Run Your Farm Family as A Cooperative Business, 1936

“Cooperation in Family Business” by Pauline Gordon, Extension Specialist in Home Management and House Furnishings, N.C. State College at Raleigh, in the Carolina Co-operator, April 1936

How is the business of your home carried on? Is it under the control of one person, or does every member of the family plan its expenditures in so far as his age and ability will permit? Within the past few years the farmer has realized, more than ever before, the need of keeping business records. The basis of credit to the farmers is now determined to a great extent by the records and plans for the farm operations. With the coming in of the new era in the farm business, I hope that there will be a new era in the family business.

The family that avoids business catastrophies must have plans for expenditures and must keep records in order to know how well its plans are carried out. The majority of people plan ahead, consciously or unconsciously, but if your plan is to be successful, it must be carefully thought out, then written down, then followed, and then analyzed. No family should operate without a system, and that system should not be worked out by the head of the home, but by every member of the family.

We are all familiar with the old saying, “A horse that will not stand without hitching is not worth having.” A woman that can be trusted with a man’s name, his honor, his home and his reputation should certainly be trusted with the knowledge of his business. What is the business status of the wife and children of your home? Should women and children be shielded from the business of the home? Should a woman know the money worries of her husband? Is a man protecting and providing for his family in the best way when he keeps all business transactions and business worries form them?

The business, the money, and the property of the family is a joint possession, and it should be looked upon as a partnership. The man that protects his wife and children from all business worries should realize just what will happen in the case of his death if his family has no knowledge or training in business transactions. 

There is very little chance of them having anything in a few years, regardless of what he leaves them, unless they have had training and experience in the business world. The greatest kindness a man can do his family is not to protect them from the so-called business worries, but to let his wife and children become active partners in the business of the family and give them training in business transactions.

Children should become acquainted with the source and amount of the family income and also with the main expenditures. Discussions of the cost of shelter, food, clothing, education, travel, automobile, taxes, and other matters that have to do with family finances can be made a valuable part of the children’s education. Of course, consideration must be given to the ages and experience of the children. Children should be prepared to deal with the world of realities and in this world the getting and spending of money plays an important part. Regardless of who provides the income every member of the family should have a part in planning its expenditures.

Every farm woman should be interested in organizing her home on a sound business and now when there is such vital need for her husband to put the farm on a firm basis it is a good time to organize the business of the family.

If not all members of her family are interested in this project she should begin by planning the expenditure of that part of the income she controls and very shortly the others are apt to join her.

The income from the farm varies from month to month, but by using last year’s income as a guide she can make out a plan for the expenditure of her income. With this plan as a guide and well-kept account of expenditures the second year she should be able, with the help of the family, to devise a spending plan that will meet the needs of her family.

It is the business of every family to know that the scale of living is within its boundary, and it should have its own standard of living that does not exceed the income. There should be some form of saving to provide for care in illness, to secure education for the children, to protect against financial reverses, and to insure adequate comfort in old age.