sure to
see simply the thing in which he is primarily interested, and also
by his effort to deduce the universal laws of his separate science.
The historian, on the other hand, is exposed to the danger of
dealing with the complex and interacting social forces of a period
or of a country from some single point of view to which his special
training or interest inclines him. If the truth is to be made known,
the historian must so far familiarize himself with the work, and
equip himself with the training of his sister-subjects that he can
at least avail himself of their results and in some reasonable
degree master the essential tools of their trade.[22]

Frontier ethnography is just such an effort.

The frontier ethnographer then, because of his interdisciplinary
approach, can capture the spirit of pioneer life. And if, as Turner
suggested, the frontier explains American development, then frontier
ethnography presents an understanding of the American ethos with its
ideals of discovery, democracy, and individualism.[23] These ideals
characterize "the American spirit and the meaning of America in world
history."[24]

The ideal of discovery, "the courageous determination to break new
paths," as Turner called it, was abundantly evident in the Fair Play
territory of the West Branch Valley.[25] This innovating spirit can be
seen in the piercing of the Provincial boundary, despite the restrictive
legislation to the contrary, and the establishment of homes in Indian
territory.[26] It was also demonstrated in a marvelous adaptability in
solving the new problems of the frontier, problems for which the old
dogmas were no longer applicable. The new world of the Susquehanna
frontier made new men, Americans.

Self-determination, the ideal of democracy as we have defined it, was
the cornerstone of Fair Play society. Its particular contribution was
the Fair Play "system" with its popularly elected tribunal of Fair Play
men. Perhaps this was the proper antecedent of the commission form of
local government which came into vogue on the progressive wave of the
late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Regardless, the
geographic limitations of the Fair Play territory, the frequency of
elections, and the open conduct of meetings tend to substantiate the
democratic evaluation which has been made of the politics of this
frontier community. Furthermore, as was pointed out in the last chapter,
this s