The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-11-14


tant County to attend a Farmers
Institute. Not knowing the community
and knowing the attitude of farmers
too often, In regard to meetings OF
the kind, felt uncertain as to the
number OF people we would meet on
our arrival. A drive of Fl miles scpa-
rated our railway station from the
place of meeting, so IL was near
ing twelve when we came I'm sight
Of the village where the meeting was
TO be held. Quite to our surprise, and
much to our Joy, we saw buggies,
wagons. horses and people in plenty,
and the church where the sessions
were held was well filled within a
few minutes after IL was known that
the speakers had arrived.
After a very short address out
lining the work of tho afternoon, all
we're invited TO Dinner on the
ground" that Joy of the country conf
munity, and OF all others who are
SO fortunate rs to be included. And
what a dinner. Not half OF It was
touched, and yet all, including the
speakers. you may be sure. did full
justice to the feast.
Across the road, in another church,
there was an exhibit OF local products.
There were chickens OF good quality,
and products of the garden, the or
chard, the field and the kitchen that
did the soul of one who loves coun-
try life good. But | must not go on
with the details of the meeting, nor
dwell upon the fact that there were
ninety-six real farmers enrolled in
the meeting, TO say nothing OF the VIC.
men and children. | must get TO my
point, for you may be wondering what
this meeting has to do with the
teacher.
Well, 1t does not have SO much to
do with the teacher as a teacher had
to do with 1t. There was a neat four
room frame school house on a hill
lack of the church In which we met,
and in that school, no, rather in
that community, there was a TEACH
Err. put that word in capitals be-
cause there is no way of writing the
real teacher too large.
We found, in spite of the fact that
the day was Thursday, that the
teacher was not only at the meeting
and his schooi with him: he was a
very large part of the meeting. Not
that the community lacked good men
who were capable of taking charge,
but because of interest, knowledge
and push he was the natural leader.
We found out later on that he did
not merely teach the school; he
taught the community. partly by meal G
Of talking and school studies, more,
| dare say by the little farm which
he owned and operated within less
than half a mile of the school house.
He was one of those great education
al factors, the Farmer Teacher, and
that is why bring him and his
work into this column. lie was,
feel sure. good teacher-the poor
ones cannot be community leaders
as he was, and | am equally sure that
he was good farmer, for | saw his
farm. And that was not all. He took
his farming into the school, and in
vested brains. supposed to be the
stock-in-trade of the teacher, in the
soil. To make my statement clear by
\ concrete example, he influenced the
school to buy a spraying outfit last
spring, and when the time came he
and his pupils used 1t and taught
others to use II. The fine apples and
pears that were on display showed
he results. In addition to this he is
he Sec'y of the Farmers organiza-
ion. and is planning TO hold. regular
meetings during the year at various
places in the surrounding communi-
les. In addition to this he has q
,cheme on foot TO get up a two weeks