842 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



studied for a good many years. The satisfactory labor conditions 

 that are today noticeable to every visitor at Ravenswood are the 

 results of an evolution. 



One rule is that every man is to be paid what he earns and must 

 earn what he is paid. But in addition to this the owners have shown 

 a broad sympathy for the employes. The satisfaction of the men 

 has been sought. They, in turn, feel a pride in the place. Com- 

 fortable homes, beautiful surroundings, a real rural graded school, 

 a neighborhood church, good roads, telephones, rural free delivery 

 mail service, and an out-in-the-country community center all these 

 are for the men and their families to enjoy. The tenant houses at 

 Ravenswood differ widely from the type found on too many farms. 

 They are attractive in appearance, conveniently arranged, of pleasing 

 architecture, and no two houses quite alike. The "our home" idea 

 is carefully cultivated. Some of the tenant houses are of brick and 

 have slate roofs; others are of frame with asbestos shingle roofs. All 

 houses have cement porches. The cost of these buildings varies from 

 $1,050 to $2,200. 



On a five-acre tract of land on the corner of the farm adjoining 

 the little hamlet of not more than a dozen homes is the rural school, 

 a two-story brick building with large basement and adequate heating 

 plant. The cost of this modern schoolhouse, built last year to replace 

 an old-time structure of the box-car kind, was $3,800. Of this 

 amount the Messrs. Leonard gave $1,000. They also donated the 

 land, with the understanding that work in agriculture is to be carried 

 on and that crop and soil experiments are to be conducted from year 

 to year. Liberal as they have apparently been, they frankly say that 

 what they have done has not been done unselfishly. The right kind 

 of people, they reason, will wish their children to have school advan- 

 tages, so the only way to keep these people on the place is to see that 

 the school is provided. 



Just across the road from the schoolhouse is the church where on 

 Sundays the tenants on the Leonard farm may go and feel welcome 

 as they meet with other farmers and their families. Because the need 

 of church advantages is recognized, just as is the necessity of educa- 

 tional opportunities, Ravenswood gave largely to the funds to build 

 this church a number of years ago, and has since liberally supported it. 



The proprietors of this big country place believe in neighborhood 

 betterment and have tried to make the environment conducive to a 

 clean and healthful childhood. Furthermore, they hold it to be true 



