Category Preferences for each School Grade Frequency Distribution of Occupational Choice Scores by'Each School Grade Loci of Occupational Preferences by Grade and Sex Loci of Occupational Preferences by Grade and Occupation Experience Loci of Occupational Preferences by Grade and Rural-nonrural Background Loci of Occupational Preferences by Grade and Migration Background Loci of Occupational Preferences by Grade and Occupational Models Community Identification Coding Guide Percentage distribution of the Community Choice Category Preferences for each School Grade lrequenoy Distribution of Community Choice Scores for each School Grade Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and Sex Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and Community Experience Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and Rural-nonrural Background ‘IV' Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and XVI Migration.Baokground Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and Community Models PAGE 31 33 49 55 58 60 64 66 68 70 7a LIST OF TABLES - Continued XVII .XVIII XXI XXII XXIII 0 Percentage Distribution of the Occupational and Community Choice Category Preferences for each School Grade. A Comparison of the Degree of Contingency of the Social Factors of Occupational and Community Iden- tification Prequcncy Distribution of Scores for each Social Factor as Related to Occupational Identification for each School Grade Frequency Distribution of Scores for each Social Factor as Related to Community Identification for each School Grade Frequency Distribution of Occupational Choices by Community Choices for each School Grade number of Cases in the Pepulation of the Study Papulation of School Grades per Year PAGE 78 80 103 104 105 101 102 LIST OF GRAPES Graph I Percentage Comparison of Extent of Congruent Choice Identifications II Percentage Variation of Total Average Social Factor Index by Grade and.0ccupationa1 Choice III Percentage Variation of Total Average Social Factor Index by Grade and Community Choice Page 83 106 107 CHAPTER ONE: INTEDUCTIOH CHAPTER I INTRODUCED ION About half of the rural children in the United States eventually migrate to urban centers.1 Yet, the socialising process. roots of which are embedded in the social structure of the rural community, does not generally prepare rural children for potential migration to urban centers.2 Although some rural school systems prepare some of their students to some extent, for urban living, they do not systematically select out for spa- cialized instruction those who are more likely to need urban instruction. On the whole. host rural children receive primarily a rural orientation toward work and community life, modified by such contacts as are provided by newspapers. radio. movies, and occasional visits outside the community. lven these contacts are often interpreted in terms of rural values. The Problem Migration from a rural continuity is less a matter of individual choice than a matter of necessity. Presumably, such migrants can be aided by a knowledge of the development of occupational and community preferences among rural youth. Such deveIOpment is the area of in- vestigation of this study. 1 Term Population Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, 13.0.. 1940. 3 s. 1.. Melvin a. r. N. Smith. M Young: Their m an; Pros- .22251. P- 119. Research HonOgraph IV, Division of Social Research. Works Pregress Administration, lashington, D. 0.. 1938. Por example. in the rural school where this study is projected, the local school board must allocate its resources between "Industrial" and “Agricultural“ courses. and the school board attempts to do so to best effect. Yet individuals apparently select these courses on the basis of such factors as interpersonal relations. with little regard for their ultimate use. Thus. in the school the problem is partly recognized. but the solution is inadequate. It is seen that a need for discrimination among the students for training existed, but there is no suitable basis for the necessary decisions for potential mig- rants. . The objectives of the study are to test the relation of several imputed “social factors“ as variables upon community and occupational preference, in order to gain insight pertaining to the factors of migration selection among rural youth. The problem herein relates to sociology in that comon social factors may be held as partial determinates or correlates of choice and behavior. This is not to displace. but to complement, related studiesof youth development pertinent to other disciplines. such as psychology, economics. or education. While it is hoped that this study may be useful. it is beyond its scape to find awbetter method of instructing potential migrants for urban living. Such a problem lies more within the fields of education and social planning. It is expected that this study may add to the knowledge of occupational selection and urbanward migration of rural youth. It cannot expect to derive final. universal answers. The central question in this study is, “What relationships exist among some of the social factors pertaining to rural occupational and community choice?“ Related questions are, "What aspirations. identi- fications. plans, and participations exist among rural youth groups at various stages of their devc10pment?” To gain insight upon these ques- tions. a questionnaire was given to a selected group of rural youth in various school grades. The Literature The problem selected for study is not a new one. To a large extent this research is a re-examination of trends pointed out by others. A small part of the approach may be unique to this study. Although many studies have focussed on decisional problems of adolescents. they have not generally studied these problems "longitudinally."1 The reason is simple: it would be difficult and expensive to trace a group of youth and check their responses over a period of years. Alternative methods leave such a study Open to possible invalidation. Yet such methods may be used with caution to indicate probable directions of findings. One of the limitations of the longitudinal approach to a study of rural youth is pointed out by Landis:2 '...rural life is in a state of rapid transition. New patterns are at many points replacing the old....Experience, institutions. and problems, every important aspect of personal and institutional life. are being modified by the new social forces.“ 1 'Longitudinal' is meant simply to imply analysis of response from one end of a time continuum to another, as apposed to “latitudinal". within the same time span. See Delbert C. Miller 8: William H. Form, industrial Sociology, (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1951). p. 540. 2 Paul H. Landis, Burg; Life in Procegg, (New York, McGraw—Eill, 1940), 1). vii. e u e s r s u s U . . o e s u . s e . l e C..- n ' | , 0 . c . . s Yet. by the same token he has described the need for such an approach. Understanding the changes in occupational or community identifications may be rooted in change in the background experiences of individuals, and changes in community structure. In view of the heavy rural to urban migration of youth, Landis further pointed out the effects of inadequate socialization upon the individual's adjustment and on the social life of the rural and the urban. societies themselves.1 Borokin and others have indicated the effects of such differential socialization upon urban economics. and the interference of adverse migrations.‘a Census reports have indi- cated the increasing importance of rural migrations to rural non—farm and urban areas.3 Such migrations create new problems in social integration. Particular studies have dealt with various aspects of the type of analysis undertaken in this study. 'Youth and the Uorld of Work“ ex- cellently considered occupational wishes and future plans of tenth and twelfth grade Michigan youth. and several social factors pertinent 4 to them. Youmans further established several relationships between 1 Ibid. pp. 167-330. passin 3 P. A. Sorokin. G. G. Zimerman, C. J. Galpin. A Szgtematic 0 cc $01: 1.3 M mciologI (University of Minnesota Press. 1940 , '01. 3’ pp. 530.538. 5 P. K. Hatt d: A. J. Reiss, Jr.. Eeader in Urban Sociolog, (The Free Press, Glencoe, Illinois. 1951). pp. 57-69, ”The Urban Population of the United States', by the Bureau of the Census. 4 social Research Service, (Michigan State College, 1949). Iguth and m Wogld 2; Work, passim. choices of twelfth grade boys and various social factors from the some data.1 These studies indicated that significant relations existed between sex. comnity type, father's occupation, and occupation choice. The present study is indebted to these suggestions for the inclusion of sex. experience, rural background. migration background. and models as possible longitudinal variables upon occupation and community choice. In relation to the five I'social factors. just suggested as variables. the present study resolves itself partly into an attempt, through the analysis of an isolated rural population. to check the extent to which 'types" of individuals are attracted to urban occupation and continuity life. . The studies referred to above have brought out a great deal of data and relationships. They have added to understanding of method- ology in their fields. Many of the 'social factors' used in this _ stum' as potential variables. and man of the questions used in the instrument were borrowed directly from those studies. However, this study departs from the other data, in three ways. First, an attempt is made to study the problem longitudinally within a relatively home- geneous (rural) group. Second, an attempt is made to study a parallel relationship of meaningful social factors simultaneously to occupation and comunity preferences. Third. an atypical. isolated population is selected to represent, not an organizational or community 'type' or 1 Elmer Grant Ioumans. a W 9;: 3;; mp1 raptor! in pg; Work wineries and Lute” t 9.: .s __p.__9_.___.._Be 1‘6 tentative Mia .91 We 1’ Eases mm 3.911. (nil). Dissertation, Michigan State College. 1953). “mode“, but a group of rural youth who are similarly isolated and homo- geneous in their commity environment. This is done in order to test the selective characteristics and relationships to choice of the pre- sumed variable “social factors“ represented. The Method. This study is based upon an analysis of responses of 861 youth of grades five through twelve from Pittsford Rural Ayicultural School. Pittsford Rural Agricultural School is a rural consolidated school located in the village of Pittsford, Hillsdale county, Michigan. The schoolhas a present enrollment of about 800 students in grades one through twelve. The students come from the village and from a large rural area in which the peOple depend for their income primarily upon agriculture, and to some extent upon employment in factories in neigh- boring towns.1 The first four grades were eliminated from the study becaussrof a lack of reading comprehension. In February. 1954, a questionnaire was distributed in the classrooms to all of the students present in the remaining grades. (Later. questionnaires were given individually to those not present.) The questionnaire. which required fras 15 to 45 minutes to complete, was administered in grades nine through twelve by the regular classroom teachers. and in grades five through eight by the author. Such instructions were given as to assure, as much as 1 See Chapter II. “Social Setting of the Study.“ possible, seriousness and spontaneity of response. A high degree of cooperation was obtained from administrators, teachers, and students, resulting in a return of more than 90% of the seriously answered questionnaires. Because of this the author concluded that the responses represented the Opinions and decisions of the pupils at that time. The questionnaire contained 32 questions.1 The questions were designed to provide an index, which could be translated into a numer- ical code, for ten items. Three of the item-indices were used in two separate connections, thus providing actually thirteen items for con- sideration. These included the indices of occupational choice, with its five attendant variables: sex, occupation experience, rural-nonrural background, migration background, and occupation models; and the indices community choice, with five variables expected to be parallel (equivalently related) to those of occupational choice: sex, community experience, ruraldnonrural background, migration background, and community models. The same questions and index were used for sex, rural—nonrural background and migration background, in relation both to occupation and community choice. The tenth item, age, used in the study as an independent vari- able, was taken as reflected by grade in school. The questions and the coding method were established in relation to working hypotheses designed in reference to the original question of the study. Occupational identification or choice as used in this study, do not ___ 1 Seetippendix II, Questionnaire, p. 92. refer to specific occupations, but to a choice among occupations found or not to be found, in the occupational structure of the Pittsford com- Iunity, such that an individual selects a type and locus of occupational choice simultaneously. comparably, the term community identification or choice as used in this study refers, not to a specific community, but to a type and locus of community based upon Pittsford and the local school district. The terms occupation or commity choice will be retained for simplicity in this study, with the above meaning. Comparable to each other. the framework of both the occupation and community typologies (explained in more detail in their respective chapters) each demand one of four responses from each individual in the population, in answer to the question: “M3 do you plan to work for a living?“ and “finer; do you plan to live!“ The four possible choice categories are: 1. Rural (on a farm), within local community (near Pittsford) 3. Rural. outside the local community c. Non-rural. within local commity D. Non-rural, outside the local community For each individual, occupation or community identification was presumed to be reflected in the four choices above, labeled A throw 2D in expected order of relation from local rural toward urban iden- tification. It; is important to notice that an individual choice is at a specific age level. The method and analysis are premised partly on the postulate that “age-roles“, or the “roles“ adapted by groups of individuals by virtue of age, have remained rather constant. for. example, the choices of the ninth grade are very roughly those which the twelfth grade would have made three years earlier. For both choices and for all of the social factors (except sex and grade), three or more questions were used as an index to each item. An arbitrary scale of zero to eighteen points was adopted as a numerical code for each item. Occupational choice and community choice categories were each identified for every individml according to the position of his total score from the pertinent questions. along the scale. The scale was divided by a prearranged, arbitrary ordinal weighting of the questions, designed to reflect the four choice categories above, in the order named. Such occupation and community choice identification for each indi- vidual was decided by numerical scoring and interpretation rather than by a specific answer to one question. This was done because of the correct, anticipation that a high degree of internal inconsistency would be present among individualschoices from one question to another in the questionnaire. The “real“ identification could not easily be re- solved by subJective inspection of the questionnaire with consistency from one case to another. The method of numerical interpretation of an ordinal category, inherent in the scoring system, resolves the in- consistency frcm one case to another, through its degree of objectivity.1 1 ror example, an individual might inconsistently indicate a desire to become a farmer on one question, and a dentist on another. The numer- ical method selects an average position on the continuum of the answers to all the questions. Thus, for inconsistent responses, the method leaves a theoretical objection to its validity, by assuming a unidimentionality inthe data which might not be present for some cases as for others. The pessible invalidation of the occupation and community choices as thus recorded, some in the instances of inconsistency of the individuals who answered the questions. and remains inherent in the interpretations and analysis of this study. Responses of consistent individuals were accurately scored by the index. This partial invalidation of the analysis is corrected somewhat by the scoring method, to the extent that the scoring averages out the inconsistencies. The inconsistent responses, therefore, affect the “B“ and “0“ choices considerably, and the extremes of the choice range, “A“ and “D“, only slightly. Inconsistent responses were present in approximately one third of the questionnaires. 10 Loomis and Beagle have pointed out an observable distinction be- tween urban and rural groups based upon a continuum from rural to urban of a “familistic gemeinschaft“ to a more “contractural gesellschaft“ relationship of the groups to their social interactions and their structuring cultural factors.1 Based upon the expectation that such a differential relationship of the characteristics of social factors along the population might be related to the attraction of urbanism among the members of the pepulation, the social factors represented in this study were divided relatively for each individual of a given age group according to a continuum of an expected rural to urban char- acteristic of that factor. tor the variable social factors, with the exception of grade and sex which are arbitrary, the items were similarly scored along a scale of expected ordinal relationship of zero to eighteen, to “measure“ the _ relative rural, local to non-rural, nonlocal, or less to more, of the particular characteristic factor for each individual of one grade. within each grade, the distribution was divided for each factor score by use of the median for that grade, and the dichotomized relationship of each factor was recorded for each individual. Because the numerical values for each question were arbitrarily selected, direct score comparison between items or between grades for the same item would be invalid. The score establishes a comparison of individuals within the same grade, for each social factor category. “4 __._ 1 G. P. Loomis & J. A. Beagle, M fig;i__a_._l_ fizgtemg, (New York, Prentice- 38.11. Inca. 1950). pp. 29-35. 11 The range of numerical value or weight for each question was deter- mined by inspection of the pretest, on the basis of the apparent meaning- fulness of the question in relation to the social factor category, and upon the possibility of receiving an answer to the question.1 (Question. naires were rejected from the population when insufficient answers were recorded.) Scoring of individual answers within the range of each ques- tion.was arbitrary, but consistently'based.upon the established typologies. The author concluded that the method of indexing the responses was cone sistent enough to provide significant comparison.frcl.one case to another for analysis. Questions requiring cryptic answers, such as occupational choice description, were scored along a comparison scale; for instance, occup pations were sealed in accordance with existing jobs, in terms of whether the Job could be found in or likened to jobs within the Pittsford community, or whether, as in the case of a chemist, the individual must go elsewhere. Admittedly several cases required uniquely subjective interpretation, as in.the case of a.lissionary; However, these included less than five per- cent of the total. 1 l.pretest of the questionnaire was conducted at north.Adams Consolidated High.8chool, a school with similar characteristics to those of the Pittsford school, in the adjoining school district. About one hundred cases were examined fron.four grades to determine the applicability of the questions, and several questions were altered in the final questionp naire as a result. The function of the typological indexing of the locus and tme of occupational and community choice, and the imputed social factors of the individuals within the population, was to provide a means cf testing hypotheses relative to selection of rural youth for urban migration. Hypotheses to be Tested The seven hypotheses below establish the framework of the analyses of the succeeding chapters. The first three hypotheses concern occu- pational choice, its relative social factors, and age change. The second three hypotheses concern community choice, its relative social factors, and age change. The seventh hypothesis concerns the interrelationship of occupation and community choice, and their relative social factors, and age change. Emogesis LL. Advance in age (as reflected by grades in school), is characterised by change in locus and type of occupation identification among rural youth. It was expected that as age advanced the type‘and locus of occu- pation choice would tend to change from a more local, rural identification, which would be somewhat censistent with the situation of the population, toward a more non-local, non-rural identification, which would be less associated with the occupation pattern of the Pittsford connuunity and more associated with non-local, non-farm or urban occupations. Accordingly, the questions to be answered in relation to this hypoth- esis include, “What occupation choices pertain at each age or grade among 13 the population?“ and “What is the relationship of any differential dis- tribution of choice from one grade to another?“ gypgthesis LB. Certain social factors may be imputed to be related to locus and type of occupation identification, at each age level, among mal youth. . Five social factors, expected to be variables pertinent to occupation choice, have been prepresented within the frenework of this hypothesis. The direction of the relationship expected for each factor is described below. Sex was expected to be related to occupation choice, in that males were expected to be more inclined to rural or local occupation choice than females. Landis has pointed out that “Movement in the quest of status is much more important in the life of the farm girl than of the boy.“1 Ogburn and Himkoff point out “In general at the younger ages the migrants from farms to towns include .more young women than young men.“2 Again it has been pointed out that most employment in rural areas is for men.3 The question to be investigated under this hypothesis becomes, “What is the relationship of the distribution of males and females to the distribution of type and locus of occupation choice, at each age level?“ 1 Landis, 93. 941.. p. 212. ‘w. r. Ogburn & 11.1. Nimkoff, m, (Boughton nii‘nin Company, 1940). p. 448. 3 w. 3. Thompson. Equalities Prob_____l____ems, (McGraw-Hill Book 60., Inc. , a. r. 1935). Table 6, p. 99. 14 Occupation experience, used in this study in a quantitative sense, was expected to be related to occupation choice, in that those with less occupation experience than others at each age level might be ~bxpected to be exposed to less urbanized influences, and hence tend. to choose more local or rural occupations than those with more occupation experience. At all age levels, more than 95$ of the population had done some work for pay, and although the jobs varied from baby sitting to factory work, the population at all ages entertained conceptions of the meaning of work experience, and therefore such experience might be expected to be meaningful in terms of occupation choice. The quali- tative aspects of occupation experience were not examined in this study. because of the high degree of subjective-interpretation involved. The question unstained, “What is the relationship of the distribution of those with less quantitative occupation experience as opposed to those with more, to type and locus of occupation choicet'l Bursl-nonrural background of individuals of the rural papulation studied was expected to be relative to type of locus‘ of occupation choice, in that it was anticipated that those in the country, on a farm, or in Pittsford, would to a greater extent be more likely to make rural and local occupation choices than those who had been more exposed to a non-farm or urban backgrounds Thus the question became, “hat is the relationship of the distribution of those with rural or non-rural backgrounds to type and locus of occupation choice?“ 1 Youmans, 92. 931., p. 209. Youmans posits a somewhat conflicting “conservative“ effect of quantitative occupation‘eXperience. .11.“..1 {I}: II 15 Migration was expected to be relative, in that those whose lives and backgrounds, and parents backgrounds. included less moving about and less life outside the Pittsford comunity would have their “roots“ more deeply planted in the local community and its occupations, and be less exposed to urbanized influences, than those whose backgrounds included more migrations. Hence those whose migration background was less would make more local. rural choices than those whose migration background was greater. The question raised for investigation was, “What is the relationship of the distribution of those with less or more migration to type and locus of occupation choice?“ Occupation models was considered as an index designed to relate the occupational locus and type of the father and other individuals who might influence the occupation choice of the rural youth} Thus it might be expected that those whose models were less local, rural would tend to make less local, rural choices than those whose models were more local, rural. Ioumans showed that of Michigan youth as a whole, the father's occupation was a significant factor to occupation choice}. The question delineated under this hypothesis was, “What is the relationship of the distribution of those of less or more local, rural occupation models to type and locus of occupation choice?“ .- __.. 1 Ior a general discussion of the basis of model selection see N. E. Miller 8: J. Bollard, £9915], W and Imitation, (Yale University Press, 1941), passim. 3 Youmans, on. £43.. p. 113. -hm 16 W 112. Change in type and locus of occupational identifi- cations with advance in age varies in the same direction as change in the social factors with advance in age. It was expected that comparison of the characteristics of the popu- lations of each age level with one another would indicate that as age advanced, in terms of each factor the pOpulation would be less local. rural and more urban in character. Thus, it would be expected that there would appear relatively more females than males in the higher grades: the higher age groups would have had more occupation exper- ience, more urban life, more migration, more contact with urban models. It was expected that these relationships would be in the same direction as the relationship of occupation choice to age change examined under twpothesis IA. The questions were, “What differences appear in the social factors of occupation choice from one age group “to another?“ and “What is the relationship of such change to change in occupation choice?“ The community identification analysis was pursued within a hypoth- etical framework expected to be comparable to that of occupation iden- tification. W 12.: Advance in age (as reflected by grades in school), is characterized by change in locus and type of community identification among rural youth. It was expected that as age advanced the type and locus of com- IIunity choice would tend to change from a more local. rural identifi- cation, which would be somewhat consistent with the situation of the 17 population, toward a more nonlocal, nonrural identification which would be loss associated with the community or life of Pittsford. Accordingly, the questions to be answered in relation to this hypothesis included,“What are the community choices at each grade among the population?“ and “How does the distribution of choice vary from one grade to another?“ W 19. Certain social factors may be imputed to be related to locus and type of community identification, at each age level, among rural youth. live social factors, expected to be variables comparable to the variables of occupation identification, and pertinent in the same directions to commnity choice, have been represented within the framework of this hypothesis. Sex was expected to be related to community choice. in that males were expected to be more inclined to rural or local comunity choice than females, largely for the same reasons which would be expected? to influence occupation choice, and in the same direction. The ques- tion was then, “What is the relationship of the distribution of males and females to the distribution of type and locus of conmunity choice, at each grade?“ commity experience, designed as a quantitative index of community participation, and expected to be comparable to occupation experience, was expected ‘to be related to community choice in that those with less community experience, and presumably therefore less exposure to urban- ising influences, would tend to choose more local, rural community life than those with more community experience. Similarly to occupation 18 emerience, a wide variety of qualitative social experience was included, ' and the qualitative significance was not examined in this study. Indeed, had the index been a measure of purely local community participation, the reverse direction of relationship might have been anticipated. It may be noted here that the question is mtbiased toward the older group due to their greater Opportunity, because of' the method of comparing in- dividuals with less or more community experience with others in the lame grade, and not with the total population of all grades. The ques- tion resolved into, “What is the relationship of the distribution of those with less or more quantitative community experience to community choice?‘ ' Rural-nonmal background, (and also sex and migration), is‘the same index whether studies in relation to occupation or community choice. It was expected that those with a more rural background would tend to choose local, rural commity life, and those with less rural background would tend to chooae less rural and less local community life. The ques- tion was, “What is the relationship of the distribution of those with rural or nonrural backgrounds to community choice!" Migration was expected to be relative, in that those with less migration background would tend to make local, rural community choices and those with more migration, a more urban or nonlocal, nonrural choice. The question became, “What is the relationship of the distribution of those with less or more migration to community choice" Community models, an index designed to relate the community type and locus of influential individuals to the community choice of the 19 rural youth, was expected to be comparable to occupation.mode1s and to relate to community choice in the same direction that occupation models relate to occupation choice. It was expected that those whose community'models were more rural and local would tend to choose rural, local community identifications, and that those whose community models were more urban or nonlocal, nonrural would.ch00se nonrural, nonlocal community life. The question was, “What is the relationship of the distribution.of those of less or more rural, local community models to community choice?“ mm 119. Change in type and locus of community identification with advance in age varies in the same direction as change in the social factors with advance in age. It was expected that for each factor, as age advanced the social factor characteristics would be less local, rural and more urban.in character for the total population of succeeding age groups. Thus, it would.be expected that there ndght appear relatively more females than males in the higher grades; the higher age groups would have had more community experience, nonrural, nonlecal life, more migration, more nonrural, nonlocal models. It was expected that these relationships would be in the same direction as the relationship of community choice~ to age change examined.under hypothesis IIA. The questions were, “What, differences appear in the social factors of community choice fril.one age group to another!‘ and 'What is the relationship of such change to change in community choicet' 20 W 13;. Occupational and community identifications, and their relationships to social factors and age change, are similarLy related to one another among rural youth. It was expected that the direction and significance of the relationships observed under the three hypotheses of occupational identification.would be comparable and roughly identifical to the directions and significance of the relationships observed under the three hypotheses of community identification. Thus it would be expected that occupation and community choices would be similar, in that individuals would tend to choose to work where they chose to live; that each of the social factors would.be similarly'related to choice at each.grade, to a similar degree of direction and signifi- cance; and that such.relationships would be similarly affected by change in age. The question examined was, 'HOw do the observations concluded under hypotheses IA, 13, and IG compare with those of ILL, 113, and 1107' The.Analysis Essentially the hypotheses have suggested that choices exist, certain factors relate to the choices, and that the relation of the factors changes with time. In terms of the hypotheses and the situp ation the questionnaire attempted to derive such information as: What are the occupational and community choices of each individual? What is his background? What alternatives and limits of occupation and community partici- pation exist in the community? 21 What are the individual's conceptions of those alternatives and limits? What has been his occupation and social experience? The questionnaire was so constructed that the answers to these questions might be coded and tabled for comparison, to test the hypotheses. While all the hypotheses are positively stated, their validation is in no sense presupposed by their interrelationship. Each hypothesis admits of validation, rejection, or irrelevancy, as the data might indicate. Each hypothesis was checked by data and in turn related to the previous result. To achieve such comparison, the responses (from the questionnaire) were translated into comparable numerical units, the factor characteristic of each individual “measured“ by establishing a comparative scale, and the response distribution fitted to the scale by median division for the dichotomies presented. The analysis chosen relied on the values of x2 for comparison of significance of the social factor relationship, and of a corrected coefficient of contingency for comparison, of the social factor relationships.1 A probability factor of .05 or below was arbitrarily __¥ A 1 The :2 technique was calculated according to the method suggested by H. Hagood, §tgtistic§ :31; ociolo 1 ts, (New York, Henry Holt 8:. 00., 1941), p. 508.. In computing the , adjustment for small N was com- puted by subtracting .5 from (£0 - fe) when the expected frequency was less than 5. The C and .5 calculations of coefficient of contingency were according to the method suggested by G. C. Peters .9. W. R. VanYorhis, t t ti ficcedureg g gheig fiathematic Bgseg, (New York, McGraw-Hill, 1940), p. 398. The values of P were taken from R. A. Fisher & I. Yates, §§ati§ticg1 Tables in: W. W. e 1i.___ed1ca1 ___s___Be catch. (Oliver & Boyd: Edinburgh). taken as significant. Direction of relationship and interpretation was observed by inspection and related in the text. One chapter was devoted to each of the three main bodies of hypotheses. As indicated, this study intends to focus upon the relation of the society to the attitude formation and behavior patterns of its youth, in relation to occupation and community concepts. At the same time it is heped that it will answer some questions already raised, and thus build.upon.the body'of knowledge relevant to sociological theory and research. At least it will add to an under- standing of occupation.and community attitudes among this type of rural youth, even though the scores finally'used to substantiate or reject the hypotheses do not apply to specific individuals. CHAPTER TWO: SOCIAL SETTING OF THE STUDY CHAPTER II SOCIAL SETTING OF THE STUDY Nature of the Community Pittsford is not a self contained community. It is located at the edge of its (Pittsford) township, ten miles east and five miles west respectively of the larger centers of Hillsdale and Hudson, on a good highway connecting them.1 In common with similar villages in the county, it hists mainly to provide essentials for itself and its surrounding rural area, and to provide a home for the retired fanners of the area and aged widows. Pittsford has about 200 resi- dents; Pittsford township, about 1445.2 Pittsford. contained at the time of this study 3 grocery stores, 2 card rooms (customers are in- formal poker cliques), 3 automobile service stations, an independent telephone office, a general hardware store, a feed store, a coal yard, a tavern, a barber shop, a restaurant, a post office, a volunteer fire department, one active Wesleyan Methodist church, and a $300,000 school plant. Both pOpulation and property ownership have changed less than 15% in twenty years. Township property evaluation is slightly less than $2,000,000, taxed at the legal limit of 15 mills. the school is supported by a separate bond issue at a rate of 7.5 1 See appendix"1, Map. 2 Information herein was obtained largely through interview with local businessmen and from the township tax assessor and treasurer. mills. The town is served from Toledo by a daily Few York Central milk train. The surrounding rural area is based economically largely upon dairying, livestock, corn and oats. About twenty years ago the town was growing rapidly. A succession of fires, including two large fires in 1935 and 1941, wiped out many buildings, and the town never recovered its growth. The local 'business men's club', (also equivalent in membership to the volunteer fire depart- ment), makes spOradic attempts to rejuvenate the town, but despite an occasional new sidewalk, buildings are allowed to fall into disrepair or disuse, and business and property values continue to decline. It was largely through I sporadic rejuvenation effort that the consolidated grade and high school was built. Reminiscing old m still say ”The town is dying. " The School System The Pittsford Rural Agricultural School is somewhat of an anomaly. It was built by a commity that could not afford it, and is the com- munity pride and joy. Most of the high school teachers and adminis- trators are drawn from outside the community, live outside the com- munity, and their turnover rate is very high. Host of the teachers of the primary grades are local lifetime residents. The school district superintendent maintains his office in the school. ' M Such facilities are available as a full gym program with coach, music, home eccnemice.courses in a fine kitchen laboratory, shOp mechanics, on agriculture program, and the minimum qualifying academic courses such as English, Social Studies, and the like. The courses are provided to the students by means of a fairly conventional program and conventional teaching methods. Great discipline problems occur fre- quently, attendance records are rigorously emphasized, and the "level .of learning“ is estimated by the teachers to be somewhat lower than than of similar schools of the state.1 Sixteen school busses gather about 800 students from.parts of five townships at a radius of four to six miles. The number of pupils used in this study, including grades five through twelve, was 414. Despite the large plant and sparse pepulation, the extension of the school district, (which grows larger annually), leads to large classes and overlapping schedules. Although.the area is large, the district is entirely rural and, with the exception of a few high school students from.Bansom.(population approximately 100), Pittsford remains the primary town. Athletic competition provides contact for the students with similar schools within a 25 mile radius. The school board, composed of local farmers, shares wit the area residents a great interest in education. Good education is conceived in terms of physical plant, salaries, and athletic competition with neighborhing schools. At the same time, while the local peeple are willing to invest heavily in such.plant, little attempt is made to reorganize the content of education. For’example, in the past four years, three __.‘ 1 E. J'. Kama, History of Pittsford Schools of Pittsford, Michigan, OLA. Thesis, University of Toledo, 1949), passim. “ 26 school principals in a rov have attempted to inaugurate a testing and counseling program. Each time the board stopped the program on the basis of expense, (although in one case the expense was born by the principal), with side cements deriding the pertinency of such methods and expressing fear of the use of the information. Thus the group of youth chosen for this study has been aggregated son-what artificially, ecologically speaking, yet the youth are char- acterized by a rather homogeneous background setting. Pittsford exists only as a rural area and as a service center of that area. Economically it serves no other purpose. The school is a product of the area. and the school district is better fitted to the ec010gical setting than is the township political division. The school plant is modern; the cur- riculum and training is subjected to conservative and rather rigid value control. _ or the 414 youth in the population, 386 returned questionnaires.1 menty rive questionnaires were rejected because they were incomplete or because the students lived outside the area, leaving 361 usable cases. the total group included 182 males and 179 females, although this distribution on the baSis of sex was not evenly reflected from grade to grade. The lower grades were somewhat more heavily male, and the three higher grades were predominantly female. Slightly more than half of the test population had lived on local farms all their lives, and most of the others now lived in Pittsford 1 See Appendix 111, Population and Attrition. or in neighboring hamlets which have long ceased to perform any econ- omic service. A few students had lived in either small towns at some time during their lives, or larger cities such as Toledo or Detroit. A large number, did not live with one [or both parents, partly because several court probation cases living on local farms are included. It may be of interest that the latter group comprised the most eagerly responsive group in answering the questionnaire, and often showed great dissatisfaction with the local commity. Almost two thirds of the pepulation indicated, often strongly, that they felt their parents or guardians were not concerned with their welfare or dis- position. Students of all ages had work experience. Those in the lower grades performed farm chores, engaged in baby sitting, mowed lawns, raised livestock. Older youth worked in factories of neighboring towns, farmed alone or with parents or guardians, and worked for the local merchants of Pittsford. Several of the high school youth lived independently. Incomes were not large; workers seldom rectdved more than $1.00 per hour seen in the factories, and wages in the community were much lower. Exceptions occured, however, among the farm youth. One boy of eleven, for example, accurately reported livestock earnings of more than $5000 for the previous year. The youth observed their prospects within the Pittsford area fairly realistically. Generally they observed that alternatives in the area were to inherit a farm, work on a farm for someone else, work for one of the service agencies, in Pittsford, or commute to a job in Hillsdale, Hudson or Tecumseh. IV The role of models became evident. For exwple, the local barber, formerly a resident of Jackson, became the scoutmaster. Six of this troup indicated a desire to be a barber, Operating either in Pittsford or in a city. Social participation of the group varied widely, Although a few individuals indicated habitual attendance of all school functions, scout meetings, and local farm puth group meetings, most of the youth indicated that they seldom left home. The barber discovered that only one of his scout troup of 16 members over 14 years of age had ever visited a city as large as Adrian, 30 miles away. Many of the older students spend much of their spare time, however, in the movies and in the roller skating rink at Hillsdale. Several individuals‘ families shOp as far as Toledo or Jackson, and most of the youth periodically visit Hudson or Hillsdale for some purpOSe. In general, the urban contacts of the group have been quite limited. For many, Pittsford is regarded as 'town" and Hudson or Hillsdale is regarded as 'city.‘ Several who lived in the very small non-service hamletsof Wheatland Corners or Bird Lake, which consist of less than half a dozen houses at a crossroads, replied they intended to live in l‘town' at Wheatland Corners or Bird Lake. The students, however, made a fine distinction between living “on a farm' and 'in the country.‘I Outside the range of the social factors presumed to be variable, the population lives in an area uniquely homogeneous in many respects . Its economy is entirely based upon agriculture and farm service. The peOple are almost entirely Protestant of either Wesleyan Methodist or Free Methodist affiliation. Less than five catholic families reside in ‘v’ \‘ 25 the area. One Negro family lives in.Hillsdale. Intermarriage among the families is frequent. Net including school teachers, the author could trace no family that had lived in the area more than three years which was not related.to at least two others. Despite the apparent stability and.homogeneity of the area, however, cliques and exclusive groups abound with.great animosity and suspicion of one another and of strangers. Individual students have often.observed that “everybody'around here is out to cut somebody‘s throat.‘ Status groups are apparently in a state of transition. WEB. THEE: OCCUPAEIONAL IDENTIFICATIONS CHAPTER.THREE OCCUPATIONAL IDENTIFICATIONS The type and locus of occupational choice was determined by an index reflecting four choice categories, in reference to the question, "Where do you.want to work for a living?“ The choice categories were: rural. local: rural, nonlocal: nonrural, local; nonrural, nonlocal. These four choice categories were expected to be in an ordinal re- lationship from one category to another. The division of the scale of the scoring index to occupational choice was based upon an ar- bitrary'weighting such that the score would reflect the proper choice category of an individual who indicated consistent responses through. out the questionnaire.1 An index was also derived for each of the social factors assumed to be variables to occupational choice. These indices were derived for each individual by interpretation and scoring of questions accord- ing to a prearranged code. Table I displays the number of the questions in the questionnaire pertinent to each social factor and to occupational choice, and the possible score range for each.item and each.question. Weighting of individual questions was arbitrary, and defensible in that the index score achieved for each individual was used solely for comparison with the scores of other individuals. 1 The questionnaire, and the interpretation or scoring method for each question, are included in Appendix II. TABLEI Occupational Identification Coding Guide Social factor Direction Question Score Range Total Variable of score: Number 0 question Score Less to more (in order) Range Grade 5 to 12 z 6 - 12 5 --13 Sex maletofemale 3 14-! 11-! Occupation Less to more 6, 18, 21 O-6;O-6;0-6 0 --18 Experience Rural-nonmral rural to 4, 12, 14 O-5:0-8;O-5 O -18 Background non-rural Migration less to more 5, 13, 24 l-6;0—6;O-6 l -18 Background Occupation M rural to 10, 27, 29 O—6;O-6;0-6 0 ~18 Models non-rural Occupation A-rural. local to 8, 15 O—5;O—5 0-18 Choice B-rural, nonlocal to 36 0-5 C-nonrural, local to 32 0.3 This table is a reference to the use of questions from the questionnaire in this chapter. D-nonrural . nonlocal See Appendix II, Questionnaire, p. lee.-.l1..).... . . I w . Choice Patterns W 2. Advance in age (as reflected by‘grades in school), is characterized by change in locus and type of occupational identification among rural youth.1 Occupational identification was presumed to be reflected for each individual among four occupation choice categories. The scoring code was so designed that the score might accurately reflect the prOper occupation choice category of individuals who made consistent res- ponses within the questionnaire. Thus each case might be labeled as within the (rural to nonrural) A, B, C, or D, category of occupational choice.3 Choice A refers to those who plan to work on a farm, near Pitts- ford. Choice B refers to those who wish to work on a farm, not neces- sarily near Pittsford, and possibly in conjunction with seasonal non- farm employment. (in extensive local custom includes farmers who work in factories during the winter within a radius of 10 - 40 miles.) Choice C refers to those who wish to work near Pittsford in the type of nonfarm Jobs locally connected with the farm service function of Pittsford, or in the nearby factories and shOps. Females who wish such work as a secretary or nurse in Hillsdale, (a locally popular .__—_ 1 The reflection of age by grade in school was not exact. Age varied from the modal age for each grade, usually exceeding the mode, in almost 15% of the cases. Many students are over age in grade because of polio or other childhood illness. This factor was not considered in the following analysis. 2 See page 9. occupation), are included in this category. Choice D refers to en- tirely urban, professional or other plans demanding urban locus, not connected to Pittsford economics. The choice of each individual is independent of central tendency for his grade or for the population as a whole. Two expressions of such tendency and frequency distribution therefore are shown.below by grade to illustrate the relation of advance in grade to changes in locus and type of occupation identification. TABLE II Percentage Distribution of the Occupation.Choice Category ‘ Preferences for each.school Grade. -:t -; Number Percent of each grade per category Grade in each A. B C B grade rural. rural. Honrural, nonrural- local nonlocal local nonlocal 5 47 32 23 37 18 6 44 30 27 33 ll 7 53 38 8 21 33 8 65 39 9 18 34 9 53 36 15 21 38 10 32 9 9 a5 59 ll 39 15 10 21 54 12 29 14 10 27 49 All Grades 361 28 14 a4 34 . 4| . Examination of the distribution of occupational choice for each grade in Table II in comparison to the distribution of occupation choice of all grades or the total population discloses several re - lationships. One, as suggested by the hypothesis, a differential distribution may be observed from one grade to another, indicating that as age advances proportionately more rural youth chose nonrural and nonlocal occupations. It may be seen that nearly one third of the pOpulation at grade five plans to work on a local farm, although at grade twelve, almost half the pepulation chose entirely nonlocal. nonrural or urban occupations. Second, a consistent direction may be noted, in that the population shifts from rural, local choice to nonrural, nonlocal choice as age advances. Third, it may be observed soemwhat tautolOgically that the choice of B to C (rural, nonlocal to nonrural, local), as the preper definition of rural to nonrural identification was the correctly anticipated order of the continuum, rather than the theoretically possible reverse order of C to B, or nonrural, local to rural. nonlocal;l From these observations it may be stated that hypothesis IA was supported by the evidence, and changes of occupation identification for rural, local to nonrural, nonlocal, or rural to urban may be observed to occur with advance in age. ‘— 1 The tsutolOgy is to the extent that the shift is from rural, nonlocal toward nonrural, local (B to C) as age advances, in the same directions that the shift in choice tendincy is observed from local, rural toward nonrural, nonlocal (A to D) as age advances: A to D was established by definition as a rural to nonrural ordinally related identification. A.noticeable break in the distribution of choice is observed.be— tween grades nine and ten. A sharp decline in the pepulation of each grade may also be observed to occur after grade nine.1 Such a parallel suggests the possibility that the change in distribution of occupational choice might be largely accountable to selectivity among those who leave school before graduation from the twelfth gradd.z Another measure of change in occupational identification as age advances is illustrated in.Table III. The frequency distribution shown in the table illustrates the rural to urban.shift in occupation choice. The break between grades nine and ten in the position and size of the interquartile range illustrates further the influence of a factor parallel to the change in population. The shift between grades six and seven is similarly marked. 1 See Appendix III, Pepulation and Attrition, p. 101. a School records indicate that a population increase of grade seven is due to the existence of rurally located "feeder“ lower grade schools in the school district, which introduces an extraneous selection fac- tor. Also, it is the opinion of the school district superintendent that a large number of local farm boys drOp out at age sixteen, and the subsequent excess of females in the higher grades introduces an extraneous factor of selective attrition. TABLE III Frequency Distribution of Occupation Choice Scores for each School Grade 36 Grade H N. Occupation Choice Score and Category A s c n o 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 s 9 101112131415161718 5 47 410 zss1y1sslsz 134 6 44 2 , 34-23le2254312 7 52 9 9 2 11 2 244123112 8 66 109 1512 121lssss4_7 9 53 651111 1331242153102 1o 32 :5 1 2__§13233):I91 11 69 22 221 1L__311234s7 12 29 4 z 2 243235 I= quartile division fired... Man W 5 6 2-11 6 7 2-12 7 11 1-16 8 10 2-15 9 11 4-16 10 14 11-16 11 14 9-16 12 13 1o-16 91313 III rmmnqiuufluunafiwm»MImdmsums ”InfldawlmMe . I. _ s ”7m!!! _ 383 7633—3 M 1. 3‘33‘2 .”_u....._.”£ twin”. 8! 11178 ss'm11uusu a... '3 ' HT 1381 _ also... 3.1’ 1 a‘ 11 ’ A 011' GOIII seammnbnmdusmnafloflmmr I 9 aalfllfll a Wflfli8886 1 ".w. . Gflk «unumusu BOVIDWDH: 'Gwmflulflflflfli .numuuuuu stainsuhm Wivuwnuuu “I‘VIimnu 38 In the following five tables a relationship of the social factor to occupation choice is observed in the frequency distribution at each grade and the total population. The direction of the relationship may be determined by inspection. A relationship may show positive, inverse, or no contingency between the social factor and occupation choice. In accordance with the hypothesis, the expected (positive) distribution would appear in the tables as follows: Occugtional Choice Categpry: A B A , Q: 1 Lower half of social factor index: plus plus minus minus Upper half of social factor index: minus minus plus plus Small numbers within each cell limit the value of analysis of each category at each grade. Because the total contingency is important, grades may be combined to increase the number to a meaningful level. The distribution of each grade is shown in the table, however, to allow observation of any differences from one grade to another. The x2 analysis of the relationship of the social factor to the choice distribution ,of the total population for each grade and for all grades is used to examine the degree of probability of each factor relation- ship, and a corrected coefficient of contingency (C) is shown to com- pare the relative relationship of one factor to another.1 1 The values of :3 represent a function of variance of a distribut on from the normal expected frequency. The greater the value of , the greater the variation, and the less the likelihood that the distribution is due to chance. The direction or relationship of the distribution must be determined by inspection. 39 Table IV shows the relationship of sex to the distribution of occupation choices within each grade and for all grades. Since the probability of the :2 was less than.the five percent level, it suggested that the association of the variables was not due to the operation of chance factors. The observed direction of the relationship was oonshtently positive (in the anticipated direction), for each grade and for all grades. Supporting the literaturel, the distribution indicated that few females desired to work on a farm for a living, although more of the rural male youth chose to work on a local farm than chose any other type and locus of occupation. Most of the males preferred to remain in the local area, but more than two thirds of the females of all age levels preferred to work elsewhere. Both sexes showed some tendency to choose less rural and less local occupations as age increased, although the females were more extreme in this tendency than the males. Both sexes, and particularly the males, showed more extreme choices with advancing age; that is, as age advanced those choosing a rural occupation chose also a local farm. and those choesing a nonfarm.occupation.preferred to move out. Possibly the changes with age might be attributed to an increasing awareness of the realities of the situation. Examination of other social factors showed that the explanation.probably did not lie in change of the relationship of those factors among the population. ‘ 1 Landis, pp. gi_., p. 212. mm. Io hhcuacoe mfinmcowpsaon “nov .ndnocoapcaou Hoo. a seesaw «- mu .AIV .uauonaomhn c» on “Awo .don«monpomhn as manmqoapcflem e . . m2 8 mm mm an 3.3% e398 So ease m,» as a: an on e» we .1: :4 . 3 e s o 0 case.” S. mas o x. 2 e m n e on”: 3 as 3 s m a oases.— om. 034. x. 3 s a a a node: .2 e» 3 m a a cacao..." . on. 5s.» m. e a a a a .3. 2 . . mm 2 a m a :38 no nos m as on s m n 3 3s: a r . . me E e e m oases.— 8 so n is an m e s 3 3s: a . . s». 3 a u s gasses So new as w on m m m 3 .3. s . . on v s e a 383 on 80 e as e». H s e S can: u . . mm m m m e 383 on Ohm n at mm m... m m HH and: m deceased Heooa ascoacoa dcooa «on» ...o.$ Hagan 1338 HEP" Hess." sued escapoouwe n o n .4 A an wophompo a Hooa_coaacasooo Hem edema Hem one eveaa hp cooneueuonm Abuadgpooo no «can >H an. 41 Table V shows the relationship of the distribution of occupation choice to occupation experience within each grade and for all grades. The :3 analysis indicated that the probability of chance rela- tionship was almost seventy percent, for the total population. The directions observed of the distribution were not consistent, and varied from one category to another and from one grade to another. Therefore, occupation experience might be said to have little or no relationship to occupation choice, and is probably not a variable as hypothesized. This indication does not rule out the poasibility that a qualitative relationship might exist. The evidence indicated that individual youth varied in quantitative work experience, but usually within one type and locus of occupation. In this manner, one youth might have worked more years on a farm than another, without receiving differential urbanizing influences. Apparently even among school age youth, individuals tended to continue their occupation exper- ience within the same types of occupation; possibly because transfer would involve new skills or unusual Opportunity. Greater quantitative experience among such rigid transfer conditions might conceivably reinforce the occupation choice tendency which would.be prescribed by the background of the local rural community. Such.reinforcement of local or rural values might explain.in part the more negative direction of the slight relationship in the higher grades as com- pared to the slightly positive direction observed in the lower grades TABLE V Loci of Occupation Preferences by Grade and Occupation Experience 42 Occupation.Loci Observed 2 P Grade Occup. .1 B c D N direction x less Exper. Local Rural Nonrural Nonrural than rural nonlocal local nonlocal 5 L683 7 6 8 3 34 9 90 More s 5 5 5 23 0 ° 11 ’ 6 Less 7 7 5 4 34 1! 1.321 .80 More 6 5 8 l 20 7 Less 12 2 4 8 36 + 1.575 .70 More 8 2 7 9 26 8 Less 12 3 6 13 34 - .616 .90 More 13 3 6 9 31 9 Less 7 3 4 14 38 — 3.873 .30 More 7 5 7 6 25 10 Less 3 0 2 9 l4 0 3.600 .50 More 0 3 6 9 18 11 Less 3 3 7 10 23 - 3.454 .50 More 3 l 1 ll 16 12 Less 1 O 8 7 15 . More 3 3 1 5 14 556d "g0 T 0 Less 52 24 45 67 188 Negative T More 48 27 41 57 173 Mixed ‘ . L Total :2 a: 1.7461 = .70 '6- .10 Table VI shows the relationship of the distribution of occupation choice within each grade, and for all grades, to the rural or nonrural background of the students. Within the total population almost half of the students had lived on a local farm all of their lives. Therefore in each grade the dichotomy of background shown compared those who had lived not more than one year off the farm with others whose degree of rural background ranged from two years at Bird Lake to twelve years in.Detroit, as relatively “nonrural.” Even so, the difference was significant, in that apparently even the most meagre contact with urban or non-farm life pulls the student orientation out of local rural life toward nonrural and urban.pre- ferences. The :3 analysis showed that the probability of chance relationship was less than the one percent level. .At the extremes of the choice range, (rural local and nonrural, nonlocal), the direction of the relationship was generally consistently positive, as anticipated in the hypothesis. Those who lived on farms largely planned to work on farms, in the local area. Those who had not lived on farms tended to plan to work outside the local area, and preferably not on a farm. Both.groups showed an increasing tendency away from the local farm as age advanced. The direction shown in the central choice groups (3‘5 0) was not so consistent. Local non-farm employment was even more popular with the rural group than.with the less rural group. Nonlocal farm.employment was almost equally unpOpular with.both groups; less than one seventh of each group chose this category. TABLE VI Loci of Occupation Preferences by Grade and Rural -Nonrura1 Background 0 Occupation Loc 1 Observed 2 p 3 Con. A B D 1! direction x less 1 Back- rural rural nonrural nonrural than D ground local nonlocal local nonlocal L 5 rural 9 6 7 1 23 nonrural 6 5 6 7 24 7‘ 3' 917 ° 30 6 rural 10 5 9 1 25 . nonrural 3 7 5 4 19 7" 5' 049 ' 2O 7 rural 11 3 6 9 29 nonrural 9 l 5 8 23 ° 136 ' 99 8 rural 14 4 6 7 31 . nonrural 11 2 6 15 :54 7‘ 3“ 11 ‘50 9 rural 9 3 5 8 25 .- nonrural 5 5 6 12 28 7‘ (".409 ° 70 10 rural 3 2 2 8 15 . . nonrural o 1 6 1o 17 "t “446 ’70 11 rural 5 3 4 9 21 2. 221 . 7O nonrural 1 1 4 12 18 12 rural 4 1 8 5 18 ,1. 5. 905 . 20 nonrural 0 2 l 8 11 T 0 rural 65 2’7 47 48 187 Posi tive . 001-. 01 T nonrural 35 24 39 7 6 174- Mixed p . 01 A L Total :3 .. 15.9616 p .01 E = .29 45 Table VII shows the relationship of the distribution of occupation choice within each grade, and for all grades, to migration background . The migration index used considered not only the quantitative movements of the individuals. but also the residence of the parents and the size of the communities to which he had been exposed. About half of the papulation had lived in more than one home, lived with parents or guardians who were not lifetime members of the community; or had lived in communities larger than Pittsford. Many of the migrations. however, were from one farm to another. The attempted mixture of quantitative and qualitative aspects of the variable herein was quite unfruitful. and the results may show only a poor index. The :3 analysis indicated that, with a chance probability of relationship of nearly eighty percent. migration as used herein was not significantly associated with occupation.choice. The slight fluc- tuations were inconsistent and largely due to chance from one category ts another and from one grade to another. Although the direction of the relationships at each grade became somewhat more positive as age advanced, the large amount of chance involved denies any significance. The lack of association of this index of occupation choice may be due, as in the case of the quantitative occupation eXperience index. to an unwarranted expectation in the hypothesis. such that, rather than migration producing increased urban exposure, the migration experience of the population was from one similar setting to another, with little or no change in the type of intluencing enrironment, and a subjective review of the data supported this possibility. Further, there is the fact that the index was similarly unrelated to both rural to nonrural, and local to nonlocal, occupation and community preferences. 46 TABLE VII Loci of Occupation Praferences by Grade and Migration Background G Occupation Loci 2 P R Migration A B G D N Observed x less A Back- rural rural nonrural nonrural direction than D ground local nonlocal local nonlocal L 5 less 5 4 5 5 20 - .823 .90 more 9 7 8 3 27 6 less 7 6 5 3 21 O 1.040 .95 more 6 6 9 2 23 7 less 8 3 5 9 25 - 1.047 .80 more 12 1 6 8 27 8 less 14 3 7 9 33 + 1.403 .80 more 11 3 5 13 :3? 9 less 7 4 4 10 25 4. .628 .90 more 7 4 7 10 28 . 10 less 3 1 5 8 17 4 1.688 .70 more 0 2 3 10 15 11 less 3 1 2 13 19 0 3.526 .50 more 3 3 6 8 2O 12 less 3 3 4 5 15 4 2.313 .70 more 1 O 5 8 14 1' 0 less 51 25 37 62 175 0 + .80-. 70 r more 49 26 49 62 186 A L Total :2 = 1.2364 p .80 '5 = .08 47 Table VIII shows the relationship of the distribution of occupation choice within each grade, and for all grades, to occupation models. The index for occupation models was designed to combine the parent's occupation with an evaluation of the influence of the parent's OCCUP pation, and possibly of the occupation of some other person who might influence the student's occupation aspirations. This was based on the notion that, as in the case of the popular barber, those who do not choose to follow in their parents' footsteps may choose another model, and the influence of his occupation should be recognized and could be determined. The :2 analysis showed models to be highly relative to occupation choice. particularly in grades five through nine. The direction of the relationship was positive as hypothesized at each grade, expect that those who preferred a nonlocal farm were less consistent in their adoption of rural models. More than four times as many chose to be local farmers whose models were farmers as those whose models were otherwise. Two thirds of those whose models were not connected with Pittsford economics preferred to work in towns or cities. Most of those who preferred to work in a local non-farm occupation patterned after models who did the same thing. In the three highest grades. where the relationship becomes sharply less significant, it may be seen that those with urban models chose more urban occupational sites than those with rural models chose rural occupation sites. This suggests three explanatory possibilities. all somewhat related to one Ithther. First, it mayjbe that the older youth 48 have become less bound by the parents' economic situation, or more aware of other possibilities, or influenced to a greater degree by other factors, or Just generally restless and filled with a desire for greener pastures. Second, the dropout rate, which apparently takes a heavy toll after grade nine may have selected those sons of local farmers, and hence those with rural models, who were most prone to follow their father's occupation. Third, the sex ratio changes from slightly more males than females to nearly two thirds female after grade nine, and it may be that females are less influenced by fixed occupation models and more influenced by other factors, than males. Probably all of these explanations are to some extent pertinent, but the close parallel among the sex distribution, the dropout rate, and the change in significance of the factor after grade nine, lends further credence to the possibility that selectivity in the dr0pout rate is a.highly important “extraneous“ factor. Such selectivity is 'extraneous' not in a sociological sense, but extraneous only to the formulation and method of this study; The probably selective dropout rate modified some of the possible conclusions of this study, without invalidating the data. It was an unexpected factor relating particularly to the considerations of the relation of age change to the relationship of the social factors and choice, and was opproPriately considered throughout this study. TABLE VIII Loci of Occupation Preferences by Grade and Occupation Models 49 G Occupation Loci R Occup. A B C D Observed.“ 7 2 P A Models rural rural nonmral Nonrural N direction x less D local nonlocal local nonlocal than R 5 rural 13 4 5 2 s4 1! 10.214 .oe nonrural a 7 8 6 23 5 rural 10 4 4 s so 7‘ 7.513 .10 nonrural 8 8 10 3 24 7 rural 16 a 5 4 27 .1. 11.991. .01 nonrural -4 a 6 13 2.5 8 rural 19 5 3 5 32 4 17.763 .001 nonrural 6 l 9 17 33 9 rural 12 2 7 6 37 7‘ 12.334 -01 nonrural 2 6 4 14 26 10 rural 3 1 5 5 15 ,L 3.210 .50 nonrural O 2 3 13 17 11 rural 4 s 4 10 20 J. .433 .98 nonrural d 2 4 11 19 12 rural .4 s 3 5 14 ,1. 3.371 .30 nonrural O l 6 8 15 r . 0 rural 81 22 36 40 1'79 P081 1: iv e p . 001' T nonrural 19 29 5O 84 182 Mined A 1. Total 23-46.6356 p .001 '0': .47 Sex, occupation models, and rural-nonrural background proved to be related to type and locus of occupation choice to a highly sig- ficant degree. 'Quantitative occupation experience and quantitative migration background proved to be not variables to type and locus of occupation choice, but no great amount of significance may be assumed because such invariability might be a function of index construction. From the evidence of all the grades and each social factor, Hypothesis 13 was supported for three of the social factors represented, and not supported for two. The related social factors apparently bear upon occupation choices of segments of the population at each age level, however such relationship appears to vary from one grade to another and from one social factor to another. The three related factors each proved to be related in the direction expected. The most significant factors relative to occupation choice were sex and occupation models. It may be noted that the construction of the index for models is somewhat tautological, to the extent that the models are not entirely objective attributes of the individuals, but are chosen by them. The extremely high relationship shown may be partly a function of this tautology. 51 Age Change gypothesis.;Q. Change in type and locus of occupation iden- tifications with advance in age varies in the same direction as change in the social factors with advance in age.1 It has been observed that a change occurred in distribution of type and locum of occupation choice with advance in age. It has also been observed that three social factors are related to type and locus of occupation choice. The question becomes, 'Is the change in choice related to change in the factors of choice within the population?“ The index score upon which the dichotomies of the social factor characteristic for each grade was based, was derived for each indi- vidual response in the pepulation without respect to age level. The comparisons studied previously were based upon a dichotomy of response score using a median for each grade. It was anticipated that for each social factor (except sex), as age advanced the papulation for each grade would score generally higher, indicating a more non-rural, non- local factor characteristic. A.comparison of grades can be illus- trated by the comparison of frequency distribution of the score range for each factor, comparing the position of the median used 1 See Chapter I, p. 15, Hypothesis Ic. 54 in the dichotomy, as an expression of central tendency.1 Conclusions' based upon other central tendency measures are similar. Of the social factors found to be variables, only sex shows a significant distribution parallel to the changes in occupation choice distribution as posited by hypothesis IC. Occupation models and rural background show a change less than those of the factors found not to be variables. 0f sex, the noticable change in dis- tribution between grades nine and ten, which parallels both the change in choice distribution with age advance, and the change in number of cases per grade, further suggests the extraneous influence of a selective drapout rate as a major factor in the change of choice distribution shovn. Therefore, although Hypothesis IC is supported by the evidence of sex distribution, its basic tenet is denied in that age variation appears to be more likely influenced.by an extraneous factor than by the social factors represented. 1 See Appendix I7, |fable XIX, p 103. In Table III the variation of dis- tribution from one social factor to another is not comparable, because of the arbitrary scoring method. (Such differential distribution does, however, demonstrate the variation in questioning and coding technique, and demonstrates the invalidation of direct score comparison from one social factor to another. The skewness of the rural-nonrural back- ground factor is due to the extremely rural characteristic of the pOpulation, as expected in its selection for this study.) 53 Summary Part of the contentions of the hypotheses pertinent to occupation identifications have been supported by the evidence. As age advanced, a larger prOportion of the population chose nonrural occupations. The l'social factors,‘ sex, rural-nonrural background, and occupation models appeared to be significantly related to occupation choice.1 Quantitative occupation experience and migration background as used herein did not appear to be significantly related to occupation choice. The factor of sex was highly important, and apparently influenced the decisions of females more than those of males. Females tended more to make nonrural occupation choices than males tended.toward rural choices. However, the evidence did not indicate that the relationships of the social factors to occupation choices changed significantly with advance in age, because the probable influence of the drOpout rate and other possible extraneous factors upon the data more than likely account for the changes which.vere observed in the data. Removing farmers' sons from the school population after age 16 or grade 9, is suggested as an extraneous factor influencing the relationship of grades and occupation choice. Similarly, changes in the data between grades 7 and 8 may be due to influx of rural youth from the four rural elementary schools, who attend the consolidated school at that grade. 1.Appendix III contains an illustration of the relationship of an index of all factors combined to occupation choice, which may bear upon a development of predictors. A composite of social factors appeared to be a more significant indicator of relationship to occupatiOn choice than any one factor along. CEAPFER FOUR: COMMUNITY IDENTIFICATICNS CHAPTER IV COMMUN ITY IDEHT IFICAT IONS Occupation and community identifications, although associated closely, are not identical. Occupation preferences may be urban, but many people, nevertheless prefer to live in rural and suburban areas. Indeed, the shift of the general pepulation to the periphery of cities demonstrates this. Perhaps what iurvives among rural youth is the desire to work in the city but live in the country, possibly as a means of adjusting to the conflicts between rural values and association patterns, and the changing economic and cultural situs ation. Similarly to occupation identifications, the community iden- tifications of each individual in the pepulation examined were presumed to be reflected, in answer to the question, “Where do you plan to live?" in the four choices labeled herein as.L - D in pre- sumed relation to more or less rural, local identification. These are, duplicating the choice categories under occupation identifications: Rural, within. the local community; rural, outside the local community; nonrural, within the local community; and nonrural, outside the local community. The seven items examined included grade, sex, community experience (a quantitative measure of community participation presumed to be comparable to occupation experience), rural-nonrural background, migration background, community models, as variables, and community Co TABLE IX mmunity Identification Coding Guide1 55 Social Factor Direction Pertinent Score Range Total“I Variable of score: Question (in order Score __ less to more Dumas}: Q gueppion Bangs Grade 5 - 12 2 5 - 12 5 - 13 Sex M - F 3 M - F M - F Community less-more 7,17,19,23 O-8;O-4;O—4; O - 18 Experience 0-4 Rural—nonrural R.- ER 4.12.14 O-5;0-8;O-5 O - 18 Badkground Migration less-more 5.13.24 1-6;O-6;O-6 l - 18 Community Models B.- RR 11.17.30, 0-3;0-4;0—4; O - 18 25,31 O—3;O-4 Community APB—CqD 9,16,22,28, O-4;O-4;0-2; O - 18‘”l Choice 30 0—4;O-4 ' Dichotomized by median for each grade. '* Divided as follows: “A” - Rural, within local community "D“ - Rural, outside local community “C“ - Nonrural, within local community 'D“ - Nonrural, outside local community This table is a reference to the use of questions from the ques- tionnaire in t his chapter. See.Appendix II, Questionnaire, pp. 1 pretation an d scoring method. See Appendix II,Questionnaire for individual questions and inter- 56 choice, for each individual. The method of questionning, scoring, and analysis was identical to that used in the analysis of occupation choice. Wherever possible, as for sex, grade, rural-nonrural back- ground, and migration background, the same scores apply. The relation- ships of experience, models, and choice are presumed to be made com- parable by the method for both occupation and community. Otherwise, the method of analysis is identical for occupation and community, and the same errors and theoretical objections apply.1 Choice Patterns Eypothesis.;;L. .Advance in age (as reflected by grades in school), is characterized by change in locus and type of community identification among rural youth. Each individual in the population was asked five questions, de- signed to display his community preference of that moment. The scoring method for all grades was identical in order to provide comparative scores. The scoring code was designed to display one of four community choice groups for each individual. It was so designed that the score might accurately reflect the pr0per community choice category, of individuals who make consistent responses. Thus each case was labeled as within the (rural to nonrural) A, B, C, or D, category of community choice. Choice A.refers. to those who plan to live on a farm, near Pittsford. 1 See Chapter III, pp. 80-33; also Chapter I, pp 16,17. Choice 3 refers to those who wish to live on a farm or rural location, not necessarily near Pittsford. Choice 0 refers to these who prefer to live in Pittsford or a similar village or small town. Choice D refers to those who wish to live in the “city,“ removed entirely from the Pittsford community. However, because of the extremely limited urban contact of the population, and the variance of concepts of “city,“ choice D primarily emphasizes the dissociation from the local community rather than an arbitrary size of community. Thus, as in the case of one 8th.grader who wrote on the margin of the questionnaire, ”I don't ever want to see Pittsford or a farm again!“ and elsewhere indicated a desire to live and work in the nearby town of Hillsdale, the score was recorded for an urban choice. The community choice of each individual is independent of central tendency or frequency distribution for his grade or for the pepulation as a whole. Two expressions of choice tendency and frequency dis- tribution therefore are shown below by grade to illustrate the relation of advance in grade to changes in locus and type of community. TABLE I Percentage Distribution of the Community Choice Category Preferences for each School Grade. Total Percent oE—gach grad; per categoryTjrA Grade number A, 3 c D rural rural nonrural nonrural loca;::nonlocalf local nonlocal 5 47 57 13 9 21 6 44 57 20 9 14 7 52 37 17 19 37- 8 65 38 22 15 35 9 53 34 19 23 25 10 32 9 28 32 41 11 39 ' 81 26 13 31 1a 31 21 31 34 14 Total All 361 ‘ 37 31 17 34 Grades ‘ To nearest percent. Examination of the distribution of community choice for each grade in.Table I, in comparison to the distribution of community choice of all grades or the total population, discloses several relationships. One, as suggested by the hypothesis, a differential distribution may be observed from one grade to another, indicating that as age advances proportionately less rural youth chose local, rural living. It may be seen that more than half of the population of grades five and six pre- ferred to remain on a local farm, but at grade twelve, almost four fifths 59 made another choice. Second, a somewhat consistent direction may be noted, in that the population shifts from local, rural choice to nonrural or nonlocal choice as age advances. Third, the inter- relationships of the nonlocal, nonrural, and nonlocal-nonrural (B, C, and D) choices gs age advance is not clearly defined by this evidence. A.noticable break in the distribution of choice is observed between grades nine and ten. A.sharp decline in the pOpulation of each grade may also be observed to occur after grade nine. Such a parallel suggests the possibility that the change in distribution of community choice might be largely accountable to selectivity“ among those who leave school before graduation from the 12th grade. Another measure of change in community identification as age advances is illustrated by the following table. The frequency dis- tribution shown in Table II illustrates the rural to urban.shift in community choice. Herein the break between grades nine and ten may be observed, and also between grades seven and eight, further suggesting the influence of a factor parallel to the change in population. 60 mm H Frequency Distribution of Community Choice Scores for each School Grade ‘4 I ommun ty 0 cs core an ategory Grade E A B O D O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9! 10 ll 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 5 47 5 5 5 9 1 2 2 2 3 __J 2 3 s 2 1 e 44 2 4 s o 1 2 2 3 L4 2 1 1 1 1 7 52 2 4 5 5 2 4 l 2 5 3 4 4 4 2 1 3 8 65 6 7 3 8 6 1 I3 2 2 4 1 2 3 5 z 8 l 1 9 53 3 1 6 5 2 3 4 1 3 2 7 3 5 5 10 32 1 l 1 _ 5 2 1 l l l l 31 3 1 2 4 6 11 :39 z 4 2 2 2 3 1 1 2 I3— 1 4 1 z 4 3 2 12 29 a 3 1 3 2 2 1 l 2 l 3 5 2 3 / .- quartile division / .- range or choice category division Description of the Above Data r de mm ter t ran 5 3 2 - ll 6 3 3 - 10 7 8 3 - 13 8 6 3 - 13 9 7 4 - 13 10 12 6 - 15 ll 8 4 - 15 12 9 5 - 12 From these observations, within the validity of the scoring method, and with reservation of the posaible weighting factor of attrition, it may be said that hypothesis HA is supported by the evidence, and changes of community identification from rural, local to nonrural, nonlocal, or rural to urban, may be observed to occur with advance in age. Social Factors gypothegis.1£§. Certain social factors may be imputed to be related to locus and type of community identification, at each age level, among rural youth. Holding constant the prime variable, age, five ”social factors“: sex, social experience (quantitative community participation), rural- nonrural background, migration background, and community models were examined in relation to community choice.1 As in the analysis of occupation choice, each social factor index, at each grade level, was divided by frequency distribution along its scale of O - 18, and dichotomized at the median; the half of the individuals of each grade and factor in the lower score cate- gory was compared with the half in the higher score category, in relation to community choice. The individuals within the lower score category of each factor were hypothesized to have a more rural characteristic of that factor than the individuals with the Opposite, higher score. Hence those with lower scores on the social factor index would be expected to make a more rural and local community choice. Tables XII through.XYI display the relationship of each of the five factors to community choice. 1 See pp. 16 and 35. 645 In the following five tables a relationship of the social factor to community choice is observed in the frequency distribution at each grade, and the total population. The direction of the re- lationship may be determined by inspection. A relationship may show positive, inverse, or no contingency between the social factor and community choice. In accordance with the hypothesis, the expected (positive) distribution would appear in the tables as follows: Community Choice Category: A. B C D Lower half of social factor index: plus plus minus minus gpper half of social factor index: minus minus plus plus Small numbers within each cell limit the value of analysis of each category at each grade. Because the total contingency is im- portant, grades may be combined to increase N to a meaningful level. The distribution of each grade is shown in the table, however, to allow observation of any differences from one grade to another. The 12 analysis of the relationship of the social factor to the choice distribution, for each grade and for all grades, of the total pOpus lation, is used to examine the degree of probability of each factor relationship, and a corrected coefficient of contingency (C) 15 shown to compare the relative relationship of one factor to another. P is shown to indicate the percentage probability of chance relationship. 63 Table XII shows the relationship of the distribution.of community choices within each grade by sex. I The :3 analysis indicated that the probability of the relationship was less than two percent due to chance, and therefore may be said to be significant, for the total population. The observed direction of the relationship was generally positive, as anticipated, for each grade and for all grades. However, the relationship was not exact. Supporting the literature, the distribution indicated that males, more than females, preferred to live on local farms. Females, more than males, indicated plans to leave the local community. Both sexes showed some tendency to choose more nonrural or nonlocal community life as age advanced, and the females were slightly'more extreme in this tendency than the males. Farm life did not lose greatly in pOpularity'with either group, however. Although far more males than females planned to live on local farms, even more females than males chose to live on a farm somewhere else. his suggested by landis and others, the greater desire of females to leave the local farm, and the increase in that tendency with advance in age, may largely be attributed to their economic Opportunity and their increasing awareness of the situation.1 Examination of other factors showed that the explanation probably did not lie in change of the relationship of those factors among the population, except for the factor of quantitative community experience, which increased with age, and which might lend to an increased awareness of the Opportunity situation. 1 Landis,.gp. £11., p. 212. TIBLE XII Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and Sex Observed P Grade Sex K per Choice Category 11' direction 12 less A B C 11 than 5 male 17 2 3 3 25 4- 3.213 .50 female 10 4 l 7 32 6 male 15 5 2 1 23 + .702 .90 female 10 4 2 5 21 7 male 16 7 1 1 25 7‘ 26.509 .001 female 3 2 9 13 27 8 male 15 5 6 7 33 ,t 2.642 .50 female 10 9 4 9 3a 0 9 male 12 6 7 5 30 + 2.517 .50 female 6 4 5 8 23 10 male 2 2 3 l 8 + 8.899 .30 female 1 7 4 12 24 11 male 6 3 2 4 15 + .631 .90 female 6 7 3 8 24 12 male 6 3 2 2 13 -/- 7.443 .20 female 0 6 8 2 16 0 Total male 82 36 25 39 182 7‘ .02-.01 female 53 4O 37 49 179 Total :3 - 9.3939 '9 .02 E .. .22 - *1 new“ .954, Table XIII shows the relationship of the distribution of community choice within each grade, and for all grades, to community experience. Community experience, used herein as an index of quantitative community participation, was assumed to be roughly comparable, in its relationship to community choice, to the quantitative occupation experience index in its relation to occupation choice. The assumption proved to be unjustified. Social experience proved to be related to community choice at the one percent level, and generally in the direction indicated by the hypothesis, for the population as a whole. However, the re- lationships of the small numbers at each grade were not exact and consistent. Generally it could be observed that th0se with less social experience than their contemporaries preferred a rural or local community more than those with relatively more social experience. Possibly the explanation might be that those with.higher scores were those who ''got around more" and were hence more exposed to urbanizing influences. The causal relationship cannot be obtained from this data, however, in that it might be that the score selected those whose backgrounds, being less rural in character, provided the individuals with.more contacts and incentive for community par- ticipation. However, the relationships of this indix suggest the implication that community participation of any nature or level may tend to provide also an extrapcommunity orientation. TABLE XIII Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and Community Experience Background . 19 Grade Community N per Choice Category 3 Observed. xd less Experience A. B C D direction than 5 less 12 2 2 2 18 ,t 1.436 .70 more 15 4 2 8 39 6 less 15 5 2 1 23 + 2. 386 .50 more 10 4 2 5 21 7 less . 11 6 4 8 29 0 1.003 .90 more 8 3 6 6 23 8 less 14 6 1 4 25 + 7. 335 . 10 more 11 8 9 12 40 9 less 13 7 4 4 28 ,t 7. 959 .05 more 5 3 8 9 25 10 less 2 6 3 5 16 4- 1.136 . 80 more 1 3 4 8 16 11 less 9 6 2 22 l 2. 853 .50 more 3 4 3 7 17 12 less 2 4 6 2 14 — .465 .95 more 4 5 4 2 15 Total less 78 42 24 31 175 + 101-.001 more 57 34 38 57 186 ' Total :3- 14.6303 p .01 '6: .27 67 Table XIV shows the relationship of the distribution of community choice within each grade; and for all grades, to rural or nonrural back- ground. Exactly as divided in relation to occupation choice, the I'rural" members of the rural-nonrural background dichotomy had not lived more than one year off the local farm in their lives, and their 0pp0site number included those in all other situations. Less than seven percent had lived in a town as large as Pittsford all of their lives. Even in such a rural group, the slight difference was significant. Largely those who had lived on farms planned to stay on a local farm, although they expressed somewhat more tendency to choose a non-local farm as age advanced. The less rural group increasingly expressed less rural and less local community choice as age advanced. Of both groups, more than half preferred to live in the country, and more than half preferred to stay in the local community. Both groups tended somewhat to include more urban choice as age advanced. The 1? analysis showed that although the relationship was significant for the total population, and that the direction was generally positive as hypothesized, the relationship was not exactly consistent for all grades or for all choice categories. The rural— nonrural index was most divisive of those who chose a local, rural community preference. 68 mABLE XIV Loci of Community Preferences by Grand and Rural-Eonrural Background .” _ Lf Rural- N per Choice Category 3 Grade Bonrural A. B C D N Observed x p Back- rural rural nonrural nonrural direction less _- ground local nonlocal local nonlocal than 5 rural 14 3 1 5 23 + .301 .98 nonrural l3 3 3 5 24 0 6 rural 17 4 l 3 25 + 2.222 .70 nonrural 8 5 3 3 19 7 rural 12 d 5 10 29 0 5.283 .20 nonrural 7 7 6 4 23 - 8 rural 16 5 4 6 31 + 4.265 .30 nonrural 9 9 6 10 34 0 9 rural 11 7 3 5 26 7‘ 6.788 .10 nonrural 7 3 9 8 27 10 rural 3 3 3 7 16 O 1.854 .70 nonrural O 6 4 6 16 11 mal 8 8 2 3 21 ,4 6.722 .10 nonrural 4 a 3 9 18 12 rural 6 4 7 1 18 4 4.178 .30 nnnrural O 5 3 3 11 Total rural 87 36 26 40 189 ,L .01-.001 nonrural 48 40 36 48 172 Total :3 .. 11.6336 p .01 '5 .. .26 69 Table IV shows the relationship of the distribution of community choice to migration background within each grade, and for all grades. Similarly to the relationship of migration background to occupation choice, the attempted mixture of quantitative and qualitative aspects of the variable in this index proved inapplicable and invariable to community choice. The 13 analysis indicated that, with a chance probability of relationship of nearly ninety percent, migration as used herein was probably not a variable to community choice. The direction of the slight fluctuations observed were inconsistent and largely due to chance from one grade to another and from one choice category to another. He valid relationship may be observed. As is the case of its relationship to occupation choice, the invariability of this migration index to community choice may be attributed to an unwarranted expectation in the hypothesis, such that, rather than migration producing increased urban exposure, the mig- ration experience of the papulation.vas from.one similar setting to another, with little or no change in the type of influencing en- vironment. Supporting this possibility is the fact that the index proved invariable both of rural to nonrural. and of local to nonlocal, occupation and community choices. A.p0ssibility, which may not be observed from the present data, is that the quantitative and quali- tative aspects used in the index might be mutually contradictory, as was similarly successfully anticipated in regard to qualitative as Opposed to quantitative social experience of community participation. TABLE XV Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and.Migration Background 70 Migration K per Choice Category . Grade Back- A. C D N Observed, I; p ground rural rural nonrural nonrural direction less local nonlocal local nonlocal than 5 . less 9 5 1 5 20 0 3.440 .50 more 18 l 3 5 27 6 less ' 14 2 1 4 21 O 3.558 .50 more 11 7 3 2 23 7 less 8 4 5 8 35 - .739 .90 more 11 5 5 6 27 a less 14 7 7 5 33 + 3.856 .30 more 11 7 3 11 83 9 less 7 6 5 7 25 - 1.317 .80 more 11 4 7 6 28 10 less 3 5 3 e 17 + 1.381 .80 more 0 4 4 7 15 11 less 5 6 2 6 19 - .575 .30 more 7 4 3 6 20 lz less 5 5 4 l 15 + .789 .90 more 1 4 6 3 14 Total less 65 49 as 42 175 L .sezs .90-. so more 70 36 34 46 186 Total :2...8238 p '6' =- .07 71 Table XVI shows the relationship of the distribution of community choice within each grade, and for all grades, to community models. In a manner expected to be comparable to the index and relation- ship of occupation models, the index of community models was designed to combine an evaluation of the influence of the community life of parents, relatives and friends. The attempt met with apparent success. The 1? analysis showed community models to be highly relative to community choice for all grades. The direction of the relationship at each grade and for all grades was almost entirely and consistently positive as hypothesized. More than two thirds of those who chose to live on a local farm indicated rural models, and more than two thirds of those who planned to move to town or city indicated non- rural community models. Advance in age apparently had little in- fluence upon the relativeity of community models to community choice, in that both groups tended to shift simultaneously away from the local farm as age advanced. It may be noted that the high degree of re- lationship of this index to community choice may be due in part of its somewhat tautological construction, in that both community choice and community models are based (but not entirely) upon indications of the individuals' preferences. firm-:27? :A’ .1». is.- .‘x f M.“ TABLE XVI Loci of Community Preferences by Grade and Community Models 73 K per Choice Category Grade Community 71 B C D Observed p Models rural rural nonrural nonrural H'direction. 1 less r local nonlocal local nonlocal than g 5 rural l9 4 1 3 27 4 4.994 .20 ‘ nonrural 8 2 3 7 20 ' i 6 rural 16 4 2 5 25 .t .865 .90 ‘ nonrural 9 5 2 3 19 7 rural 12 4 4 5 25 .,L 2.754 .50 it nonrural 7 5 6 9 27 8 rural 20 7 1 5 :53 7‘ 16.863 .001 nonrural 5 7 9 ll 33 9 rural 13 6 5 2 26 + 10.332 .02 nonrural 5 4 7 ll 47 10 rural 3 5 3 4 15 + 2.993 .50 nonrural O 4 4 9 17 11 rural 9 6 2 5 as + 5.852 .50 nonrural 3 4 3 7 17 u rural 5 7 5 1 16 ,t 4.571 .30 nonrural l 2 7 3 13 Total rural 97 4s 21 as 189 ,1. 44.4667 nonrural 38 33 41 60 172 X001- Total :2 = 44.4867 :9 .001 '5 = .45 73 Sex, social experience, rural-nonrural background, and community models proved to be related to type and locus of community choice to a significant degree. Migration was apparently not variable to type and locus of community choice. From the evidence of all the grades and each social factor. hypothesis 113 was supported for four of the social factors rep- resented, and not supported for one. The related social factors apparently bear upon community choices of segments of the pepulation in the direction hypothesized, and generally at each age level. However, such relationship appears to vary from one grade to another and from one social factor to another. The most significant factor was community models. [Age Change esi 10. Change in tvpe and locus of community identifi- cations with advance in age varies in the same direction as change in the social factors with advance in age.1 It has been observed that a change occurred in distribution of type and locus of community choice with advance in age. It has also been observed that four social factors were related to type and locus of community choice. The question then is, “Is the change in choice related to change in the factors of choice within the population?“ 1 See Chapter I, p. 19, Hypothesis IIC. The index score upon which the dichotomies of the social factor characteristic for each grade was based, was derived for each individual response in the pOpulation without respect to age level. The com— parisons studied previously were based upon a dichotomy of response score using the median for each grade. It was anticipated that for each social factor (except sex), as age advanced the population for each succeeding grade would score generally higher, indicating a more non-rural, nonlocal factor characteristic for the population. A comparison by grades can.be illustrated.by the comparison of frequency distribution of the score range for each factor. The position of the median used in the dichotomy is compared in Table II as an expression of central tendency.1 Conclusions based.upon other central tendency measures are similar. ' Of the social factors found to be variables, only sex and social experience show a change in distribution parallel to the changes in occupation choice distribution, as posited by hypothesis 11¢. Only sex shows a change greater than that of migration, which was found to be not variable. The change in distribution of males and females, 1 See Table xx, Appendix 17, pplo4. In Table xx the variation of distribution from one social factor to another is not comparable, because of the arbitrary score method. (Such differential dis- tribution does, however, demonstrate the variation in questioning and coding technique, and demonstrates the invalidation of , and reason for not using in this study, direct score comparison from one social factor to another. The skewness of the rural-nonrural background factor is due to the extremely rural characteristic of the papulation, as expected in its selection for this study.) 75 which parallels both the change in choice distribution with age advance, and the change in the number of cases per grade, further suggests the extraneous influence of a selective dropout rate as a major factor in the change of choice distribution shown. Therefore, although Hypothesis 110 is supported by the evidence of sex and social experience distribution, its basic tenet is denied in.that age variation appears to be more likely influenced by an extraneous factor than by the social factors represented, and such variation does not appear as posited for each social factor. Summary Part of the contentions of the hypothesis pertinent to community identifications have been supported by the evidence. As age advanced, a larger proportion of the population chose nonrural or nonlocal community life. The "social factors," sex, social experience, rural- nonrural background, and community models, appeared to be significantly related to community choice.1 Migration background as used herein did not appear to be significantly related to community choice. —L 1.Lppendix IV contains an illustration of the relationship of an index of all factors combined to community choice. A.composit of social factors appeared to be a more significant indicator of relationship to community choice than any one factor alone. 76 However, the evidence did not indicate that the relationships of the social factors to community choices changed significantly with advance in age, considering the probable influence of the dropout rate and other possible extraneous factors upon the data. A.selective dropout, removing farmers' sons from the school popu- lation after grade nine, is suggested as an “extraneous“ factor influencing the relationship of grade advance and community choice. Similarly, changes in the data between grades seven and eight may be due to influx of rural youth from the four rural elementary schools which feed the consolidated school at that grade. CHAPER FIVE: OCCUPATION AND COMMITY IDENTIFICATIONS CHAPTER V O CCUPATION AND COLMUNI TY IDEII‘I' IFI CAT IC I-T S Hypothesis III is principally concerned with analysis of the interrelationship of the associations of occupation and of commmity identifications. It posits simultaneous relationships, swgesting a meaningful relativity between occupation and community choice among rural youth. The method of analysis is therefore primarily a comparison of the analyses. illustrations, and conclusions of Pypotheses I and Hypotheses II. Hypothesis-ILL. Occupation and community identifications, and their relationships to social factors and age change, are similarly related to one another among rural youth. Choice Patterns In part, hmothesis III suggests that those who choose a given category of occupation choice would make a similar choice for com- munity, such that the population would tend to choose to work where it chose to live. A comparison of tables II and X, pages 33 and 58, illustrating central tendency} is mourn below in Table XVII to illustrate the direction and degree of contingency between occu- pation and community choice for each grade.. Table m shows a further analysis of such contingency.z 1 Tables II and x, pp. 33 a 58. 3 Table xxx. Appendix Iv. p.105. 78 TABLE XVII Percentage Distribution of the Occupation and Community Choice Category Preferences for each School Grade OCCUPATION COMMUNITY __ Choice Category, $N Choice Category, $11 Grade A B C D A B C D 5 32 (23) 27 18 (57) 13 9 21 ' 5 3o (27) 32 11 (57) 2o 9 14 7 38 8 (21) 33 37 (17) 19 27 - s 39 9 (18) 34 3e (22) 15 25 9 26 15 (21) 3s 34 (19) 23 25 1o 9 9 25 (59) 9 '23 (22) 41 11 15 1o 21 (54) 31 (26) 13 31 12 14 1o 27 (49) . 21 31 (34) 14 Numbers in parenthesis indicate the choice category in which the median falls. $15! = percent of total N within each grade. Comparison of the distribution for each choice within each grade shows that although certain similarities occur, the distributions are far from congruent. It may be observed that consistently the preponderance of community choice is more local, rural than that of occupation choice, at each grade, and the evidnnce may suggest that the population, which is extremely 79 rural in character in the first place, may more readily identify with non-rural, non-local, or urban occupation than with non-rural, non-local or urban life. Further evidence of such suggested direction of dis- parity may be observed in the table of segmental comparisons of indi- vidual response (Table IXI,.Lppendix IV, p.105.). Table XXI shows the directions and reciprocal relationships of choice.1 Part of the deviation may be due to inadequacies in the method of scoring, and in some cases, the deviations reflect a degree of irrationality or inconsistency in the papulation. Generally it may be observed that a large segment of the popu- lation choosing non-rural and/or non-local occupation, tends to choose a more local and/or rural community identification. For example, at grade twelve, of those who choose a nonplocal, non-rural occu- pation, four_eXpress complete dissociation with local, rural com. munity life, five prefer to live in town, near or in Pittsford, three ‘wish to live in the country, although somewhere else, and one wants to stay on his father's farm. Pessibly the community ties are stronger than those of occupation. However, such disparity of choice occurs in less than half of the population. From the evidence of the choice comparisons, it may be said that hypothesis III is supported, but not entirely as hypothesized, and not for each choice category. The consistency of direction of the disparity observed at each grade may be regarded as significant. # 1 See Appendix IV, Table III, p. 105. 80 Hypothesis III may be said to be supported, although imperfectly and occupation and community identifications may be said to be comple- mentary to a large degree. A comparison of the tables of relationship of the various social factors related to occupation and community choice will illustrate Social Factors their degree of similarity to one another. a corrected coefficient of contingency ( b' ) for the relationship of each factor to choice of the total population, demonstrates the com- The table below, showing parative degree of relationship of the factors of occupation and community choice to one another. A Comparison of the Degree of Contingency of the Social Factors of Occupation and Community Identification TABLE XVIII Occupation Choice Connunity Choice Occup. Community . __ Factor vs. Factor '6 0 Sex Sex .33 .22 Occupation Social -.10 .27 Experience Experience Ruralenonrural Rural-nonrural .39 .25 Background Background Migration Migration .08 .07 Occupation Community .47 .45 Models Models Hypothesis III was partly supported in that all of the factors, except for occupation experience, were related in a positive direction. Sex, rural-nonrural background, occupation and community models were similarly related to occupation and community choice respectively. Migration beckground proved similarly not variable both to occupation and community choice. Occupation experience and social experience, however, were not comparably related respectively to occupation and community choice. The relativity of the factors to choice varied considerably from one factor to another. As observed previously, the relationships of the various factors to age change was quite diverse. In these respects hypothesis III (page 77) was not sup- ported. It may be noted that sex was somewhat more closely associated to occupation choice than to community choice. Considering the ob- served stronger rural affiliation of the group to rural life than to rural occupations, such sex relationships may indicate that the economic motives for female rejection of rural communities (as sug- gested by the literature) may be substantiated, and that the non- economic motives for leaving the rural community may be those which are only common to both males and females. Thus it might be sug- gested that the observed greater tendency of females to move out of the rural community may be a matter entirely forced by economic cir- cumstances, and not prompted by any greater urbanization of motives and aspirations than for males. In that manner a choice of urban life may be only an afterthought of urban occupation selection for the females, who may move away and still retain their rural community iden- tifications. 81 {1&4 -n.a ‘ ' ‘0" . .Age Change It was further anticipated by hypothesis III that the relation of age change to occupation and community choice and their related factors would be similar. It was expected that as age advance, there would be a greater tendency for occupation and community choices to be made within the local, rural community by those who identified with the local, rural occupations and community, and outside the community by those who did not identify with the local, rural occur pations and community. However it has already been observed that little change with age in consistency of choice or the factors of choice occurred, which could not be attributed to an.extraneous factor. Also, it has been observed that for all grades, occupation and community choices were not congruent, and that community choices were often somewhat more local and rural than occupation choices. Table XVII on page 78 further examined the contingency of occup pation and community choices, in relation to advance in age. Graph I below illustrates the percentage of each grade exhibiting congruent choice: that is, the extent to which individuals choose the equivalent categories corresponding to both occupation and community choice. In Graph I a general relationship with grade advance may be observed.which parallels the divisions of social factor to choice relationship ob— served earlier, in that a noticable break occurs between grad-s six and seven, and nine and ten. The relationship is also parallel to breaks in the number of cases per grade, and the sex distribution. amaimffi? \‘Sh'. 117 [I ' ' .1 {JUL-(ZRL‘kL 4-,» -. l These observations tend to nullify the hypothesis stated above in relation to age change, and reinforce the probability of the in- fluence of a selective drOpout rate upon the data. FIGURE I Percentage Comparison of Extent of Congruent Choice Identifications ( x = 4% of N congruent for each grade.) Grade 20 40 SQ &Q 100 5 6 a xxxx 7 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 8 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 9 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 10 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ll xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 12 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Figure I indicated that although a slight increase may be ob- served with age in the extent to which occupational and community choices of individuals are identical, the change does not support the hypothesis, which expected a great increase in simultaneous identification with age advance. Rather, because of the variation between grades six and seven, and nine and ten, there is probably no change with age advance, and the differences observed reflect only the selective attrition.noticed earlier. In general, it may be said that age, as reflected by grade, is not significantly re- lated to parallel contingency of occupational and community choice. Summary Part of the contentions of Hypothesis III have been supported by the evidence. As age advanced, a larger prOportion of the pOpulation chose nonlocal or nonrural occupation and community loci. The social factors, sex, and rural-nonrural background, appeared to be signifi- cantly related to both.occupation and community choice. Occupation f models and community models were apparently comparable and similarly g related to a higher degree. Migration background was apparently simi- ; 5 larly not related to occupation and community choice. Occupation 3 experience and community experience were not similarly related to ;_j occupation and community choice, and.were apparently not comparable to each other.1 Advance in age did not appear to significantly change the relationships of the social factors to occupation or con- mmnity choice, either in the relation of the factor to choice or the relation of the factors' relative relationship to choice with one another. The pOpulation was apparently'more strongly attached to local or rural life than to local or rural occupations. Occupation and community identifications and their imputed at-. tributes considered herein.were apparently significantly related to one another, although imperfectly and not for each choice or social factor. 1 See.Appendix IV for a comparison of the reciprocal relations of the combined index of all factors to occupation and community choice. The “average index" was similar to one another. CHAPEER SIX: SUM-[MK AND CONCLUSION CEAPTER VI SUMMARY AND CONSLUS ION This study has examined some of the aspects of occupation and community identifications among youth of a rural community. It has been hypothesized, in accordance with existing literature, that the differences in identifications found in such a population might be related to differences in certain “social factors” of that population. A.longitudina1 approach has been adopted in that the relationship of the identifications and social factors has been analyzed in re- lation to change in age, through a postulated “age-role“ charac- teristic of segments of the population. Review of the Study. A,questionnaire was simultaneously distributed among all of the youth of Pittsford Rural Agricultural school of grades five through twelve. The response to that questionnaire Ias analyzed to reflect data pertinent to three groups of hypotheses. Group one pertained to occupation identification; group two dealt with community identifi- cations; and group three pertained to the interrelation of Occupation and community identification. Data in relation to the first group of hypotheses revealed several indications in relation to occupation identification, al- though the data.was limited by a variant distribution of cases per grade, (and in some instances, too few cases for adequate statistical simil- manipulation, within the analytic categories), and by a selective attrition rate which included the early dropout from school of the local farm boys. Within the limitations mentioned above, however, several in- dications of the analysis and data remained significant, as shown by statistical tests. Advance in grades was characterized by cer- tain changes in occupation identification. As age advanced, more of the population chose less local or less rural occupations. Al- though the change in the data might be attributed in part to the selective change in the school population, the change may also be partly due to changes in social factors which would tend to provide more urban contact for the students with advance in age. In the lower grades, most of the youth identified with the local, rural occupations existing in the local community. In the higher grades, most of the youth chose nonrural, nonlocal occupations. Of the social factors imputed to bear upon occupation choice, sex and occupation models showed the most significant relationship. 0f sex, females more than males tended to choose nonrural, nonlocal occupations, perhaps because of the realistic lack of rural oppor- tunity for females. Migration background and quantitative occupation experience showed little or no relation to occupation choice, pos- sibly because these quantitative differences reflected no change in the degree of contact with urbanizing influences but recorded only changes within the same type and locus of occupation environment. fastest-roan. 3.. n 87 Age advance showed little or no demonstrable effect upon the relativity of the social factors to occupation choice, except to support the probability of extraneous influencing factors. The analysis of the second group of hypotheses, pertinent to community identifications, showed similar limitations and indications, except that quantitative community experience or participation proved highly relative to community choice, suggesting an extra- community urbanizing influence in even local community participation. Such an influence might be an indication that factors which cause individuals to participate in community activities might also be factors motivating persons to extra-community awareness. In advance in grades was characterized by a greater choice of nonlocal, nonrural community life. Sex, community experience, rural- nonrural background, and community models were significantly related to community choice in the direction hypothesized. Migration back- ground did not appear to be greatly related to community choice. Advance in age did not change the relationships of the social factors to community choice. The analysis of the third group of hypotheses, actually a com- parison of the analyses of occupation and community identifications, indicated considerable similarity between occupation and community identifications and their relative factors. This analysis suggested that occupation and community choices are related to one another and to the same relative or causal factors of choice, as might be 'F‘m‘-’ 117'1'“ V “v.71 _-_ -. L _ 88 anticipated. However, while distribution of occupation and community choices changed similarly with age advance away from local. rural identifications, the community choices for each grade were somewhat more rural or local than occupation choices, for almost half of the population. The other half of the choices were identical. Such a relationship suggested that community ties were less easily dis- sociated than occupation ties among rural youth. The implication would be. therefore, that the surviving desires of the disaffected rural youth might be to work in the city but live in the country, and thus meet the demands of a changing economic situation with little necessity for readjustment to the value systems concomitant ‘with urban life. the direction of the relationship of the social factors to occupation and community choice was similar for all the social factors represented, except occupation experience, which proved not comparable to community experience as earlier anticipated. Occupation and com- :munity models proved to be comparably related, and the other social factors were identical. Only slight difference was observed in the relative relationship to choice of the social factors to one another with advance in age. 89 Review of the Problem The dropout rate is an “extraneous“ factor only in the sense that it was not considered in the formulation of the study. It is certainly sociologically consequential. and affected the study in a real manner. The analysis of the data developed its probable presence, and its consideration nullified the hypothesis that a change occured with a change in age between the relationships of the social factors and occupational or community choice. Informal interviews indicated that sons of local farmers often drop out of school before reaching the twelfth grade. As one farmer's son described it, "The old man said the forth grade was good enough for him, and I've been in long enough." Now he says I have to come home and earn my keep. Sis, it don't matter. She can't do much on the farm anyway.“ Such a situation is of course not present among all of I the farmers. Most of them take great pride in the school and in their investment in education. In consideration of the original problem of this study. however, it would seem that although the factors of selection for the most part remain Justified, it would not matter what courses or instruction the school offered these farmers' sons. Their careers are shaped for them by their community and family context. Any attempt of educators to structure the paths of rural youth toward urban socialization should be founded upon a realization that the preferences of the youth may have little to do with their actual future needs. 90 It has been the purpose of this study to investigate some of the meaningful aspects of the socializing process of the rural community which influence the occupational and community identifi- cations and hence the migratory plans and aspirations of rural youth. This has been done with the belief that knowledge so derived might, in combination with related works, lead to a.more meaningful and realistic approach to the education of rural youth before their careers and lives are finally decided. The findings of this study relate to this purpose in that some of the factors related to that socializing process have been located. The data has indicated that the roots of migration identification lie in the socializing process and in the changing, dynamic structure of the rural community. Itiifii APPENDICES APPENDIX I: MAP an PITTSFORD HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT July 31, 1951 -\~__’_EEB.—I'~\___#~—‘/~_’ °n95V111° North Adams I [IIZJ Church Corners 1f Pitt sford K I Hudson — e l [Ransom Lake Scale of Miles I I J 1 2 3 h 5 APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE TEE QUESTIONNAIRE AND THE CODING METHOD The table below shows the question number for the ten items of the following questionnaire, and the possible score range for each question. The questionnaire shows the questions exactly as they appeared on the distributed capies, in the same order, but includes a commentary on the scoring method for each question. Distribution of Questions for each Item Item Q Score Q Score Q Score Q Score Q Score Grade 1 2 Sex 3 Occupation ' 6 0—6 18 0-6 21 0-6 Imperience Rural-nonrural 4 0-5 12 0-8 14 0-5 background Migration 5 l-6 18 0-6 24 0-6 background Occup. Models 10 0-6 a? 0-6 29 O-6 Community 7 0-8 1? O—4 19 0-4 23 0-4 experience Community’ 11 0-3 17 0-4 20 0-4 25 0-3 31 0-4 models Occupation 8 0—5 15 0-5 26 0-5 82 0-3 Choice community 9 0-4 16 0-4 22 O-a 28 0-4 30 0-4 Choice ‘— '53 THE COVER SEE?! STUDENT INTERESTS WHAT '1‘ng I§ Ali; ,5._B_QUT: You.are being asked to fill out this form to find out what young people think about such things as what kind of Jobs they f*>en want and.where they‘want to live. The information you.give can t be a great help to schools, colleges, and industries. WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO: We want you.to answer these questions frankly and carefully. This is not a test or an examination, and there are no right or wrong answers, (except for a few questions about your age, year in school, etc.). The answer we need is your own personal opinion and. judgment. There is little writing to do. Most of your opinions can be shown by making a check by the side of the answer you.choose, or by writing a word or two in the space provided after the question. If you feel you need to explain your answer, write it in the margin. When answering these questions, please imagine that when you finish school, (after college or army), you.will be {on your own", ready to choose what you.want to do for a living and where you want to live. Thank you. Elmer GO ON no THE NEXT mes; HEASE PLACE AN (1:) AFTER YOUR CHOICE, on WRITE YOUR A}: visa IN THE BLANK SEACE. TF3 QUESTIONS 1. How old are you.now? 2. What grade are you.in now? 3. AreyouaBOY?() orGIRL?() 4. Where do you.live? In the country? ( ) In Pittsford? ( ) In Ransom? (; ) Somewhere else? (Write it here) m Nit-‘1‘“ S‘C‘EI‘M‘V'Q-j - z (The total score range for this question was 0 - 5. “In the country" scored 0; "Pittsford' scored 8; 'somewhere else" scored 0 - 5, with “Toledo' 5, 'Hillsdale” or equivalent 4, "Pittsford" key 3, "Bird Lake“ or equivalent 2, “near edge of Bird Lake“ or equivalent 1, and “on a farmI 0. Cases from Ransom, about 8 in number, were rejected from the pOpulation.) 'V imi.‘ r. :1). “01; 5. How many places (homes) have you lived in, counting where you live now? 1 ( ) 4 ( 2 ( ) 5 ( 3 ( ) 6 or more ( ) (The total range was 0 - 6. “l” scored 1, "2” scored 2, etc.) 6. How many different Jobs have you.worked at for pay? 0 ( ) 3 ( ) 1 ( ) 4 ( ) 2 ( ) 5 or more ( ) (The range was 0 - 6. '0” scored 0, "l" scored 2, "2" scored 8, “4“ soored 5, “5' scored 6.) 7. Please mark (I) after g; the things you go to in Pittsford: Church ( School Play ( ) Grange E ; Dance Basketball Game E‘ ; Future Farmers ( ) ) ) Party' ( ) Football Game 4-H Meeting ( ) Scouts ( ) Baseball Game Visit friends ( ) Please write any other things you.go to in Pittsford: (The total score range was 0 - 8. Each item checked or written scored one half point.) 95 8. After you finish school, where do you plan to work for giving? (MARK (1:) ONE. ANSWER 0mm) On a farm, near Pittsford: ( On a fan, but somewhere else? é Not on a farm, but near Pittsford? Net on a farm, and somewhere else? E In a city? (The range was 0 - 5. In order from tOp to bottom, the A scores were 0, l, 3, 4, 5.) f4“: 9. After you finish school, where do you plan to livg? (mm: (x) 933 mean ONLY:) On a farm, near Pittsford? On a farm, but somewhere else? Not on a farm, but near Pittsford? Not on a farm, and somewhere else? In a city? vvvvv I *1" (The range was 0 - 4. In order from top to bottom, the scores were 0. l, 2, 3, 4,) 10. Where does your father (or guardian) work? Onafarm? ( ) In town? ( ) What does he do? What does your mother do? (The range was 0 - 6. 'On a farm“ scored 0 - 8, “In town“ scored 4 - 6, depending upon a scale of 'urbanity‘ of occupation. "Farmer“ scored 0; a farmer with a milk route 1; a farmer who worked part time in Hillsdale scored 3; a schoolteacher 4; a doctor in Hillsdale 6. If there was no father, the mother was substituted. If both parents worked, the mothers occupation counted one third.) 11. Where do .2951 of your friends live? On a farm? ( ) In town? ( (The range was 0 - 3. "On a farm" counted 0, "In town” scored 3. If the answer was hedged in the margin, 1 point was subtracted or added appropriately. ) 13. 13. 15. 16. 30 How many years have you.lived in the country; (in all your life)? How many years have you.lived in town, (in all your life)? (The total score range was 0 - 8. The number of years in each answer was multiplied by one third, the former was subtracted from eight, or the latter added to O, whichever provided a score nearer ~c- either extreme. (This was done to avoid age-weighting.) ET“) Has your father (or guardian) lived near Pittsford most of his life? Yes ( ) N0() (—4“— . - _\,A . I 'l 1. ('Yes' scored O, "No" scored 3.) Has your mother (or guardian) lived near Pittsford most of her life? Yes ( ) no ( ) ('Yes“ scored 0, 'No“ scored 3. The total score range for the question was 0 - 6.) Have you ever lived on a farm? Yes ( ) N0() (Tes“ scored 0, “No" scored 5.) Do you.cver expect to own a farm of your own? Yes ( ) N0() ('Yes' scored 0; ”NO" scored 5. A hedge in the margin dis- counted two points from the answer marked.) Where would you rather live? On a farm? ( ) In town? ( ) ("On a farm'I scored 0; "In town” scored 4.) 17. 18. 19. Where does your family do most of its shopping? (max em: on Two caoxcns) Pittsford? ( ) Ransom? ( ) Hudson? ( ) Hillsdale? ( ) Jackson? ( ) Toledo? ( ) Somewhere else? (Write) {~- (The total score range was 0 - 4. From tOp to bottom, the scores were 0, O, 2, 2, 4, 4, O - 4 by comparison with the others.) What is the longest time you have worked at one job for pay? none z 3 3 years ( ) E 1 month 3 years 2 g 3 months ( ) more than :5 years ..... 6 months ( ) 1 393’ ( ) other (The range was 0 - 6. In order as above, the scores were 0, l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, O - 6 by comparison with the others.) Where do you.1ike to spend most of your spare time: At home ( ) Country home of a friend ( ) Pittsford ( ) Somewhere else? Hillsdale ( ) (Write) (The total score range was 0 - 4. “At home“ scored 0; “country home of friendI scored 1; "Pittsford" scored 2; 'Hillsdale" scored 3; 'Somewhere else' scored 0 — 4 by comparison. Thid question, part of the community experience quantitative index, is scored rural to urban in the expected "gemeinschaft-gesellschaft' order of continuity, or in terms of the rural youth “getting out among 'em.“ Where does the relative live, who you most like to visit? (mm (1:) 9p; mam ONLY) On a farm, near Pittsford? ( ) On a farm, but somewhere else? ( ) Net on a farm, but near Pittsford ( ) Not on a farm, and somewhere else ( ) In a city ( ) (The r e was 0 - 4. From top to bottom, the scores were; 0, l, 2.3.??? 21. About how much money have you earned in your life? $0 - 9 ( ) $1000 - 1999 ( ) $10 - 49 ( ) $2000 - 2999 t ) $50 - 99 ( ) $3000 or more( ) $100 - 499 E ) $500 - 999 ) (The range was 0 - 6 In the order above, the scores were: 0. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5. 6.) 22. How many years do you.plan to live near where you live now? (The score range was 0 - 2. "0 - 10' scored 2; '11 - 20“ scored 1; more than 20 scored 0. Such subjective concepts as ''near" were left up to the individual to interpret according to his own evaluations.) 23. Where do most of your friends like to spend their spare time? At home ) Country home of friends ( ) Pittsford Somewhere else Hillsdale ( ) (Write) (The range was 0 - 4, scored like question #19. “At home“ scored 0; I'Gountry home of friends” scored 1;“Pittsford“ scored 2; ”Hillsdale scored 3; “Somewhere else” scored 0 - 4 by comparison.) 24. What is the largest town or city you.have lived in? (Write) I have never lived in town; ( ) (The score range was 0 - 6. By size of town and distance, "Never" scored 0; I'Pittsford", 1; ”RansomF, 2; I'Hillsdale“. 3; “Jackson“, 4; “Detroit", 5; “New York“, 6; others, 0 - 6 by comparison.) 25. Iherg does a friend live, who you.would most want to live near? In town? ( ) In the country? ( Where? (The range was 0 - 3. "In town“ scored 2 for Pittsford or similar, 3 for Hillsdale or greater. "In the country“ scored 0 for a local farm, 1 otherwise.) 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 99 After you.finish school, what kind of work do you.plan to do for a living? __ (The range was 0 - 5, from local, rural to nonlocal, nonrural such as local farmer, 0; grocer 3; dentist 5.) Who do you.know who has a Job you.would like to work at for a living? Father ( ) Brother ( ) Cousin ( ) Iran Mother ( ) Uncle ( ) Someone else : Sister ( ) .Aunt ( ) Don't know any such person ( ) What does he (or she) do?__ __ (The range was 0 - 6 if the model was father or mother, 1 - 5 if someone else. The score, from rural, local to nonrural, non- local, was based upon the answer to IWhat does he do?‘ in accor- dance with the scale used for question #10.) gm, After you finish school where do you.cxpect to live? (The range was 0 - 4, from rural to nonrural, scored according to the scale of question #30. Questions 9, 28, and 30 are designed to record somewhat of a cross between expectancy and aspirations.) What kind of work does your father (or guardian) want you to do for a living? (The range was 0 - 6, if the answer was the same as for question #10 or #27, and 0 .. 4 11' not the same, on the same scale as for question #10.) Where would you rather live? On a farm? E ) In Detroit? ( ) In Pittsford? ) In' New York? ( ) In Hillsdale? ( ) Somewhere else? In Jackson? ( ) (Write) (The range was 0 - 4. In the above order from rural to urban by size the scores were 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 0 - 4 by comparison.) 31. ‘Where does your father (or guardian) want you.to live? Does this make any difference to you? (The range was 0 - 4. The scores were based by comparison with the scale of question #30, except that one point was added or subtracted for an emphatic 'difference' answer when the answer to question #30 differed from that of #31, toward the indication of the parent for a 'yes' answer; away from the indication of the parent for a 'no' answer.) 32. Would you rather - Work on a farm? (_ ) Run a store in a small town? ( ) Work in a factory? (j ) Work in a store in a city? ( ) (The range was 0 - 3. “Farm" scored 0; "small town" scored 1; “factory“ scored 2; ”city“ scored 3. The scores were based.upon the extent of association of the occupations with the local or rural community.) .2EE.EEQ 100 APPENDIX III: POPULATION AND ATTRITION 101 TABLE XXII number of cases in the POpulation of the Study J * number of Number of number of Number Humber Grade Questionnaires Questionnaires Questionnaires missing usable Distributed Received Rejected 12 32 31 2 l 29 ll 43 41 2 2 39 10 38 j 37 5 1 32 9 65 58 5 7 53 8 65 65 0 O 65 7 59 56 4 3 52 6 60 49 5 ll 44 5 52- 49 2 3 47 Total 414 386 25 . 28 361 Population of Pittsford Township: 1930 1447 1940 1304 1950 1355 Population of Hillsdale: 1940 7297 1950 6381 . w w - xv... .‘ 102 TABLE XXIII Population of School Grades per Year1 (The Attrition Bate) Year Gm“ 1951 1952 1953 1954 12 57 39 34 32 11 4s 45 43 10 37 37 38 9 58 54 55 5 1 According to the school records available March 1954. It is unknown to what extent the pOpulation changes shown here were determined by drOpouts, adds, drOp backs, or promotions. It may be seen, however, that the present twelfth grade had a larger population four years ago. The locations or characteristics of those missing 25 youth are unknown. Several of them may be included in the present eleventh or tenth grades. APPENDIX IV: MIS CELLANEOUS DATA Plum- '1 103 6 17 18 Upper half of division 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 TABLE XIX 4 5 6 7 8 3 for each School Grade 2 Frequency Distribution by Score (Except Sex - SF 1) 1 Lower half of division to As Belated to Occupational Identification Grade 0 Frequency Distribution of Scores for each Social Factor Social Factor Icicles 22 2O 27 25 24 25 8 3 m 24 24 16 32 33 3O 23 8 15 13 1 4. 4.23 3343255 11234.25 25551.1 32174.46 4.37.634. 44364.55 652653 5678901 1. 54.77532 8667332 14.324. 33.533 34.11 54. 34.3 567 8 9 Sex Experience 2. Occupation 3 1.. . use 1 1 1 2 1 2 24.33613 1 2 3 2 4.1.1133 "2.5.1 1.1. 1. .2.1.2.4 .1 .2 .1.2.2 .2.2.4.2.1.on2.1 .o.o.2.2.o.4.2.1 nonaqinoooeuug1. no .1.D.2.4.4.o .o.1.4.5_l.1 3_6 7—7—7 2 £3 3927 21s.... nun nu 56789 3. Benrural Background 10 Rural- 1 1 111 31.34.3111 23111 1 13 36 54. 354.94.131.— 52.652143 4.65233 2 52668111 113 1.. 334.12 62397355 .I. 1 2O 10 m 10 10 o 1 3 1 13 1 W 2 35524221 71354513 :ua.¢u ave.aun2 32673431 2133114 12432132 31844 52 2116 12 33 56112 22322314. 1 5678901. 11.. 4. Migration 2w743122 535134.42 .l. 2311 1 24.43.1521 3 2221...... 14.35113 114. 2 111 11 11 31 1 762n6233 567 9 10 11 12 5. Occupation 8 Hodels / 1'. median to nearest cell. 104 2431! XI Frequency'Distribution of Scores for each Social Factor as Rclated to Community Identification for each School Grade Upper half of division frequency Distribution of Score (Exc. Sex - SF 1) Lower half of division Social factor Grade 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 2 01 Females amwwmmmm wunmwauu fins 5678901. 1...... L Sn 11 13222 1 1321 L 11153212 214634L 32526149 34n.4463 764M948; w68m7475 03056335 1.. 1. 8 3 3m 4. 33 4.835313 34.33613 11 3 1. 3 3 3 4.1.1133 331.. 1.1 1.. 31.33 1.. 3 1.33 1 1 11 1 2124311 23111 1 1.3 36 54. 53653143 4.65333 3 71.354513 57316i52 334.3113... 21 13 314511 33 56112 1 i6lm7262223222141 l 1 270 amazzumm 1 5678 . 9mu$567890nw567890n. n m”. m m 0 O 2 am. Wow 4 m... k 8 Hr 31.33114. 3313333131844. 53 3 15.344.331.16 1.3 354941.31? 3331...... 5256311434333142 32673434626m53 4 7T887581 632234211243213£5m8n4213 1 1.31.. .I. 1.15 1.. 1.. 311.31.. 12 23414 24158352; 4.3744374. 34.467134. 64.393337 373 51.1.3 1.. W. c nuns / = median to nearest cell 105 TABLE.XXI Frequency Distribution of Occupetional Choices by Community.Choices for each School Grade Cormunity Occupation Choice Category 9 N Grade Choice Total Category A; B C D N A (1:?) 8 6 5 B 2 (1) 1 2 47 c 2 (1) 1 F“ p 5 15) 2 A (12) 9 4 - s B 1 (2) 4 2 44 c (2) z * F D 1 4 (1) 4 A (18) 1 - 7 B 2 (1) 3 3 52 c 2 (4) 4 L D .14 3 (10) ’ A (81) 1 3 8 B 3 (:3) 4 4 65 c 1 1 (4) 4 D 1 1 (14) A (14) 2 2 A 9 B (5) 3 z 53 c 1 (5) 6 D 1 (12) A (2) 1 . 10 B 1 (2) 3 3 32 0 (2) 5 n 3 (10) A (5) z 3 2 11 3 1 (2) 3 4 39 c (1) 4 . _1 D 4.1. (111 A (4) 1 1 , 12 B (3) 3 3 29 c (5) 5 D (4) A (89) 23 20 3 111 B 10 (19) 24 23 361 Grades 0 l 6 24 31 D o 3 18 67 x8 .. 453.313 p .001 c = .7461 Numbers in Parentheeis indicate point of congruence, as hypothesized. Black numbers indicate natural variance from point of congruence. FIGURE II Percentage Variation of Total Average Social Factor Index by Grade and Occupational Choice 106 A11 Social SFD 3 -------------------- 339 1 Factors, c1101” 1 = 2% of H for each Choice Category Grad' 20 4o 60 80 0Q mmmxmx WW WWW mmxxmm XXXXXXIIX 5 W mm mm mmxxxxxxmxmmm mucus—3! ‘17 at. . . W mmmxxxxmxnxx 10 11 bowonwaowPUou>w0w>Uowaowbkowb WWW Dispersion varies from 50% N :2 relative number FIGURE III Percentage Variation of Total Average Social Factor Index by Grade and Community Choice 107 In Social gm 2 ..................... sen 1— Factors. Choice x - 56% of Nr tar each Chcice Category Grade 0 20 4O 50 80 100 WW mmxxxxxmxmxx XIXIXXX xxxmxxxxmmnxx mscm‘i}: :rxxx mm 5 mxxnmcxxmmxxxx mXJC'CXKXXXII‘IXX xxxxxmxxxmx mumnxxxmxxmxxxmnxx mWIUJZX xxxxuxxmxxmtxxxx mm mxxxxnxxmnmxxn WWW Mnmvmxxxxmxnn as. M". em 4‘- (1. W mmmxmx WW mmmrmmxmxxxm WWII mumxxxxxxnm WWHW WFJULTW mm (mm mm xmnmxxmggw ,xxxxxxmmmmxx mmm (magma Wm mmrmmvcumxmxxx 10 11 WW Wflml WW . WXKXXXL‘CXXXW IDGUCCX dob!onwaowPUOwPaowbuoubuowtbtdowb Dispersion varies from 50% Nr .- relative number BIBLIO GRAPHY {iii {a 0.4.: BIBLIOGRAPHY Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Farm Pogulatign Estimateg, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., 1940. F.E. Croxton & D. J. Cowden, gnplied General Statistics, (New Yorzvz, Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1939). 108 R. A. Fisher 8: F. Yates, Statigtical Table; for BiolOgical, Agricultural, ‘aggiMediCQ; Research, (Oliver & Boyd: Edinburgh) M. Hagood, Statistic; for Sociologists, (New York, Henry Holt, 8: Co., 1941) P. K. Hatt & A. J. Reiss,Jr., Reader _i__r_1 Urban Sociolggx, (The Free Press, Glencoe, Illinois, 1951 . H. J. Kama, Eigtog g; Pittsford Schools of Pittsford, Michigan, (M..A. Thesis, University of Toledo, 1949)? P. H. Landix, Rural Life.in Process, (New York, McGraw—Hill, 1940) C. P. Loomis 8: J.A. Beegle, RuralSSocial fixatems, (New York, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1950) B. L. Melvin & E. N. 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