Norwich bulletin., 1917-08-15
GROWTH OF COUNTY
 AGENT WORK HERE
Local Bureau Has Had Rapid Exten- s sion in Past Three Years.


 
 The biennial report of the exten- sion service at the Connecticut Agri- cultural College at Storrs for the two years ending September 30th last has just been issued.
 This report on the extension ser
 vice of the Connecticut Agricultural College for the two years has for its
 which have been carried on in the va
 rious lines of agriculture and home economies during there two years;
 second, to disseminate this informa-
 tion to those who are supporting the
 work: third. to point out the neces-
 sity for further support in order to
 make progress and to meet the de-
 mands for assistance that are being made by farmers and those interested
 in agriculture and nome economies.
 Extension work in agriculture has
 been carried on fin this state ever
 since agricultural experiment stations
 and College of Agriculture have been
 esta bHshed. For number of years state agricultural associations have
 also materially assisted in the ad-
 vancement of agriculture and rural
 conditions. Not until 1913, however,
 was there established at the Connec-
 ticut Agricultural College a division of extension service. The legislative assembly of 1913 appropriated to the
 agricultural college for extension
 Work in Agriculture the sum of S5,- 600 annually for the two following fis- cal years. On May s, 1914, the Fed eral Smith, Lever law became effec-
 tive upon the assent of the state leg islature and appropriated to Connec-
 ticut the sum of $10,000 annually for extension service in agriculture and
 home economies with an annual in crease for a period of seven years
 based on rural population, provided the state appropriates a like amount and to continue at the maximum rate thereafter as
 Regarding :he growth of county agent work the report says:
 County agent work in Connecticut has extended rapidly. New London county took up this work in April 1914. In February, 1915, Litchfeld, Fairfield and Windham counties or ganiZed farm bureaus and employed county agents who began work on March 1. Hartford and New Haven counties organized bureaus and em- ployed county agents who began work May l, and July 1, respectively. In June of the same year Middlesex county organized a farm bureau and employed an agent who began his work September 1. Holland county organized a farm bureau in June, 1916, and in September employed its agri- cultural agent, who will begin his work December 1st. Every county in Connecticut now has a farm bureau and an agricultural agent.
 County agent work in Connecticut is supported comparatively by the Connecticut Agricultural College, from federal funds of the United States de- pertinent of agriculture; by state and county appropriations; by member ship in the farm bureaus, and in three counties by subscriptions from the Shore Line Electric Railway. Cham bers of commerce, granges, and other have also cooperated in the work.
 The state legislature of 1915 passed a bill which provides that "any cor poration or association organized in any county for the purpose of provid ing instruction and practical demon- stration in agriculture and home economics. to promote advanced bus mess methods among farmers, or to assist in any manner in the develop ment of agriculture and the improve ment of country life. organized and conducted in a manner to receive any portion of the money appropriated un- der the provisions of an act of con gress of the United States, entitled "The Smith Lever Bill'' shall annually receive from the state and from the county wherein such organization ex- ists. upon certificatiOn of the trustees of the Connecticut Agricultural Col lege that such organization is entitled to and has received a portion of tF< money allotted to the state under tTe provisions of said act, the amount thereof. the date when such money was paid to such organization. and the amount which such orga nizat tion has received from sources other than un- der the provisions of said act during the year ended September thirtieth next preceding, an amount equal to the sum received otherwise than un- der the provisions of said act of con- gross, for the purpose of defraYing the expenses of such organization: pro- vided the trustees of the Connecticut Agricultural College shall certify only
 aaf, ty.''
 The funds supporting county agent work in each county have been as fol- lows:
 Connecticut Agricultural
 College, Smith-LeVer fund $500.00 State appropriation ....... 100000 County appropriation 100000 County farm bureau ...... 100000 United States Department
 of Agriculture .300-600.O0 Shore Line Electric Railway
 (three counties) ... 500.o0
 &his has made a total of from s. 500 to S4,600 in each county for the support of this work, which estab- Ishes it on a sound, permanent finar- 3ial basis. farm bureau organizations and the extension service of the Connecticut agricultural College. The county iarm bureau organization consists of ne IO1IONlIR olACSIS- ITtsldeiit. NlCt- president, secretary and treasurer, and director from each town in the | and focal committees com posed of the various directors and a | from each community l n the respective towns. The county lgent carries out a program deter l mined bY his board of directors and ] ldapts that program to each cor1Tnu- | iity by meeting the local director and l committee ard planning tine work to l ,a done that community.
 With reference to the boys and l girls club work the report says:
 Boys and girls clubs in agriculture | nd home economies have been con ucted on the plan of first trying to | mist local community interest to | uch an extent that local leadership | would be provided. In all communi- 1 ies, however. where boys and girls ave desired to become club members his has not been possible and there ore club members have been enroll d without local leaders. The experi- nee of 1914-1915 clearly demonstrated | he wisdom of having local leaders to | blow up the work of the club mem drrir0 no summer and fall in oy--