The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-10
DESIGNED To HELP
FARMING INTEREST
Outline Of Plan and Scope of the
Proposed United Agricul-
tural Board.
NOT TO CONTROL OTHERS
Movement Intended to Co-Ordl-
nate All Agencies in State
Now Working Separately.
NOT TO CONTROL OTHERS

Earnest efforts are being made to
secure the enactment into law of
House bill No. 371 to constitute
united agricultural board TO co-ordi-
nate the Virginia Polytechnic Insti-
tute, the COMMISSIONS and State
Board of Agriculture, the state Boaro
OF Education In its demonstration
work, and che Experiment Station
Work, for the Advancement OF demon
stration and experimental work, anu
to advance the agricultural interests
of the State, and to authorize the
county funds for these purposes. The
bill has been passed by the House.
The united board under this plan
would consist of the Com missioner
of Agriculture, and a lnember of the
Board of Agriculture, chosen by that
board; the president of the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute. and member
OF the Virginia Polytechnic Institute
board, chosen by that board; the
director of the experiment station, and
one other memb of the experiment
-statf7rI, rf1usen-b Try TINT hoard; the
superintendent of public instruction;
the governor Of Virginia; the United
States general director OF demonstra-
ton work. and the Virginia director
of demonstration work. This makes
q united board Of ten. each of the
various departments thus having two
representatives.
What Money IL Asked.
The amount of money asked for
under this bill Is $4,000 from the
treasury for extending the expert
ment station work; $4,000 for ex-
tending the Farmers Institute Work,
through the State Board of Agricul-
ture, and $4,000 for the adult demon.
stration work through the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute. 1t also asks
that $4,000 of the common school
fund be given for demonstration work
among the boys of the State through
the schools. Assurance has beef.
given that If the $4,000 asked for
the extension of the experiment sta
ton work is given. like amount
viii be donated by the United States
Department of Agriculture. The
United States Department of Agricul-
ture IL now cxpending $4,000 year
i'm this State I'm doing the adult demon
stration work. This money Will be con-
tinued if the State will give the
amounts asked FOR boys demonstra-
ton work and adults demonstration
work.
So much interest has been shown
In the demonstration WORK that has
been conducted in this State during
the past three years that it is prac-
tieally certain that the boards of
supervisors of the various counties
will supplement the amounts given
by the State to aid in demonstration
work among the adults and boys in
the various counties The bill per-
mits the supervisors to give money
for these purposes.
Boys Corn Gibbs
Boys corn clubs for demonstration
work have been organized In the past
two months in about thirty counties
of the State, The work has been
taken up with remarkable enthusi-
asm both by the boys and by their
parents, and by the teachers and
superintendeRts- Intact, - the res
quests from counties throughout the
State have been So urgent FOR help to
organize these clubs that the de-
partmenc or pubsic instruction is
completely swamped They have
been able to organize In these thirty
counties solely because the United
States department of agriculture has
permitted the use or their present
demonstrators. The department cam
not expect to use these demonstra-
tors another year without assisting
in the expense,
The newspapers ana the people
are demanding that a. more practical
turn be given to the education of the
children of the rural districts, Here
is an opportunity to organize the
children throughout the State for
practical work in connection with the
schools. This explains the connec-
ton of the superintendent of pub
He instruction with this work.
There seems to be a fear that this
united board will dominate and con-
troll all of the other boards. IT Is
distinctly stated in the bill that
nothing in this act shall apply TO
any funds except those mentioned
herein" Moreover. the lines of work
are distinctly laid down.