The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1917-11-08
CID Farmers Institute 0rganiza-
ton Is Abandoned in Favor
of New System.
WINTER SCHOOLS PLANNED
These, as Far as Possible, Will Re-
place NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Is
Responsible for Change.
BY EARL r. TRIANGULAR.
Supervisor of Publications, Michigan
Agricultural COLLEGE.


lions, educational as well as political,
have been topping over along with
nutocracy under the stresses and
strains OF war. Ancient machines.
most Of them useful enough In their
day, have creaked and grOaned and
finally become stalled by the wayside
failures In the rush for the result
producing efficiency in the conduct Of
war demanded by those in high places
Thus Is passing the farmers institute,
the most venerable medium for carry
Ing information TO the farmer perhaps,
10 be found In the whole system Of
agricultural education. The Office Of
superintendent of farmers Institutes
long maintained ut the college, has
been quietly discontinued by the state
board Of agriculture, and the insti-
tuteS themselves while not all of them
VIII be Immediately abolished, will
gradually be replaced by two day.
three day and one week schools until
IN year or two at the most the
schools will be extended to every part
of the state and the institutes will
disappear.
And now that the word has gone out
that the institutes must go, there may
be expected a clamOrOus protest from
numerous quarters. for I'm the many
years of ITS service the farmers insti-
tute has builded up an organization
extending into the remotest balliwicks
OF the state.
The old query "Why changer" is Of
course being put querulously 20 agri-
cultural leaders. though these have
not been at all at loss for an answer.
They have replied that the institute
system has simply been outgrown-it
was a highly important agency for
reaching the rural community yester-
day, but today there are better, and
so the old must make way for the
new.
As almost every Michigan citizen
knows, the institute was n one. two
or three days meeting in which farm
ers and all classes OF rural citizens
In fact, assembled TO hear lectures and
witness demonstrations having to do
with the promoting of the farming in
duStry. When these Institutes were
first introduced, the men who appeared
on the platform were most of them in
tune with the spirit and knowledge
of their times, but In the many years
since these original meetings there has
been gradual accumulation of men
who have not correctly reflected prog
] tn III al M tn N
few instances the Institutes have been
teaching ideas and methods which
long since have been dlsproved by OK
perience and newer findings.
This, however, IS not meant TO be a
general disparagement Of all individ
uals associated with the Institutes, for
there have been and still are any num-
Der of sincere, capable and progressive
men identified with the county organi-
cations.
These schools, which ultimately will
wholly take the place Of the institute,
are themselves by no means in the ex-
! perimenta stage. Last year, and the
year before, they were tried out in
several scores Of Michigan communl-
ties. Everywhere they met with the
hearty endorsement of farmers.
AS many of the schools as possible
will be conducted throughout the state
this winter, hut where arrangements
! cannot be made for them, the instl-
tutes will be continued for the time
being.
In announcing the change. the dlrec-
tor Of extension at the college, under
! instructions from the state board of
agriculture, has sent out the following
to the secretaries of the county insti-
! tutes:
ain theNpast you have acted as sec
rotary of the local farmers institute
society and we appreciate the good eff
| fort you have given to make the insti-
tutes of your county success. It
seems advisable now In the interest
of efficiency and economy to make
some changes In the methods of plan
Ming and carrying out the series Of
winter farmers meetings. These
changes are result of the fact that
the government is asking us to con-
duct the agricultural extension work
on war basis and has provided funds
80 that most liberal offers can be made
to the counties for the employment OF
county agricultural agents.
"Thirty-two permanent county agri-
cultural agents are already on duty
and many other counties are practical
ly ready TO start the work. II Is plan
ned to complete arrangements for CO.
operation with practically all of the
agricultural counties for the employ
ment OF agents before the winter sea-
SON has progressed very far. Funds
are also available for the employment
Of county home demonstration agents
10 take care Of the work for women.
In addition to this the staff OF extern
l sion workers with headquarters at the
college has been greatly increased and
the services of these men and women