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The Center for Rural Studies was a project of the Joint Educational Consortium
(JEC), which is a cooperative association of Henderson State University,
Ouachita Baptist University, and the Ross Foundation. It was established
under grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Ross
Foundation. Arkansas Endowment for the Humanities and the Winthrop Rockefeller
Foundation supplied supplemental grants. The JEC draws on the resources
of the two universities and of the surrounding area to develop programs
of interest and benefit to the general public.
The fundamental purpose of the Center for Rural Studies was to evaluate,
from a humanist perspective, the continuing relevance of the rural experience
in our national life and the impact which the changes of the twentieth
century are having upon rural culture and value systems. The rapid transformation
of the rural economy in the years since the Great Depression, the tensions
of economic and social change, and the homogenization of American culture
brought about by the mass media suggest that there is little time remaining
in which to collect, inventory and analyze the tangible historic artifacts
and the intangible culture and social patterns of rural America. This
sense of urgency brought about the beginning of the project, since it
was felt that the passage of a few more years might have made unrecoverable
much of the folklore and speech patterns, the music and folk art, information
on social and family lifestyles, religious influences, and political traditions.
The Center for Rural Studies encouraged area people to examine their heritage
carefully, judge discreetly, and determine what aspects of their culture
should be rejected and what preserved or restored. The areas of study
of the CRS include the history, religion, values, economy, art, literature,
music, drama, and sociology of rural life. The studies have contributed
to an understanding of rural culture through the disciplines of the humanities.
The Center for Rural Studies sponsored a series of conferences and symposia
dealing with major problems and opportunities facing the people of Arkansas
and neighboring states. The meetings brought together nationally recognized
authorities, leaders of various interest groups, and the general citizenry
to examine some of the most vital issues of public policy and human values
of the day.
The conferences covered a broad range of issues: changes in religious
values and institutions, rural education, economic development and the
quality of life, stewardship of the earth, and changes in Southern politics.
The symposia focused on the general theme of rural family life. Specific
meetings dealt with images of the elderly, the role of parents and schools,
the role of women, changing patterns of rural health care, Arkansas folk
and their art and entertainment, and changing architectural styles in
Arkansas homes.
The materials and resources collected at these conferences and symposia
served as valuable beginnings for the Center's collections. In addition,
the CRS initiated an oral history project in 1980, directed by Lavell
Cole of the OBU History Department. Oral history goes to the heart of
CRS concerns. It is useful as a means of supplementing the written record
and supplying information not found in newspapers, official documents,
and correspondence.
The CRS interviewed leading men and women in the region, but was not interested
solely in the views and experiences of especially prominent people. It
sought to reach every element in the population, which is essential in
order to develop a full and accurate picture. The project focused on the
general theme of rural families in transition, and particularly on changes
in values and attitudes and their implications for family life and the
broader culture.
The recorded interviews supply a wealth of information on and insights
into rural family life, religion, education, farming, the timber industry,
and race relations. Overall, the collection includes over 600 cassette
tapes; hundreds of slides, photographs, and negatives; and six cubic feet
of related materials. The tapes and their transcripts are housed in the
OBU Oral History Collection.
Contact Us
Jacynda Ammons
OBU Box 3729
Arkadelphia, AR 71998
ammonsj@obu.edu
870.245.5332
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