Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-04
THE W-Bggest School in the World
BY Frederi j. HaSkin.

For instance there was a county agent out in Arkan
who into community that laughed at the
idea of new methods. The agent got one farmer ID
plant demonstration of corn. That farmer was
object public pity. Neghbors drove from miles
around to implore him not to waste his time ana
money. they to sit on his fence while ne
worked his in the and laughed at him.
calling him a government farmer and book farm
err" and predicting disaster About thnee months
later they driving again, but this time 10
his He harvested fifty bushels to the
while the for the neighborhood was
twenty bushels. That neighborhood was converted
The first farmer became volunteer cooperator WIN
the department, of of 10000 most OF
them enlisted in somewhat the same way.
Demonstration work is not by any confined
crop work. every detail of rural life
The county agents work exclusively In the
household helping in matters of cooking and preserV
ing saving labor. teaching sanitary methods taking
up social side life. and doing much to render
the country more attractive well more profitable
The work with boys and girls has become well known
all the nation, through such features pig clus
clubs. Very often the girl is the best
to reach the father or mother
Youth a great conservative than and
the children ready to adopt something new
the parents Since the whole problem OF the
demonstration is to get fair trial for his methods and
speak for themselves, this readiness of the
young people to try anything is very useful
quality. There was a farmer in Tennessee who was
raising many Of corn, raising it right.
The county agent anxious to get this to
adopt the right methods. but the farmer would have
and got him enthusiastic idea The
son the agent asked the father of
right in the middle of the biggest field to work
The farmer refused at first, saying he didn't
messing up the field. Finally he consented.
and the boy and the agent proceeded mess up"
their the tune of fftysix bushel yield The
fathers crop the all around thirty
bushels to the Next he used the agents
methods all his land, and became volunteer
co-operator.
The demonstration is already showing large
results, but the really big still lie future.
The work will not be done until every farmer is using
the methods that only few OF the progressive
farmers using today. until the home problems and
educational problems and social problems of
life have been adjusted every farm 1t done.
people realize. Last year there a mil
lion demonstration acres planted. Work done in
$4,000 orchards 1000 head of purebooded stock
bought breeding instigaton of agents.
800 900 boys and girls enrolled in clubs On the
domestic side there such figures $1,000 homes
screened, $500 systems installed, $500
munity clubs organized County agents last year
but behind Of these figures facts that would
make an interesting book.
eff the significant features Of work
is the hearty cooperation that II
Nation and state and county working together. All
loose dsjonted extension activities
caught up into a single smooth whole This
cooperative machine promises give effective
Of farm work and life in present emer-
gency. step already indicated in the action
of Secretary Houston TO create organization ex-
tending into every state through which the activities
federal government be on. Cooper,
alton means results.