Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-19
DEMONSTRATION WORK
As SEEN IN OLD VIRGINIA
One OF the Men in the Business Talks
to His Colaborers in
Friendly Way.
WHAT WORK REALLY MEANS
Demonstration Agents in the Coun-
tics and the Districts in the state
Doing Good Work That Will Tell
i'm Good Time.

\ correspondent and subscriber SuG-
gests that an address delivered by :.
~ farrar. OF Amelia county before
thc recent annual meeting OF county
( demonstration agents held in this city.
ought to be read by every man in
teres,ed in industrial and agricultural
t5dcrelopment in Virginia.
lie suggests further that the way
for said address TO reach tn" real con-
Stitucncy is for il 70 appear in the In
dustrial Section OF The Richmond
Times Dispatch. Speaking from manG-
script TO the county agents, MI Far
rar said:
The more know of YOU men and
your motives, the more that ! OF
the demonstration work. the more |
believe. that excepting the Christian
religion. /; has the greatest influence
for good that has ever touched our
country, service is written ~! every
mile post OF It's progress. Aud be
!ieve that the club work OF the boys
and the girls OF the country is the
most important factor which engages
the energies OF the agents OF the
south.
The future of the rural citizenship
OF our country is dependent upon the
direction aud training OF its youth
and the destiny OF southern ayricul-
ture is dependent upon brain power as
we'll az Drawn.
shrs All -
SOMEWHAT TO BLAME
One fact that has been clearly
demonstrated at this meeting is that
the farmer himself is more To be
censured for the evils he endureS than
anyone else. He produces from S.
oeo,0o0,00 30 SIC, 100000. eco worth of
stuff year and does not set 81 price
upon an article that he sells. but re-
ceires ~ cents OH the dollar for it
The farmers property Is valued III $40
s9l, $4,000, and Il takes millions more
10 finance his business, Vet lie has not
q banking system. He Sh;pS more stuff
than any other class. yet is ignorant
of the laws Of transportation. lie sells
III all markets bat il ignorant of the
rules that govern the distribution OF
Its products 1t is a common fact tina,
the years OF his greatest crop produc-
tlon are the years that lie receives
ienst for his harvest, because he has
no regard for the laws OF supply and
demand. His business competitor is
organized but the farmer dehantly
stands alone.
we often hear the expression The
Rural Community hut where do We
lind rural communities. There arc
rural population but that Is altogcthcr
different thing. The word community
implies al association OF people having
common interest III common posses
sions. bound together by laws ana regu-
iations which express their common
interest and ideals. and define the re-
iation OF the individual to the com.
nnnity. Our rural population are no
more closely connected for the most
nart. than the shifting sands on the
sea-shore. Their life is almost entire
~ individualist!c. There are personal
Friendships, OF course. but no economic
"r social partnerships. We might as
well now unmnsk tho fncts and say
mat The ignorance and stuhhorncss OF
the farmer greatly
these conditions lie should he the
most independent man ON the earth. We,
he is to-day like the sheep before his
shearers. dumb and opens not his
mouth. lie is at the mercy OF every
class OF business competitors. and, az
y result, is unhappy and unsatisfcd
with his environment. No nation can
be regarded as unhealthy when "A vi
rile peasantrH con,cnded with rural
employment exists on its soil.
The disease which has attacked tho
great industrial communities OF America
is discomfort with rural life. Nothing
which has been done hitherto seems
TO be able to promote content: what
IL required IS the art or the thinker.
The imagination which creates the so
cal order and adjusts IL 10 human
needs The genius OF rural life has
not yet appeared nor have we arv
fundamental philosophy concerning It.
believe the right kind OF education
- NA!S guy Dst'iaCtH ltT lntSc Cpndl-
tons Ft''s trlEe that In the past We
had sotie 'trctcnsc OF an educational
system, but ohe absolutely unified TO
our needs. We may have been taprh,
10 read, TO write and q few to think
hut what IS needed is an rdura,ion
htted 20 rural life conditions, an edu-
cation tina, not only trains tho in,
tcllcctual powers. bat The hands as
we'll An education that teaches pcopl,
how 10 do things. and inspires them TO
40 better. IN education that Invites
success and makes rcoplc enjoy the
work in which they are engaged An
education thar puts plan into their
lives, ana gives direction to The plti-
mate course % life.
HOPE or COT NTRI
- ~ TIE HuI
one OF the slogans Of demomstra-
ton work should he Tor Agricultural
education in orr schools 30, The .d,,.
cational tragedy that ihcy nave an
ragged in. but a veal system which
VIII mean the education OF our voi,b
TO think along Ines connected win
'htir mes work As soil fertility. great:
ctop pr""UcNon crop rotation. di-
Fsrsihcatior standardization of cropS
Improvement ui live stock rural cr.
N,ts. marketing, regeneration. il. laws
@, transportation ana distribution So
tHat when 'hcr become actors in Tin.
great tura! drama, they VIII have L.nt
raiHcd and act Automatically. r.yard
'iiE al! OF these great problems u-j,i.i
ere SO vita! TO their interest 'rrc nm
20 school system has been inalrn,.t.I
- train tn" child of TIC average MAJ,
pF'hS nm ~ 20 " higher lcyeI. and
the child or the AVERAGE man te ,I
one that IS" must work cir a.
should DO all w. can TO ,i,all2. ,,.
tuolc schooi system. aud IT, I'm ,yr,
should hcip as organize oar clubs
1t mas nc"D cicarE. Uc...t.,,.,,,
IL n