American Agriculturist, October 4, 1924 227 
Should Women Help with Farm Work? 
Some Interesting Letters from Women on this Subject 
Editors’ Note: —In answer to our article in a recent 
issue discussing the part that women should take in farm 
work outside the home, we have received quite a few letters, all 
of them from farm women. We are publishing some of these 
letters on this page. We do not believe that the majority 
of farm women will agree with the dark pictures painted 
by some of these correspondents. Also—maybe this is a 
mans point of view—but we thoroughly believe that while 
there may be exceptions, most farmer men have no desire 
or intention of working their women folks to the extent of 
injuring their health. 
* * * 
H iVVING been born and raised on a farm, 
and with the exception of the years 
spent in school and teaching, my life has 
been spent on af arm, as I married a farmer. 
With very few exceptions the farm¬ 
er’s wife does all of her own work, 
makes and tends the garden and 
raises chickens (this for a little money 
of her own). 
I have known of farmers’ wives who 
rose early, did their work in the 
house, worked all day in the field 
with the men, and worked part of the 
night (while the men were sleeping) 
preparing food for the next day. But 
I have never known of one who did 
this who did not ruin her health in a 
few years and spend her remaining 
days paying doctor’s bills and suffering. 
As a rule people think farmers’ 
wives are stronger than their city 
sisters, but the same God created both 
and all after the same plan. The 
farmer’s wife was no more intended to 
do man’s heavy work than any other 
woman. 
It has been said there is more 
insanity among farmers’ wives than 
any other class. I believe this is due 
to the fact that they have so little 
recreation, no vacations and no time 
for reading. With this daily routine 
of work they lose interest in life itself. 
Many are like this, but all are not 
content with this narrow life and 
realize that a farmer’s wife is as 
worthy a vocation as any other. With 
the modern conveniences we can find 
a little time for recreation, and if we 
use our brains, we can master our work 
and not become its slave. 
Give the farmer’s wife a chance, 
don’t work her to death, and you will 
find a class of women equal to any, 
morally, physically and intellectually. 
—L. J. W., Livingston County, N. Y. 
* * * 
Circumstances Determine 
DITOR EASTMAN has asked for comments 
on his article—“ Should Women Help With 
Farm Work?”—and no doubt the majority of 
replies will be from women as it is a question that 
so vitally concerns them. 
How much, if any, farm work a woman should 
do must depend first of all on her own health and 
strength and also on the conditions peculiar to the 
family of which she is a member. 
That “circumstances alter cases” is never more 
true than in a case of this kind. 
Certain it is that there can be no wisdom in any 
course that results in an over-burdened wife and 
mother, or in daughters worked beyond their 
strength, and no right-thinking husband or father 
will expect or allow it. 
Few wives are physically able to do the heavy 
housework on a farm and rear a family and add to 
those duties even part of the work of a hired man. 
I do not say that this cannot be done. I know 
of one instance where it has been done success¬ 
fully, but there are few such superwomen in the 
world and it is the exception that proves the rule. 
When this is attempted it too often means 
broken health, if not a shortened life and a step- 
By A. A. READERS 
mother in the family. Even without any such 
dire results a perpetually overworked and tired- 
out mother cannot possibly do justice to her most 
important job, the bringing up of her children. 
On the other hand, where there is more than 
one woman in the family, growing daughters, 
perhaps, or as sometimes happens, a still-active 
grandmother, or both, mother and the girls may 
be able to help with farm work in emergencies to 
great advantage and no harm to themselves. 
At this time of scarce and high-priced hired help 
it is luck if conditions are such that the women can 
sometimes lend a hand. Often saving the wages 
and board of hired help means the difference 
between loss and gain, but this should always be 
worked out with care and judgment, keeping far 
over to the safe side. 
The care of poultry and garden is generally 
conceded to be part of the wifes’ “chores,” and 
with some help from the men-folks may be a 
source of both pleasure and health, but heavy 
work in the hay and harvest fields, the potato 
patch and the sugar-bush, together with endless 
milking of cows, must soon become such a burden 
as to take all the joy out of living. 
It goes without saying that the wife should be 
consulted concerning business. Her judgment is 
apt to be sound, and occasionally she has an even 
better head for business than the husband. 
Now—to go outside the question—too often the 
help of women with the farm work is taken for 
granted, with no thought of recompense. Of 
course mother and the girls are glad to help dad 
out and would never ask or expect pay, but having 
been saved the wages of a hired man it is up to dad 
to show his appreciation by taking pains to find 
out what would especially please therm There 
is sure to be something they have set their hearts 
on. Think it over, dad, and remember that a little 
money in the purse, or a comparatively small 
desire gratified, has the power to change work from 
drudgery to joy. 
Should women help with the farm work—is a 
serious question that each family must work out 
for itself, always remembering it is possible that 
such a saving may be made at too great an ulti¬ 
mate expense.— Mrs. E. S. T. C., Erie County, 
N. Y. 
* * * 
Such Cases Are Rare 
W HEN my husband lost his job of 26 years 
standing in a mill in town, we thought of 
farming, and securing a large, good farm we moved. 
Husband had me promise to help him, 
and I agreed, supposing he meant only 
in the ordinary way as advice, meals 
on time, mending and other work 
fitted to a woman. But later I under¬ 
stood he never intended hiring a man, 
fearing the expense, but I and my 
eight little children, the older ones, 
mostly girls, he expected to help him. 
Well, the children and I worked in 
the hay field until a $150 operation 
was necessary for me. The eldest, a 
frail daughter, soon had to give up. 
But the next daughter of 14 years was 
her father’s “right-hand man.” She 
loved a farm. Her father said he 
could depend on her much better than 
he could the elder boy, the other boys 
being much younger. 
Daughter went to school and gradu¬ 
ated as valedictorian at high school, won 
a scholarship and mostly under hard 
conditions (as she lived so far from 
school the most of the time). She 
even went to college two years and 
worked for her board and room while 
there, but during vacation was still the 
“hired man.” At college under ex¬ 
aminations (which now is required at 
all colleges) her right shoulder was 
found to be drawn out of shape from 
pitching hay. 
After awhile she married, but only 
to be happy a very short year. After 
working very hard outdoors on a farm 
of their own, a little daughter was 
forced into the world, as the young 
mother’s life went out. The poor 
little mother’s organs as well as her 
shoulder were strained out of shape 
with too much heavy outdoor farming. 
Did it pay to not hire a man? Her 
motherless babe to never know a true 
mother’s love? No! ! ! A woman 
should not work out of doors on a farm. It may 
be once in a while at light tasks she might if she 
wishes to, but never to feel it compulsory. A 
woman, especially if she has a family, has enough 
to do indoors. Her organism is of a finer texture 
than a man’s and more susceptible to injury. 
A farmer should expect to hire a man. No 
woman should be expected to milk cows, especially 
if she is young and raising a family. It “ hardens 
the muscles” the doctors say and causes serious 
trouble sometimes. 
What mother has not returned from milking 
or other outdoor work to find the children have 
committed some misdemeanor to each other, broken 
dishes, or in some way has caused a waste or dis¬ 
obeyed. Whereas if mother had been there, how 
differently all would have been. -And if they or 
the home should be set afire or a permanent 
injury happen to them, it would more than balance 
all the saving in out-door work that mother ever 
did (if they are left alone), and there is not every 
time that she can take them with her, as in the 
early morning, or be a helpmate to “hubby” when 
all she can think of is overtired feeling and her 
aches and pains. Generally the offspring “come 
up” more than being “brought up.” A mother 
(Continued on page 232) 
Copyright, 1924, New York Tribune, Inc. 
A fine opportunity for some candidate to win the farmer vote. 
—Darling in the New York Tribune. 
