University of Nebraska at Omaha DigitalCommons@UNO Publications Archives, 1963-2000 Center for Public Affairs Research 1978 The mpI act of Rural Nebraska Industrial Development on the Migration of Rural Youth Armin K. Ludwig University of Nebraska at Omaha Gene M. Hanlon University of Nebraska at Omaha David R. DiMartino University of Nebraska at Omaha Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cparpubarchives Part of the Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, and the Public Affairs Commons Recommended Citation Ludwig, Armin K.; Hanlon, Gene M.; and DiMartino, David R., "The mpI act of Rural Nebraska Industrial Development on the Migration of Rural Youth" (1978). Publications Archives, 1963-2000. 86. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cparpubarchives/86 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Public Affairs Research at DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Publications Archives, 1963-2000 by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. }~~~~ ,__ :~~ -: --~-~~::"~,,.~~·'"'-\'\ ·~~2:, -~,)~YJINN:PEG ;0.= 1 , !,,cl , , ,i,, .... ,., .. ,..... ® · ....... ~ RESEARC'tn• ,_· ___ '·.:,:;_·· \'\ _• - j . '." I- - - :~ - -- , (i;j f-/${"~'.{;,<lwr ~1"'-_. \ I f'"""''" ·--......... )IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJ - - .,.;. = THE IMpACT of ~ t sj :/e.,i.1.,11, RuRAl NEbRAskA i INdUSTRiAl DEvElopMENT ON THE MiqRATiON '"' ,.. --- r,,·~,···'". :._Popla- • Bluff ---- RESEARCH ,,..,, --·-·- -,-- THE IMPACT OF RURAL NEBRASKA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE MIGRATION OF RURAL YOUTH by Dr. Armin K. Ludwig Gene Hanlon Dr. David DiMartino This study was funded in part by a grant from Title V of the Rural Development Act of 1972 to the College of Agriculture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Applied Urban Research University of Nebraska at Omaha December, 1978 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study was carried out by members of the staff of the Center for Applied Urban Research of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Armin K. Ludwig was the project director. Gene Hanlon and David DiMartino were major contributors and co-authors. Murray Frost and Donald A. Deppe were advisers, Tom Moss worked on the initial proposal, Marian Meier was the editor, and Craig Hamilton did the cartography. Research assistants included Robert Pierce, Carole Davis, Ora Prince, Henry Jason, Ezekiel Umoren, and Jason Chen. Joyce Carson typed the tables, and Beverly Walker typed the body of the report. Numerous persons rendered aid in the field. Information on Deshler was provided by Doug Learson, Greg Koerwitz, and George Rogers. Gibbon data were supplied by E. R. Kozisek, Neal Holub, Bruce Korsk, and Bud Gross, Don Wilson of Omaha offered data for Madison, and in Madison itself Larry·Holding, Gary Jones, and Richard Yelkin were extremely helpful. The list of helpful Syracuse persons included Leon Igo, John Rhodus, Rodney Haspen, Kent Antes, Robert Farmer, Dan Martacho, Brad Farley, Ronald Stoner, Ronald Hawkins, and William Wirth. The following persons provided aid in the non-industrial communities: Gail Miller in Arthur, Marvin Humpal in Butte, James Beck and Mr. Brown in Greeley, John Werner and Lois Hanshew in Loup City, and Charles Heller in Taylor. Any views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. i I: TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGl'1ENTS . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . i LIST OF TABLES . ................. ! . ii LIST OF FIGURES. vii LIST OF MA.PS. • . • • • . • . • . • • . • . • . xi Chapter 1. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM AND NATURE OF THIS RESEARCH ....•..........•............ 1 Background and the State of the Art.................... 4 Definitions and Concepts. • • • . • . 6 Selecting the Manufacturing Towns: The Study Focus... 8 Selecting the Non-manufacturing Towns: The Control Group. • • . • . 11 The Research Design and the Data Bases................. 11 2. THE CHANGING LABORSHEDS OF SIX RURAL MANUFACTURING PLANTS ........•...........••... 13 Introduction. • . • . • . • . • 13 The Town Labor Force: Residents and In-migrants....... 13 The Regional Labor Force: Shrinkage of the Labor sheds by Zones. • . • . • • • . • • . • . • . 17 The Regional Labor Force: Target Communities for In-migrants......................... 19 Conclusions. • . • • . • . • . • . 32 3. LOCATIONS AND ACTIVITIES OF ALUMNI FROM RURAL NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES ...................•......•.. 33 Introduction........................................... 31 Recent Patterns: Spring, 1978......................... 34 Alumni Dispersal Patterns: Destinations of Migrants... 34 Alumni Activities: Attraction of the Manufacturing Sector................................ 34 Location of Alumni Activities.......................... 43 Alumni in the Impact Industries........................ 43 Historical Patterns: 1968-1977........................ 46 Annual Alumni Ac tivi ties. • . • . • . • . • . • 46 Location of Annual Alumni Activities................... 46 Annual Alumni Employment in the Impact Industries...... 51 Conclusion. • • . • . • . • . • . 51 iii Chapter Page 4. POST-HIGH SCHOOL PLANS OF RURAL YOUTH IN NEBRASKA ..•... 55 Introduction ....•...•.. ,, ... ,, ... ,,, .. ,,,, ... ,,,,,,,,·· 55 Occupational and Educational Plans of Seniors.......... 56 Occupational and Educational Plans by Characteristics of Seniors., ...• , ... , , .... , , , , . , . , . 59 A Comparison of Seniors and Juniors.................... 61 Migration Plans of Seniors............................. 61 Migration Plans by Characteristics of Seniors.......... 66 Differences Between Junior and Senior Migration Plans ... , •........ , , .. , • , .. , , . , , , , , . • . , , , . 68 Senior Perceptions of Manufacturing Employment......... 68 Senior Plans Versus Actual Alumni Behavior: Activities ... ,, •.. ,, .. , .••... , .•. ,, ... ,., 76 Senior Plans Versus Actual Alumni Behavior: Location •.... ,., .. ,,., ... ,.,, ...• ,.,,,... 78 The Impact of Vocational Training on Retention of Youth in the Conununity................. 78 Conclusions, ••.. , , .•.. , ••.. , ...•.... , , •........• , • , . , . , 81 5. STRATEGIES AIMED AT DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS AND RURAL HUMAN RESOURCES ......•........... 83 The National Overview ••••••...••......••....••... , •. , . 83 Planning Strategies for Rural Development ..•...• ,...... 84 Legislation to Implement Rural Development Strategies .........•.••......•.............••.... , . 86 A View of Nebraska, , .. , •.. , ..••......•• , .•. , , • , .... , . 88 APPENDICES,, •. ,,,, •.. , .... , , , •... , , • , .•.....•...... , , • , 95 A. NUMBER OF GIBBON HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI FOR WHOM ANNUAL ACTIVITIES AND LOCATIONS WERE COMPILED ..........•.....•.•........•.... , • , , . 9 7 B. NUMBER OF SYRACUSE HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI FOR WHOM ANNUAL ACTIVITIES AND LOCATIONS WERE COMPILED .. , , . , ..... , , .... , ..•.•.... , .• , . • 98 C. NUMBER OF ALUMNI IN EACH CALENDAR YEAR FOR WHOM ANNUAL. ACTIVITIES AND LOCATIONS WERE COMPILED...................................... 99 D. QUESTIONNAIRE •.•...........••.....•.... ,, ....•.... , 100 E. CHARACTERISTICS OF JUNIORS BY POST-HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL PLANS: NON-INDUSTRIAL TOWNS. • • . • . • . • . • . • . 101 F. CHARACTERISTICS OF JUNIORS BY POST-HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL PLANS: INDUSTRIAL TOWNS ....•..•...•...•..•.....•. , , ..... , . 107 iv r Page G. CHARACTERISTICS OF SENIORS BY POST-HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL PLANS: NON- INDUS TRIAL TOWNS .. , . , , , , , , , , , , , , .. , , , , , , , , , , , , , 112 H. CHARACTERISTICS OF SENIORS BY POST-HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND EDUCATIONAk PLANS: INDUSTRIAL TOWNS, , , . , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . , , , , , , , , , , , 118 I, CHARACTERISTICS OF JUNIORS BY PLANS TO MIGRATE: NON-INDUSTRIAL TOWNS .. ,.,,,,,.,,,,,,,,,,, 123 J, CHARACTERISTICS OF JUNIORS BY PLANS TO MIGRATE: INDUSTRIAL TOWNS ........................ , 129 K. CHARACTERISTICS OF SENIORS BY PLANS TO MIGRATE: NON-INDUSTRIAL TOWNS..................... 134 L, CHARACTERISTICS OF SENIORS BY PLANS TO MIGRATE: INDUSTRIAL TOWNS, ... , , , , , , , , , . , ..... , , , , . 140 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............ , ........ , ....... , . • . 145 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. CHANGES IN NUMBERS OF MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN NEBRASKA BY COt~!UNITY SIZE, 1970-1976 ............................ 2 2. NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES UNDER 7,500 WITH NEW OR EXPANDING POST-1970 MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES WHICH HAD AT LEAST 50 EMPLOYEES IN 1976 .................... , ....... ,.,.,............... 9 3. TOWN AND ZONE OF RESIDENCE ON DATE OF HIRE AND ON JANUARY 1, 1978 FOR EMPLOYEES OF SIX MANUFACTURING PLANTS IN RURAL NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES .•.. , ............. , , ................... , . 14 4. CHANGE IN AVERAGE JOURNEY TO WORK BETWEEN DATE OF HIRE AND JANUARY 1, 1978 FOR EMPLOYEES OF SIX MANUFACTURING PLANTS IN RURAL NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES ...................•............. ,,, 18 5. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN SIX MANUFACTURING PLANTS IN RURAL NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES BY AGE GROUP AND SEX ......................•. 20 (,. NUMBER AND AGE OF EMPLOYEES AT DATE OF HIRE IN FOUR NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES ................. , , , .............. , ... , .. , .. , 21 7. MA.TOR RF.SIDENTIAL AND MIGRANT-TARGET COMMUNITIES FOR WORKERS IN SIX MANUFACTURING PLANTS IN RURAL NEBRASKA TOWNS ...... 22 8. SPRING, 1978 LOCATIONS OF ALUMNI FROM HIGH SCHOOLS IN FOUR RURAL