Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-02-09
COUNTY AGENT
QUESTIONS ANSWERED


The money which pays the county
agents wages and his expenses while
carrying on his work in the county
comes from three sources. The u. S.
Department Of Agriculture contributes
5000 annually, the State Agricultural
College gives another $500, and the
County Board of Supervisors generally
appropriates the balance, which aver
ages, in the twenty six counties now
employing agents in Michigan, about
$1,000, according to the statement Of
Dr. Eben Mumford, state leader of
county agents. In three counties in
Michigan the county's share of the ex'
pense is partly raised by private con-
tributions. AT present there is no
other source of funds.
What kind of men are sent out as
County Agents?
The fear that our county will have an
impractical, city-bred, college-trained,
but otherwise inexperienced youngster
foisted upon us for county agent
seems to stand in the way of some
mans giving their unqualified support
to the movement. This fear, however,
is entirely ungrounded. Such thing
has never been done before. Of the
thousands of men who have graduated
from our agricultural college, only a
few have been considered qualified for
the important position of county agri-
cultural agent. This is a big, serious
work; and before man is appointed
to county, he must satisfy the officers
of the county's Farm Bureau. He must
also satisfy DR.. Mumford and the other
college authorities; and furthermore,
he must be acceptable as representa-
tive of the U. S. Department of Agri-
culture. The kind of men who have
passed these requirements are mature
men, born and reared on farms, gradu-
ated from an agricultural college, and
with actual farm experience after grad
uation.
In support of this statement one has
only to mention the names of such men
as H. G. Smith, county agent in Kent
county; Jason Woodman of Kalamazoo
county; C. b. Cook, formerly of Allegan
county; Alfred Bentall, now of Allegan;
j. F. Zimmer of Wexford; and II. b.
Blanchard of Newaygo, all with state
wide regulations for good sense and
practical judgment in agricultural mat
ters. No county needs to accept man
with qualifications less than these men
possess.
What steps are necessary to take in
order to secure county agent for
Charlevoix county?
First, it is necessary to arouse inter-
est in the movement among the people
in the county. AT present practically
everyone in the county understands
the proposition, and of those who do
only very few, indeed, are still op-
posed to county agent. II is un-
natural to expect to convince everyone
of the value of any new thing. In the
counties which have had a county
agent longest, there are still some men
who oppose the idea, just as some men
in this county will live and die opposing
good roads and other improvements.
The Farm Bureau.
In some counties the Board of Super
visors has entire supervision of the
work of the county agent and so consti-
tute the Farm Bureau. In most coun-
ties, however, before the agent is hired
the interested farmers and business
men get together and organize coun-
ty Farm Bureau with President, Sec
retary, Treasurer, and as large men,
bership as possible. The members pay
a small fee which is used to defray the
necessary expenses of the Bureau un.
til the supervisors make an appropria-
tion to cover the county's share of the
expense.
The Farm Bureau presents the pro-
position to the Board of Supervisors
and asks for an appropriation. The
Bureau also passes judgment on the
fitness Of the candidate presented by
the state leader for the position OF
county agent. After a man has been
selected and hired, the Farm Bureau
helps to outline his work and, with the
state leader of county agents and the
Department Of Agriculture, exercises
supervision over him.
In order that there shall be no mis-.
understanding, when county is ready
to ask for county agent the state
leader Of county agents comes into the
county and holds meetings at several
different places and explains in detail
the whole proposition. He will also
help organize the Farm Bureau.
In view Of the growing interest which
has sprung up In the county during the
past year, II is quite likely that DR.
Mumford will be invited to come tc
Charleyoix county sometime before
the spring work begins. Please keer