The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-01-19
]. H. Worst Again Elected to
HeadTri-State Grain Growers

of schools in nearly forty counties are
devoting much of time and energy to
this form OF educational work: edu-
cational work l say for what ear be
more so in a great agricultural state
like ours than instruction in agricul-
ture. the dominant industry Of the peo-
pie?
His this work afEected the corn
growing interests of the state? County
superintendent have told me repeat
edly that the acreage of corn in their
respective counties has been doubled,
trebled and even multiplied by ten as
a direct result of the boys corn grow
ing contests. "a dozen farmers have
said to me within the last few weeks
something like this: 'tI never raised
any corn, never thought it would grow
till the kid got att. / saved a few
ears of seed out of his patch several
years ago. This year I raised thirty
ceres
In 1905 the International Harvester
Co. sold from it's four stations IN
North Dakota 179 corn binders; in
1910, 718 machines and in 1911. 2,400
machines, and could have disposed OF
several hundred more had they beer
available.
I am as sure as / stand here that the
corn growing contests have done more
to promote the interests Of corn In
North Dakota than any other one
factor. Corn culture kills weeds. in
e~reases wheat yields, introduces live
! stock, encourages dairying, insures
diversified farming, thus maintains
fertility, reduces debts, swells bank
accounts, raises standards of living,
induces better methods OF education,
builds happy homes.
AT the close of the contest seasoa
for h past two years, 100 of those
pupils winning the highest award in
the various counties have been given
a trip and a visit to the agricultural
college for n week. While here the
first time they organized what theS
pleased to call The North Dakota
Boys and Girls institute. These bright
young boys and girls came not to idle
away a week lettering about this
streets but came rather to be in.
structed In agriculture, engineering
and household affairs by members 81
the college faculty. While the aver.
age age did not exceed 10 or Ii, We
their youthful years did not withhold
their interest. They listened to lee.
lures by President Worst, Professor.
Waldron, Shepperd, andpa dozen other,
with as much interest and profit as d,
students many years their senior
They returned to their homes broad.
ened and enriched with an enthusiast
that will not 500 grow cold, with
sense of satisfaction and pride tina
they are sons and daughters of TIL,
farm, realizing to some degree at.leas
the possibilities that await the alert
the thinking, the acting young person
in the country.
While the farmers institute, meet
ing its 10000 and more farmers eaol
year and bringing inspiration to tina
great number, is organized in thi
state in q slightly different name
from extension work, yet its activi
ties are similar, its aims identical. Il
the great concept or a full and com
plete extenson service the farmers
institute lis a most important and es
sential factor.
Our demonstration farms in Mort
Dakota, though maintained by q spe
cial appropriation and supervised b
another department, constitute Blu
another phase OF extension activity