The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-05-24
in Congress viii allow our govern
ment to accept.
DEFENDS THE AGENTS
AND DEMONSTRATORS

lead, personally, is concerned, there
S no occasion for her to speak. She
1ad been very faithful and efficient,
md her worth is recognized outsids
her county as well as in.
The Star and the Times, however,
object to the system. Beneficial on
not, this swarm of offieeholders is be-
coming an intolerable burden TO tax
payers. Mrs. Moorhead and the other |
agents, etc., do not notice that part of |
it, because their salaries pay their
taxes and sometimes little over. But
the fellow whose taxes have TO come
out of his salary or his crop has to
notice it to considerable extent. The
mania for agents, demonstrators, IN
spectors, instructors, etc., is increas-
ing so rapidly that it will not be long
before half the population is instruct
ing the other half. Then who will pay?
The ever-rising tide of paternalism
will drown US.
Mrs. Moorhead's letter follows:
Mrs. MOOrhead's Letter
Editor Star: The enclosed clipping
is taken from the Ocala Evening Star
of March 18th. My attention was call
ed to this some days ago, but / hes
itated replying to it for several rea-
sons; first, because expected it
would be taken up by some of the
state authorities or else by some one
of the general public who are in posi-
ton to know, and because I do not
care for newspaper publicity when it
can be avoided.
But in this case, and since / am in
position to know whereof ! speak,
feel it my duty to say few words in
defense of the splendid work so
harshly assailed by the Ocala Star
and the Tampa Times.
refer to the work being done over
the state by the home demonstration
agents to which the Tampa Times d.
rectly alludes. / am certain, however,
that had either the Star or the Times
taken the trouble to look about them,
such bold and erroneous statements
would not have been made. In the
Stars opinion half of the agents are
Isuperfuous and more than half are
incompetent. In that case there must
be something very radically wrong
with the Stars method of calculation
for there are number of us not &C.
counted for in either class mention
ed. These women are working hard
and are making good. assisting in the
making of happier and more content
ed homes. Through their instructions
they are helping the girls and women
to save the products of the farm and
orchard which represents to the state
a saving of many thousands of dol
lars annually.
( The Tampa Times states that "home
demonstration agents are travelling
about the state to teach our womer
how to do things which they have beer
doing in better ways ever since they
were children"
i This is a very rash statement, prob
lably based on false reports being cir
culated through ignorance, or b!
parties who are just naturally oppos
led to progressiveness in general. L
lis too often the case that we lool
Through such far-sighted glasses tina
) we overlook what lies here at home
Such fear is the case with the Tam
pa Times. / would suggest that i
make some Investigations as to wha
home demonstration work has don,
fo1 Hillsborough county; go back t.
its early stages and follow it up t,
, NOW. See what it has meant to tn
rural and city homes, as well as tn
foreign element. Count the cost, an,
: if possible, count the profits, not i
: dollars alone, but in general better
ment of conditions. Then if it is no
good business is time enough {
: sound a warning against the HON
? demonstration agents.
/ mention Hillsborough county be
!. cause it is the home of the lamp
Times and / have known personall
!, the women who have worked ther
J from the beginning and know much O
, the good work they have done and ar
r doing. The other counties of the stat
: are also doing good work.
Il Very few people realize what tn
e duties of home demonstration ager
e are; in fact, as far as / can observe
:. there is no limit to their duties. l
: the first place in order to become
Y successful agent, woman must pos
= sess certain amount of missionar
spirit. She must be patient, tactfu
sympathetic, tireless and endurin,
She must love her work and hold til
interest and welfare of her people Ut
lpermost in her mind and heart thru
out, regardless of the period of tim
for which she is actually employed.
lido not mean to claim that all demon
stration agents measure up to thes
requirements, but they should an
much to make good.
1t is like in any other organization
trade or profession where many pee
pie are employed. Take the teachin
profession for an example. We a
know it is the desire of the educs
Itional forces to secure only the yer
best teachers in our schools, we ais
know that the best teachers are thos
who through attention to the wor
and actual experience make then
lselves what they are. Their expel
lience and training are absolutely ne
essary, but how are they to get it e,
cept by practice? It would be int
esting to know just how many devi
of the various printing establishment
have, through hard work and faithf
Iservice. been transformed to the e,