Announcements
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Calvin Beale
The Housing Assistance Council Remembers Calvin Beale
Calvin Beale lived and worked most of his life in the city of Washington DC. Yet there are few people who knew more about rural America than Calvin. He studied rural people, trends, and issues for more than half a century and was widely regarded as one of the most prolific and respected rural experts in the nation. Calvin Beale joined the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) in 1953, and continued working as a Senior Demographer in the agency until his death on September 2, 2008. He was 85 years old.
Calvin authored countless research reports on nearly every aspect of rural demography and economy. He had a special knack for mulling over statistics to find social patterns that eluded most. One example is his development of the Rural-Urban Continuum Codes in the 1970s. Today this coding system (generally referred to as the “Beale Codes”) is widely used by researchers and policy makers alike as an enhanced definition of rurality. But his contribution to the understanding of rural America went well beyond just figures and maps. Calvin backed up his statistical assertions with “on the ground” insights. In his tenure at USDA, he traveled to over 2,300 counties (about 75% of all US counties) and took meticulous notes that gave him a unique insight into the many complexities of rural America.
Calvin was especially helpful to the rural housing community and the Housing Assistance Council (HAC). As a member of HAC’s Research Advisory Panel, he lent his expertise and helped guide HAC’s housing research for the past eight years. Calvin was an influential writer and speaker on housing issues and the rural economy. While his contributions were invaluable, the manner in which he conducted his research and himself is even a greater legacy. Calvin never declined a request for assistance, be it to write an article, make a presentation, or answer a silly question from a junior researcher. He was as polite and kind as he was brilliant. Calvin, rural America will miss you.
The Housing Assistance Council sends its condolences to the Beale family and his colleagues at the USDA Economic Research Service.
For more information on Calvin Beale’s life and work, please see the obituaries in the Washington Post, Demographer Looked Past the Numbers to Discover the Heart of the Heartland, or the New York Times, Calvin L. Beale, Demographer With a Feel for Rural America, Dies at 85.
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Posted: September 17, 2008
Updated: September 24, 2008