Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-06
A3ricuItur!dl
0SGduCatiOn
~ And SUCCESSFUL HRrNd
&Z:-ss BY ANDREMN SoULE

funds to aid in defraying the salaries
county agents.
Moreover. since the pprSage OF the
Smith-Lever act, the states relations
service has been established by act OF
! congress. This office is intended to act
i as clearing house between the United
States department of agriculture and
the agricultural colleges i'm the several
| states. Since many of the bureaus OF
the United States department of agri-
culture have funds at their disposal for
expenditure on various projects TO be
conducted I'm association with the state
colleges of agriculture, the usual half
and half basis adopted as a policy by
congress and the United States depart
ment of agriculture, Georgia, for in
stance, is expected TO Offset at present
over $4,000 of what may be termed in
direct congressional appropriations or
see the funds withheld and used else
where. Since the above appropriations
are being increased from time to time,
IT is reasonable to suppose that the state
will always be called on to finance extern
sion projects out Of moneys provided by
local subscriptions aside from those set
aside by the general assembly Of the
state TO Offset the Smith-Lever act
Quoted under the terms of the Smith
Lever extension act is definitely stated
in section ,, which reads as follows:
That cooperative agricultural extern
sion work shall consist of the giving of
instructions and practical demonstra-
tions in agriculture and home economics
TO persons not attending or resident in
said colleges in the several communi-
ties, and imparting to such persons in
formation on said subjects through field
demonstrations, publications, and other
wise; and this work. shall be carried on
in such manner as may be mutually
agreed upon by the secretary of agricul-
ture and the state agricultural college
or colleges receiving the benefits of this
act"
From the context of the preceding
paragraph il appears that cooperative
agricultural extension work shall con-
sist first and primarily i'm giving in
structiOn. and second. practical demon
strations i'm agricultural and home eco
rOmics to persons nonresident at the
agricultural college. The teaching work
provided for shall be made clear
through field and home demonstrations,
publications and otherwise. Core
sponCence, of course, may often be con-
Quoted to advantage, and personal con-
feTences may be held either with an
individual or group of persons 1t is
expected that the county agent shall
be a properly educated and qualified ex-
pert in agriculture or home economics,
and SO capable of diffusing essential in
formation of benefit TO all the activities
relating 10 the school, the farm and the
home. The agent should be essentially
teacher and must work with and
through the schools, thus aiding mate
rally in laying the proper founda tion
on which to build up scientific elemen-
tarN instruction in agriculture and
home economics, and so successfully
cOrrelate the activities of the school
room TO those of the home-a funda-
mental undertaking. the importance of
which every thoughtful person is al
ready fully convinced.
The county. agent should be primarily
regarded as a teacher and an adviser
10 all the people of the county, wheth-
e. they are attending school or at work
In the field or the home He should be
capable OF rendering most valuable
service and aid to the school teachers
through the county school commission
er and the county board of education,
and to the adult population through
personal contact with them as they fol-