Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-04-14
w. :. KENNEDY, OF AMEs, WRITES
ON ORGANIZATION OF STATE.
WIDE SYSTEM.
ORGANIZATION TO SOLVE
AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS
Clubs to Be Formed Turnout State
With Twelve Families 40 . Unit -
System Would Form Basis For solv.
ing Present Day ouestions-Town-
ship, County and state Fsderations.

by W. ]. Kennedy, Agricultural Extern
sion Department, Iowa State College.l
Ames, April 14-1n this day and age
Of agitation and unrest, much concern
has been expressed concerning the
farmer and his business. The question
Of increased crop production, mainten-
ance Of soil fertility, better methods of
transportation and marketing crops,
improved rural schools and the up
building Of the rural churches. are all
receiving earnest attention.
In some instances the farmers are
active in these movements but in the
vast majority of cases it is some man
or body Of men more or less remote
from the real farmer.
While these discussions are timely
and of interest to many people. still
they will not go very far towards get
ting desired results. No permanent re-
ers, as body, seriously take up these
problems. Then, and then alone will
We get tangible results. This means
thorough system Of cooperation, or
ganization and study on their part. It
must be an organization of the farm
ers, by the farmers, for the farmers.
This organization work must be more
or less volunteer on the part Of these
people as forced methods will not sue
coed.
A good system of farmers clubs
would help solve this problem. There
are various kinds and sizes of farmers
clubs in operation at the present time.
Many Of these are doing most excel
lent work. Each has it's advantages
and disadvantages. A real farmers
club ought to be of equal benefit to each
and every one of it's members. 1t
should furnish something of real in
terest and benefit to the father, the
mother, and the children.
Twelve Family Clubs.
In the writer's estimation, one of the
most helpful and satisfactory kind of
clubs is one composed of twelve fam
lilies. Such a club should meet at least
once a month and with different fam
lily each month. In this way each mem
Der would have the opportunity Of en-
tertaining the other members and their
families at least once each year. These
meetings should occupy the entire day.
Everything on the farm and in the
home should be carefully inspected and
discussed. In this way helpful sugges-
tions may be obtained.
Occasionally an outside speaker
might be secured to present some use
full line Of work. Provision should al
ways be made for helpful program
with ample time for discussions. Time
ly topics from the agricultural press,
station and college bulletins should be
presented for discussion. The secre-
tary should arrange with the state col
lege and other institutions to secure
the loan of packet libraries" for the
use of the members of the club. These
libraries should contain interesting and
useful reading material for the men.
the women, the boys and girls.
Clubs to Be Federated.
The various local clubs should have
township organization composed of
say the president and one other men,
Der of each local club The various
townships should form county organ
ization and the counties state fedora
ton of farmers clubs. The real work
must be done in the individual clubs
and the larger organizations will prove
useful in dealing with matters Of town
ship, county, state or nation wide in
terest.
The organization of these clubs
should be very largely volunteer in ma
ture. 1t should not be the work of
some professional organizer. In other
words, no club should be started where
the people do not want it. In these
small clubs only people congenial to
each other should belong to the same
club. All must pull together for sue
cess.
During the spring. summer and fall
months limited number of speakers
are available for this work.