Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-02-25
Better Off On
the Farm
An interview with Secretary Of Agriculture
David F Houston by Edward B. CLARK

the farm "Say farm The belief of the stu
dents agricultural conditions the United States that the farming
industry be made increasingly profitable and that conditions life
betered the "Back the farm movement will take of itself In
other words the magnet will be on the farm and will draw to itself the
jewellers the cities who ambitious to better their condition
Secretary Houston asked by correspondent
communities that advisable stay the leaving
the hurbur and uncertainty of city life Mr. Houston spoke
fengy the subject He combined being
the federal and state give the farming life holding quail
ties with message on the growing opportunities for young make
a signal success of agricultural occupations
ut not much problem bringing young back to the farm
of improving agricultural conditions and rural life
make clear to the that they will be better off the long
by staying where they are than by going elsewhere.
The problem confronting the nation how make agcu
lure profitable and the rural life comfortable attractive and heahfu
IF successfully attack that problem shall be relieved of the
of talking much about staying on the farm or of going back
the farm All the efforts of andan colleges and of this department
directed to this end The agencies becoming consolidated the
from the and the which combined spending
year through the Immigrant colleges and
and federal departments of agriculture for the improvement of agcu
he aim production through plant and animal breed
better cultural methods eradication control of plant and
diseases which are costing hundreds of millions year. to study newer
problems agriculture improve distribution especially marketing and
develop community cooperation and teamwork with view the better
standardization and handling products and fuller knowledge Of
and market conditions and the transportation producn short
better organization of rural life.
n the interest of the young people organizing large number
agricultural clubs canning clubs poultry clubs clubs hog clubs
and The work being promoted by the demonstration force
cooperative machinery under the joint support of andant colleges and
he federal department.
whose duty it work with the farmers the farms for the improve
nent agricultural conditions they affect production and distribution
Under the Smher act the states and the nation together will be
Xpendng years $90O00OO yearly for this extension of agru
:ural education.
at reasonably clear with the natural opportunities have and
with the improvements made by the farmers experimenting these agencies
that the opportunities for make farming will
increased gradually and that outside of the actual business
farming there loud call for leaders of all these enterprises rural
districts.
81 why aspiring country boy should not direct his
attention to the opportunities presented this great field of effort rather
than those Of the other industrial offerings presented by city life
Secretary Houston spoke strongly of three factors of the problem of
how keep young the farm They good rural schools first
lass country roads bright
ming of the social life wholly state and community problems In the
of the improvement of roads the federal government has
and power.
The secretary has heartfelt interest in the solution of the rural
school problem He believes Others believe with him. that the boy and
should have the opportunities for education that
the boy and girl the city The lack of educational
country districts he believes has ambitious parents
the cities order their children the advan
tages which the schools of the large ceners afford