Average Age of Marriage 



For the white farming population, the average age at which the man 

 marries is 25.7 years and the woman, 21.6 years; for the colored popu- 

 lation, the ages are respectively, 28.5 and 22.2 years. These averages 

 as compared with the averages in counties surveyed in other states 

 are high, fully a year above the averages in Kentucky and 3 years above 

 the averages in Missouri. Reference to the chart on the age of farmers 

 and to the discussion on that point will suggest one reason for this — 

 namely that the difficulty of the young farmer in acquiring land without 

 going in debt for it postpones marriage. 



Housing Conditions 



No ver>' intensive survey was made of the housing conditions but a 

 few general observations may be ventured as in point here. Our in- 

 terest is primarily in the farm homes. If we were to compare Mont- 

 gomery County with the average farming community of the Middle 

 West, it would be safe to say that on the whole Montgomery County 

 has from 25 to 50% better housing conditions. Here the story-and-a- 

 half, relatively unpainted frame house of weather-beaten aspect, that 

 graces so many country roads in such profusion, is almost unknown. 

 Its place is taken by a large, freshly painted, two or three-story house 

 which is both commodious and comfortable and equipped with many 

 modern conveniences. In the upper end of the county the homes are 

 on the average a little smaller. For the entire county, probably the 

 homes of the farm owners would average seven or eight rooms. Ninety- 

 five per-cent. of them are painted. A fair proportion are supplied with 

 water by windmill or ram or engine. Sanitar}/ conveniences are excell- 

 ent. The homes of the farm-tenants, for the county as a whole, are 

 smaller; probably not more than 60% are painted. The homes of the 

 colored farmers, while considerably_^below the average for the white 

 farmers, are well above the average^for colored farmers_in many other 

 sections of the country, j | , i 



On almost all the farms a distinct effort has been made to beautify 

 the homes and the home-surroundings. One sees an unusual number 

 of well-kept lawns, with an abundance of shade trees, shrubbery, and 

 flowers. In general, the household furnishings huxe beauty in mind as 

 well as utility. Probably a third of the homes have musicalinstruments 

 of some sort. 



Institutions of Public Importance 



There are four large, well-equipped sanitariums in the county. One 

 of these is devoted to the open air treatment of all forms of tuberculosis; 

 a second is given over to the treatment of nervous and mental diseases, 



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