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April 14, 1935 ~ News of Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Kansas
Volume 280 Number 144 Suggested Retail Price $0.05
Dusty Times The Farm Crisis
! Who, farmers. What, bankruptcy, lack of food, loss of land. Where, the Great Plains. When,since 1931, we can’t be sure how long these conditions will last. Though the dust bowl has and still is affecting many people and families across America. Both economically and physically, the dust has farmers loosing their cattle, and going bankrupt. The farms provide food, and money for all of the farmers and their family, but because of the dust most of the crops are destroyed. Cotton, one of the necessary crops to grow, and one of the main sources of profit and income for farmers has dropped from $0.37 to $0.065. Selling crops for this low of a price have left farmers gaining no profit. It wasn’t only the dust that killed the crops. Many off the crops that farmers were growing were picked up by the strong winds. The devastation in the farms is making daily life such a struggle. I interviewed the well known farmer, Bayard Kelby. He told me what one of the physical struggles are of the dust. “One day I went out to my tractor, and I couldn’t find it. I saw a shape sticking out of the ground where my tractor usually stays, and it was the top of it! It took me almost 4 hours to get it uncovered.” Many houses and vehicles have been destroyed by the dust and wind. Luckily, Kelby’s tractor was just dusty. I asked Mr. Kelby what the worst
By: Katie Osgood
The dust has covered many vehicles and part of a house
part about farming is while this tragedy is happening. He told me that many things contributed to the struggles of farming, but he made one point that he really thought was the biggest reason. “I think that the hope of growing wheat again is the biggest struggle. Wheat is the base substance of many other food items, and without it, there’s not much we can eat other than some meat. Many others have given up hope of growing wheat while the dust storms are still happening, but I think that if we grew it before, we can grow it again.” Were the wise words of Mr. Kelby. The Farm Credit Administration is still helping farmers and their family’s get back up onto their feet after their homes, barns, and lands got destroyed by the dust and wind.
Advice column answer
Dear Billie Jo Kelby, It seems like your defiantly carrying around a few problems. The first problem we should establish is the problem about your mom. I am so sorry for your loss, but don’t feel like it’s all your fault, because if you carry around that burden for the rest of your life, you won’t enjoy much. You were so concerned about helping get rid of the fire that you probably had so many things going on in your mind, you just threw the pan, you didn’t mean to harm anyone! The problem with your dad is something you can’t really fix. Remember that even though he seems tough and hard working he is probably just as sad and emotional as you are. Try asking him something that requires an answer that is more than a yes or no. As of ! the piano, even if it reminds you of your mother. It’s almost like the piano is a piece of her that you can still have. - Best of luck, Ms. Freeland
Advice Column Dear Ms. Freeland, I am writing to you because of family issues. For the past few days, my Ma has been in severe pain because of the accident a couple weeks ago. Ma thought she was pouring my father’s coffee onto the stove, but it was actually kerosene. My Ma ran outside calling my father to come in and help, and I thought it would be best to pick up the burning pan and throw it outside, but when I threw it, I had no idea that my Ma was coming inside. She was on fire, and my hands are burnt. My Ma died, the same day she gave birth to my little brother, but he also died the same day. I feel awful about my mom, because I know it was my fault, though I’m not sure why my father would leave kerosene next to the stove. Every day since her death has been depressing. I don’t even want to look at the piano any more, because my Ma taught me how to play, and I practiced everyday after I knew how to play. My Ma was the best piano player I knew. I never want to play again. Also because my hands hurt even when I don’t move them. My father and I haven’t talked since my Ma passed. I have often thought about running away, to a land where the only struggle is making new friends, no dust scratching my eyes or getting into the open skin on my hands. I don’t want to leave my dad, but I feel like there is no other choice. Write back soon. -Billie Jo Kelby
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Letter to Editor
Could People Have Prevented the Dust? Volume 280, Number 144 By: Dust storms
Well, people could have prevented me somewhat, but it wasn’t completely their fault. When you gave me an opportunity to be released from the ground, this is where me storming everywhere is the fault of humans. The Midwest was protected by tall prairie grass, which held the topsoil in place during droughts. After a while, farmers started plowing through the grass to create more land on their farms, but they failed to realize that they were also loosening the topsoil. Topsoil is exactly what it sounds like, the top layer of soil, but it is also a very crucial part of agriculture. Topsoil is the most fertile layer of soil, because it is the first thing to soak in sun and other nutrients that will eventually go into the deeper layers of soil. Along with the loose soil, the drought had made the soil very dry and very easy to be picked up by the high winds. There had been many droughts before the dust, but the dust only happened because of the loosening of the soil. Yes, humans could have prevented the dust, not completely, but if farmers had not plowed up all the soil through the prairies then the dust wouldn’t have been as harsh as they are. Now, I am very sorry for disrupting everyday life, but don’t blame me, blame the clouds and your own kind. As the air dried out, and there was a lack of water, topsoil got very dry and crumbly. If you walked by the topsoil, it would move around, and maybe a few handfuls would go into the air. Now let’s add the wind into the picture. Humans had nothing to do with the wind. If just walking by the topsoil will make it move, what do you think 100 miles per hour wind will do? Well, just look outside your window for the answer. In the long run, humans could have made the dust storms less severe, but they couldn’t have prevented them entirely. The wind is a natural occurrence caused by the uneven heating of the earth’s surface by the sun. Droughts are also natural happenings caused by lack of rainfall. With both of those things happening, the dry soil would still be picked up by the wind, because of the drought making all the soil dry. The loose soil happened by farmers plowing the grass.
Interview with Franklin Delano Roosevelt Even though I could not meet with the president face to face, I was able to speak to him over the phone to ask questions. One of the questions I asked was what are the new ways of helping struggling families during the hard times of the dust. He replied, “Since last year, the federal government and I have been working on many groups that will help make living through the drought and dust less severe.” Along with improving the Farm Credit Administration, Roosevelt is working on the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act. This will provide $525 million for drought relief. Another program will be the Works Progress Administration, this will employ 8.5 million people that have been affected by the current climate and economical issues. “My hope is that after many farmer are again employed, the Soil Erosion Service, will come into play. Farmers will be payed to practice soil saving techniques.” Roosevelt reported. “The Drought Relief Service, will buy the cattle from farmers if they can’t afford to keep it.” Says Roosevelt.Helping all the people across the U.S is the main goal of Roosevelt. He says, “Anything I can do to help my country succeed through the hard times, I’ll do.”
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Lexicon Organizer Lexicon Organizer
Word & Page # or Source used
Part of Speech (noun, verb, adj)
Definition
Sentence from book
Relevance or importance to topic or time period
Use the word in a new sentence. (your own!)
Acre: Instagrok
Noun
The acre is a unit of area used in the imperial and U.S. customary systems
“The government paid the reluctant farmers a dollar an acre to practice one of the new methods.”
Farmers used different acres of their farm to plant crops
My family owns 16 acres of land.
Agriculture: Instagrok
Noun
Farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and animals to provide food, and other
“As the depression wore on, the defects and negative trends of cash-crop agriculture became magnified”
Jobs, employment
I did a research project on agriculture, and how it works.
Lexicon Organizer Bankruptcy: Instagrok
Noun
Bankruptcy is a legal status of a person or other entity that cannot repay the debts it owes to creditors
“Although it is difficult for farmers to give up their herds, the cattle slaughter program helps many of them avoid bankruptcy.”
Unemployment
Did you hear the news? The school went bankrupt!
Cattle: Instagrok Noun
Large ruminant “Cattle were slaughtered to animals with ease the financial burden horns and cloven on farmers.” hoofs, domesticated for meat or milk
Brought in a lot of I could never give up money for farmers. my cattle
Contraction: Instagrok
Verb?
Slowdown in economic activity; the opposite of economic expansion
“The decline in the stock market was associated with a sharp contraction in economic activity.”
Stock market declined, made economy unsteady.
Crops: Instagrok
Noun
A cultivated plant that is grown as food
“Crops and pasture lands Farmers made were ruined by the harsh money off of it storms, which also proved a severe health hazard.”
Economic contractions can be very bad for families, making living conditions harder.
I typically grow vegetable crops, such as corn
Lexicon Organizer Deep plowing: Instagrok
Verb
Tractors plowing dust that is over a foot deep
Any organic matter will have been worked in, and what you end up with is a deep layer of loose, well-aeratedearth.
It gets rid of some of the extra dust
Deep plowing has helped Sam see better during the dust bowl.
Deflation: Instagrok
Noun
Reduction of the general level of prices in an economy
“People and businesses that were deeply in debt when price deflation occurred or demand for their product often risked default.”
It will put businesses at severe risk of closure.
The deflation has caused major issues in the government.
Document: Instagrok
Noun
A piece of written or printed matter that provides information or evidence or that serves as an official record
“A complex set of interacting forces both economic and ecological brought the migrant workers, documented in the ethnographic collection, to California.”
It helped show the people that were living during the time period.
Many people are in the documents from the Mayflower ship.
Drought: Instagrok
Noun
A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall; a shortage of water resulting from this
“Some of them had overstocked the land with cattle and reduced its ability to survive a time of severe drought.”
Caused major problems
The drought has caused crops, animals and people to die.
Lexicon Organizer Dust pneumonia: Page 140
Noun
Dust pneumonia results when the lungs are filled with dust,
“Last Friday Pete Guymon took ill with dust pneumonia.”
It caused many deaths
I read about dust pneumonia once, it was the major cause of death during the dust bowl.
Economist: Instagrok
Noun
Professional in the social science discipline of economics.
“As the depression continued, many economists advised the federal government to increase spending, in order to provide employment.”
There were many economists during the great depression.
Most economists are very dedicated to their work.
Erosion: Instagrok
Noun
The process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents
“In the later half of the 1930’s, the southern plains were devastated by drought, wind erosion, and great dust storms.”
This is very bad for farms, especially along side with the dust.
The ground was uneven because of the erosion from the rain and wind.
Exodus: Instagrok
Noun
A mass departure of people, esp. emigrants.
“The dust bowl exodus was Many people left the largest migration in the areas of the American history, within a dust. short period of time.”
During the exodus, many people went to california.
Lexicon Organizer Great depression: Instagrok
Noun
Worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II.
The Great Depression was a severe, worldwide economic downturn lasting from 1929 to the early 1940s.
Caused major economic changes for the worse
The Great depression was one of America’s toughest times.
Inflation: Instagrok
Noun
Economics a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money.
“This "convertibility" put an upper limit on the amount of paper currency governments could print, and thus prevented inflation.”
This was a contributor towards the Great depression
In my opinion, inflation had equal amounts of pros and cons.
Ma: Page 21
Noun
Another way to say mother, or mom
“Ma has rules for setting the table.”
Grammar
My ma has played a very important part in my life.
Migrant: Instagrok
Noun
A worker who moves from place to place to do seasonal work.
“Even with an entire family Lifestyle/job working, migrants could not support themselves on these low wages.”
I think migrants would have a better chance of being better off in a place without the dust.
Oilcloth: Page 18
Noun
Fabric treated on one side with oil to make it waterproof.
“After Ma emptied the sack, setting each packet out on the oilcloth, she counted her change.”
We put the newspaper on the oilcloth so it wouldn’t get wet.
It kept important things off of all the dust
Lexicon Organizer Panhandle: Instagrok
Noun
a narrow strip of territory projecting from the main territory of one state into another state
“The areas most severely affected were western Texas, eastern New Mexico, the Oklahoma panhandle, western Kansas, and Eastern Colorado.”
People who lived in the panhandle were hit hard.
I think the coolest looking state is Oklahoma, because of the panhandle.
Roosevelt: Instagrok
Noun
32nd President of the United States (1933–1945). He served for 12 years and four terms. Very respected for the help from the great depression
“Roosevelt believed it was the federal government’s duty to help the American people get through the bad times like the dust bowl.”
President
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the person who helped the U.S rise during and after the great depression.
Topsoil: Instagrok
Noun
The top layer of soil.
“Because the amount of topsoil had been reduced, it would have been more productive to shift from crops and wheat to animals and hay.”
Topsoil was picked up very easily by the wind, causing worse conditions.
The dust storms probably would have been thinner if there wasn’t topsoil.
Unemployment: Instagrok
Noun
The state of being unemployed.
“Unemployment soared from 5 million in 1930 to over 11 million in 1931”
This made it hard for family’s especially farmers
The unemployment levels are at a steady rate right now.
Conservapedia.com. "Great Depression - Conservapedia." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. "Desertification." GaleVirtualreferenceLibrary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do? sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=falm01655&tabID=T003&searchId=R2&r esultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm造tPosition=1&contentSet=GALE %7CCX3437400108&&docId=GALE|CX3437400108&docType=GALE>. "The Dust Bowl." About.com US Economy. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://useconomy.about.com/od/criticalssues/p/The_Dust_Bowl.htm>. Econlib.org. "Great Depression, by Robert J. Samuelson: The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics | Library of Economics and Liberty." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. Encyclopedia.com. "Dust Bowl Facts, Information, Pictures | Encyclopedia.com Articles about Dust Bowl." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. Encyclopedia.com. "Great Depression Facts, Information, Pictures | Encyclopedia.com Articles about Great Depression." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. English.illinois.edu. "About The Dust Bowl." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. En.wikipedia.org. "Dust Bowl - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. Eoearth.org. "Dust Bowl." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. Georgiaencyclopedia.org. "Great Depression | New Georgia Encyclopedia." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. Hesse, Karen. Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic, 1997. Print. Memory.loc.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. Pbs.org. "Timeline . Surviving the Dust Bowl . American Experience . WGBH | PBS." N.p., n.d.
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Schools-wikipedia.org. "Great Depression." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. Tshaonline.org. "DUST BOWL | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. U-s-history.com. "The Dust Bowl." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.