The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-03-29
SOUTH CAROLINA LEADS
ALL The OTHER STATES
DEMONSTRATION FARM WORK
AND CLEMSON COMBINED
Fine Meeting of superintendent OF
Education and Farm DemOnstra-
ton Agents.

At the request of the State superin-
tendent of education and upon the in
vitation of President w. NJ. Riggs, Of
Clemson college, l attended joint
conference at the college on Wednes-
day between the State superintend-
ents of education and the demonstra-
ton agents. l regret that important
matters at home prevented my remain
ing through the conference. l feel
that it was beneficial, however, for me
in my work as superintendent Of edu-
cation and as chairman of the Boys
Corn club for this county to have been
there for at least one day. l believe
that every demonstration agent OF the
State was present and about 80 per
cent. of the superintendent of educa-
ton.
DR.. A. w. Knapp from the federal
department of agriculture at Washing
ton made a statement on Wednesday
outlining the meaning of the confer
ence, and, among other things, said
that he believed that it was one of the
most important and far reaching in
its results that has ever been held.
President Riggs, of Clemson college,
also spoke of the Importance of the
work and made the statement that in
his Judgment it was possibly the most
important conference that had ever
been held at the college.
Briefly stated, an arrangement has
been entered into between President
Riggs, on the part Of Clemson college,
and DR.. Knapp, on the part of the
federal department of agriculture, by
which the head of the demonstration
work in this State should become
part, or a department, of Clemson col
lege.
Mr.. J. w. English, who has recently
been put in charge of this work, is rec
ognized regularly as a professor OF the
college, and the demonstration agents
of the various counties were given to
understand that they were not only
agents of the federal department, but
that they were in a sense professors
of the college as we'll as agents, and
it was their duty as representatives.
of the college TO instruct the demon-
strators in the various counties. This
means, of course, that at least one
complaint that has been heard from
time to time in regard to the college
not being close enough to the people,
shall no longer exist, because by this
arrangement the college is put IN
close and intimate association with
the farmers in every county. For in
stance, DR.. Knapp stated that if any
of the demonstration agents in their
work found farmer, who desired in
formation in regard to any matter per-
tanning to agriculture, i've stock or
ANYTHING on the farm, that by request
from the agent to Mr.. English at
Clemson. an expert in that line would
furnish the information and If neces-
sary visit the farm more fully to eX-
plain and instruct.
It means great forward movement
for advanced agriculture in South
Carolina amongst the adult farmers.
It also means that the boys, who be-
long to the Boys Corn club, can be
put in possession of the same informa-
ton. and it is true that if South Caro-
lima. is to advance in scientific and in
tensive farming, which is greatly
needed, that it must be done among
the boys, who are on the farms.
In other words, this combination at
Clemson dignifes and enlarges as
we'll as helps the work OF the demon
stration agents, and the county sup
erintendents of education in their di-
rection of the boys in the various corn
clubs.
I wish l had time and space at this
time to go more fully into this work
and to print at this time full report
Of the crop records under the far
mers cooperative demonstration work
for the year 1911 as read by Dr. Knapp
at Clemson on Wednesday, but a
wreck on the train delayed my return
to Newberry by nearly four hours, and