Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-26
ENLARGES SCOPE
OF ORGANIZATION
OFFICERS or BUREAU.
President-c. z. johnson, Agen-
cy.
First v. P.-h. Il. Harold, Ed
dyville.
Second V. PIG. W. olekins,
Farson.
Third v. P.-W. A. C.. Brown,
Richiand township.
Treasurer-W. 8. Bonnifieid.
Secretary-M. L. Toulme.

Farmers from all parts of the county
are in Ottumwa today as the guests
OF the Commercial club for the big
open meeting and luncheon at noon at
which the organization Of the farm I'M
provement bureau was effected.
The addition of such department
to the already growing Commercial
club. increases the efficiency and pow
ers for good Of this great commercial
body Of Ottumwa which today goes
even farther and becomes community
instead Of city organization
The meeting today like that held
few weeks ago when the farm improve
ment bureau project was launched, was
full OF pep and the community idea
which had already taken root showed
signs of life and healthy growth. The
farmers Of this county are beginning
to show keen interest in the success
OF the Commercial club and the
growth OF the community working
shoulder to shoulder with their urban
brothers. The latter having for years
been trying to interest the farmer In
the community work in cooperation
with the Commercial club. only re-
Gently hit upon the plan to make the
cooperation possible and practicable.
The meeting today demonstrated
this as did the meeting Of few weeks
ago when the project was formally
launched and names of eighty farmers
and rural residents were obtained to
applications for membership. The
presence OF J. W. Coverdale Of Ames,
state leader Of county agents. and his
address today and at the former meet.
ing, was factor in bringing this
about The work Of the retiring secre.
tary. !. N Weidenfeller, who has work
ed zealously on the project in co.
operation with the committees that at
divers times had a part In the project
and in similar movements looking ulti.
mately to the same end was a greater
factor in making possible the work OF
TODAY
The organization of farm bureau at
time when the old secretary is ret'r-
inc after long service in the asso-
citation. marks happy ending to his
faithful incumbency in the office.
The various members who have been
active in this movement. feel elated
at the success OF the project and look
forward to the accomplishment OF biz
things for the community In which
both city and country participate. The
club as a whole welcomes the new
bureau and 1t is believed that 1t marks
forward step by the organization In
the better and bigger community move
ment.
Big Community Project.
with the addition OF the farm i'm
provement bureau to the features OF
the Commercial club. the association
becomes a community organization
whose territory is measured only by
the extent of its influence and its mem
bers come from all parts Of the county
The bureau while part Of the Com
mercial club. Is officered and managed
exclusively by the farmers or men,
bers OF the bureau and the directors
represent the various sections Of the
county with view to scatter the
workers and the work Of the bureau
so that the entire community will be
equally represented IN both work and
the results to he obtained.
The 1871 names that were in the
hands Of the committee Tuesday were
considerably augmented today and a
big crowd gathered at the luncheon at
which Prof Coverdale spoke preceding
the organization of the bureau.
Get 1877 Members.
II would be hard to imagine a more
enthusiastic lot of men than the hun
dreds gathered in the dining room Of
the club this noon. 1t looked like a