The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-12
FARMERS HAVE
 GOOD MEETING Session Comes to Close at
 Auburn Friday MANY FINE ADDRESSES MT. Evans Pays Tribute to Work of Alabama Polytechnic Toward De- velopment of State-Talks
 on the Boil Weevil
MANY FINE ADDRESSES

Auburn, November Il. (SpeciaD D.-'The
 Prosperity Training School" as J. A
 Evans, government agent, called the
 farmers meeting at Auburn. was closed
 Friday after one of the most interesting
 sessions of the four days assembly. MT.
 Evans financial instruction to the agents, just before adjournment, embodied the altruistic spirit of the farm demonstra-
 tion work.
 Lose sight of self and of ambition"
 he advised. 'Be useful; any agent who
 gets into politics is not worthy of being
 an agent. Cut out politics."
 MT. Evans paid tribute to the work of the Alaabma Polytechnic institute to- ward the development of the state. He said that in year or two the people of the state should demand more money for I the state, for more buildings and ex- | tension.
 Such colleges should be strengthened and their influence increased" he said. MT. Evans said that, as factors in the scheme for better agriculture and gen.
 eral improved conditions, the negro farmers should not be neglected by the demonstrators. When a negro farmer
 works well, is intelligent. and likely to l be an object lesson for the race, he said. then the agents should make demonstra- tors of them. He paid a great tribute to pr s. A. Knapp, founder of the dem onstration work.
 | MT. Evans talk on the practical fea- lures of the boil weevil problem was one of the features of the farmers meeting. Repeating the old assertion, he said that 1 the boil weevil was rather a blessing in disguise. "rhe boil weevil will make the farmer listen and heed instructions" he said,
 and it will teach him to grow better cotton, using better methods and to raise more home supplies"
 There is no doubt but that the weevil
 will cover every cotton field in the United States except a little isolated portion in
 west Texas and Oklahoma" he said, in
 answer to a question. He laid down some rules for the agents
 Get your people in the proper state of mind; teach them to make up their
 minds that they are going to grow a
 crop; that they are determined to grow it.. Teach the farmers control of the labor situation. Adopt a conservative plan. Don't lose your nerve and shut down on the negro's supplies. but let the negro know that you are behind him and that his food and raiment Is coming just the same. Then you will keep him for work. And you will need him."
 A discussion of the question of prac- tical education came with the address by Miss Susie V. Powell, the leading spirit In the Mississippi Girls Tomato club work. Her address to the demonstration agents was one of the most inspiring features of the meeting.
 Help create a sentiment for the work among the young men and young women In corn and tomato clubs" she asked them. Show that instruction should be cultural as well as educational. Why is it not as educational, as well as cu1- tural. to answer questions about the to- mato and the potato, the home products, as to answer intricate quizzes on the tea and bamboo and rubber plants such as our study in geography involves, or to study the chicken and the pig, as much as to study the tigers and elephants and other animals of the common school geog- raphies?
 Bring the school in touch with the home life. If your girls on the farm care
 for good things to eat and pretty things to wear, teach them to make these things themselves"
 The work Friday morning was that of
 summa rizing the details of the meeting,
 and of delivering general instructions to the agents. In the course of his instruc- tions, H. E. Savely, general field agent praised the demonstration work in Ala bama. ts. "You've got the best organization in the south. by far the best organization, " he said You should accomplish wonder l full results" He emphasized the need of cooperation.
 | "Every force for better agriculture in this state must be locked together for cooperation"
 i The last lecture was a symposium by
 C. r. Striplin, Clay county's agent, and 1 R.. c. Carlisle of Barbour county. on tile
 drainage on the farm. After adjournment the farmers were
 conducted through every college building | laboratory and classroom by members ot
 the Auburn faculty. headed by Dr. c. c l Thach. ..A