Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-06-01
CAMPAIGN OF THE FARMERS.
Plans Laid for Important Work In AEri-
cultural Education.

cultural Education.
The Illinois Farmers institute pro-
poses to inaugurate '1ittle red school
house. campaign. Plans have been
laid for the most important work in
agricultural education ever set on foot
in the state. The Illinois Farmers
institute is an organization under the
laws of the state for the promotion of
institute work among farmers. TIL :
farmers institute is a sort of univer-
sitv extension movement. 1t brings
instruction in crop growing and live
stock breeding and feeding right to
the farmers door. The agricultural
colleges are growing constantly and
largely in attendance, but only 1.-THE
of the agricultural population can so
away to college, and hence instruction
is being brought into farming COM
munities, where all may have chance
To take advantage of it. This work
has been of remarkable growth and
astonishing benefit.
The Illinois Farmers institute is
composed of one member from each
congressional district, and has a gem
eral supervision over the work in this
state. Three kinds of meetings are
held-one state institute annually and
congressional district and county in
stituteS-
Great as is the work done by these
meetings, it has long been felt that
they were not brought close enough
to the people, and at the last state
meeting committee was appointed
to consider the plan of organizing in
stitutes in every township in the state,
to be held once Il month, except in the
harvest months of July and August.
This committee devoted n day recently
in Chicago.
An outline of the plan adopted is as
follows: The committee will request
from the presidents of the county in
stitutes the name of one representa-
tive farmer in each township to or
ganiZe the institute. In case these
men are not named the upervisor of
each township will be commissioned
to put the movement on foot. He will
be requested to associate with him q
school teacher in the township and
one woman, who will look after the
home-making part of the program.
A constitution will be drafted by n
subcommittee to be used as 4 work
inc basis. Another subcommittee
will draft program of topics for dis
cussion for each month in the year,
which may be varied to meet local
conditions. Yet another sub-commit-
tee will prepare scheme of instruc-
ton that will facilitate the work of
organizing and conducting Institutes.
1t is proposed that one day of three
sessions be taken in each month-the
morning to be devoted to topics of
especial interest to the men, the after
noon to be taken by the women and
the evening reserved for young peo-
pie. The intere st of the rising gen
Grafton will be enlisted by holding
prize essay contests in each school on
some subject connected with farm
life, and the best essays written by 4
boy and a girl, respectively. will be
read at the evening session of the in
stitute.
Further aid in this work will be
sought from the county school super
intendents, the officers of county ag-
ricultural institutes and the press of
the state. 1t has been demonstrated
that the program of papers, discus
sions, debates, recitations and music
rendered at institutes is the most
powerful factor yet applied for the
Improvement of the material and So
cial welfare of the farmer, and this
new movement bringing the ramifica-
tions of this effective educational sys-
tenn within the reach of all, the COM
nittee hopes to receive the most cor
dial support.