Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-09-03

All Agencies Directly Interested In
Development Of Rural Life.
Under the provisions of the Smith
Lever Act, which became a law when
signed by President Wilson on the Sth
Of May, the College of Agriculture of
he University of Tennessee has or
yanized the extension work in agricul-
lure and home economies in this state.
The work has been assigned to new
department. called the Division of Elk
tension Work. The division is in
charge of a director aided by an exc
cution staff and a corps of specialists,
with county agents and such other as
sistants as the development of the
work may make necessary.
The headquarters of the Division OF
Extension Work are in the College OF
Agriculture on the campus OF the Uni
versity of Tennessee, at Knoxville, but
it's operations will reach out to every
rural community in. Tennessee. The
division takes over the work hereto
fore done by the Office of Farmers Co
operative Demonstration work, U. 5.
Department of Agriculture.
The plans of the new division for
agricultural extension are not fully
perfected, but they contemplate an en-
largement of the very excellent work
done in the state by the office OF
Farmers Cooperative Demonstration
work, u. s. Department of Agriculture,
and through the cooperation with that
office and the State Board of Educa-
ton, the union of the demonstration
work with the departments of agricul-
tural and home economics in the coun'
~ high schools.
The purpose is to bring into one or
ganization all the agencies in the state
that have for their object the develop
ment of agriculture and of rural life.
During the past year farm demon
STATIONS, corn clubs and tomato clubs
have been in operation in about one
fourth of the counties of the state. AS
rapidly as can be arranged agents Will
be provided for Gher counties, and
the work will %xtended in scope.
IN
better methods of soil management
and crop production, green manures.
cover crops, winter pasturage, crop
rotation, silo construction and ensilage
crops, feeding farm animals, breeding.
orchard management and the whole
range of farm operations will receive
the attention of the demonstration
agents.
In home economics, house sanitation
and furnishing, health, cookery, the
care of milk, butter making and the
general affairs of the household will
receive attention, as we'll as the or
ganization of girls and women's clubs
for the promotion of rural welfare in
matters concerning the home.
The Division Of Extension Work
includes group of specialists each
of whom Is ar authority in his special
line of agriculture, who assist the
county agents in preparing their plans
of demonstration, and whose advice
and help is available to the demon
strators and the public generally.
Movable schools, or short courses
in agriculture, will be conducted in
various parts of the state by the spec
ialists arrangements for which can
be made by county agents, or by cor
respondence with the Division.
The broad purpose of the Division
of Extension Work is to aid wherever
possible in the development of bet
ter agriculture and to promote better
living on the farms of Tennessee. The
workers in the Division are men and
women who go out to the farms and
show a better way, while telling rea-
sons for their methods. AS the work
develops 1t is hoped the high schools
# the state will become increasingly
a part of it, each center OF high
class teaching within it's walls, with
extension work that shall reach into
every community.
In counties that have not been or
ganized for tarm demonstration work,
parties desiring such assistance should
write the Division of Extension Work,
University Of Tennessee, Knoxville,
fGr suggestions of organization.-C. A.
keffer, University of Tennessee.