The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-22
BEL N|N GTON COUNTY
VERMONT IMPROVEMENT
ASSOCIATION NEWS

citation should give farm work and
agricultural development a place of
first Importance among the discus
sions at their annual meetings.
The following extract from the Fin
ancier explains the logic of this ac-
ton Our farming system is show
ing itself insufficient, largely be-
cause inefficient, to supply our pop
ulation with food necessities, to
which cause more than any other may
: be laid the burden of the cost of liv-
ing problem Yet the farmers have
/ been treated as an isolated factor in
our national life, sort of tilling ma
chine, only cursory provision made
! in our public school system for his
! education, and the interest and i'm
portance of his profession underated
| and despised through several igno-
! ance More intelligent and scientific
/ farming would mean happier, health
| Ter and weather farmers, and bene-
! fit for every person from the humblest
to the highest in this country" On
] AIio blObu SiOuAu AAt DFbhlliS tOil
County Vermok Improvement Asso-
citation is taking hold of the situation
in our county with vigor. 1t proposes
to go into partnership with the farm
ers and to help along whatever means
better facilities for farming.
There are three definite lines which
the Bennington County Vermont I'M
provement Association hopes to agi-
tate and along which they hope to
assist.
The first is to bring an agricul-
tural expert into the county.
There are the agricultural colleges,
the experiment stations the boards
of agriculture, the dairying and hor-
ticultural associations, institutes,
sheep breeders associations, the
press and many agencies that have
accumulated knowledge through eX-
perimentation that is of the greatest
value and ought to be put to practi-
cal use, but it is one thing to expert
ment and obtain knowledge and quite
another thing to get the results in
natural operation on the farm. A
great portion of the useful informa-
ton in the past has been allowed to
lie in pigeon holes until it finally
reached the back yard fire dump.
Extension work therefore is the
connecting link between all this val
liable data and the actual operation
of the farms. The agricultural expert
is the man who is to make the con-
nection. He is the man who will be
in close touch with both the agricul-
tural college and the rural end OF
the proposition devoting his entire
time to getting the farmer and the
institution into close relation and in
bringing the scientific knowledge to
every farm.
The second line of agitation and
assistance is that of getting agricul-
tural instruction in our common.
schools. With the present unions for
expert supervision there ought to
come practical agricultural instruc-
ton into the schools. At present the
educational system, as stated in
previous article, is adapted TO the
needl of less than five per cent that
go to college while the more than
ninety-five that constitute the bulk of
society are left without vocational
training. The Bennington County
Vermont Improvement Association
therefore advocates agricultural and
vocational training in public schools.
The third line of agitation and as
sistance will be to help organize the
farmers for cooperation in produc-
ing and marketing Farmers every.
where, reports the Boston Chamber
of Commerce in its book entitled
New England, have failed to coop
crate, but perhaps the failure is
more marked in New England than
anywhere else. The New England
farmer likes to paddle his own ca
noe. or course, individual farmers
of superior intelligence make more
profit in this way than they perhaps
would by cooperation, but agricul-
ture as whole is put to a great dis
advantage. The individual method
of marketing. for instance. is a very
costly one. This might not matter so
much to the farmer if the consumer
paid all the costs of marketing. but
unfortunately he does not A clumsy
system of marketing robs the farmer
of some of his profit"
1t is of the greatIst Importance
that everyone who is interested In
bringing new hope and prosperity to
the farmers of this county should
watch this column and observe the
plans and the work of the Bennington
County Vermont Improvement Asso-
citation unfold. see what is done else
where. study as to what we can do
and cooperate in every way possible.
We expect TO have something to say
about all phases Of our work from
time TO time and every inhabitant of
the county ought to know what the
Remington county Vermont Improve
ment Association together with all
other cooperative organizations and
individuals are trying to achieve and
will achieve. II is TO the interest OF
all to enlarge the circulation OF these
papers that line up with this move
ment.. Our column ought to go into
every home.
Opportunity awaits the man who
engages in cooperative effort. We