The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1920-04-24

cultural and home-eeonomies work
among Negroes as important. "Thosc
who are in charge Of extension work, -
he said, "not only desire to improve
the agricultural output of the Nation
by helping eolored people, but they also
desire TO help all people to a higher
plane of living. There are now many
Negro county agents who reach millions
OF people on the farm. These agents
not only give agricultural instruction,
but also show people how they can unite
for many useful purposes.'
In teIligent Rural Leadership Needed
J. A. Evans, Chief Of the Office of
Extension Work South, who presided
over the meetings of the conference.
declared that the best way to secure
racial understanding is for white agents
and Negro agents to do good, definite
work.
Mr.. Evans, in opening the conference,
presented statistics showing the extent
and necessity of helping Negroes en-
gagged in agriculture and allied indus
tries. "The improvement of agrieul-
ture in the South, - he said, "invoIves
the problem Of reaching Negro as well
as white farmers. At present there are
200 Negro agents (163 men, 81 women).
distributed as follows: (a) county
agents-WashingtOn Office, 4: Alabama.
"a; Arkansas, 10; Florida, s; Georgia.
ID; Kentucky, 3; Louisiana, -; Mary
land, 2; Mississippi, "A; North Carolina,
Is; Oklahoma, 9; South Carolina, Z:
Tennessee, s.; Texas. IL; Virginia, "a;
West Virginia, /; (b) homemakers-
Alabama, q; Arkansas, ID; Florida. s:
Georgia, 2; Louisiana, ,; Maryland, !;
Mississippi, IL; Oklahoma, 4: Tennes-
see, 3; Texas, 6. This work has been
done at a cost of approximately $780,
OO0." (J. r. Ruteheson of Blaeksburg.
Va, Virginia State Director of Exten-
sion Work. stated that 10 Negro home
makers had been engaged for service,
beginning on April ~
Mr.. Evans, in his address to the
Hampton workers and students, said
that at present 80 per cent Of the rural
population Of ten Southern States is
composed of eOlOred people. He made
strong plea that students should de-
vote time and strength to preparing
themselves for agriculture, which offers
the best and broadest field of service
and leadership. Nh. Evans eongratu-
lated. Hampton Institute on Offering a
specific course which aims to train home
and MISREPRESENTATION agents. "This
is step in advance Of all other col
leges," he said.
Negro Farmers Of Virginia.
John B. Pierce Of Hampton Institute,
special agent for Negro extension work
in Virginia, West Virginia, North Car
olina, Maryland, stated that "the Ne
gro agents at work last year in twenty
three counties reached 1900 Negro
farmers; conducted demonstrations in
leading crops and livestock; organized
advisory boards. farmers community
clubs, annual county farmers confer
enees, and county fairs; secured the co
operation Of members Of both races on
questions Of interest to both raees;
helped people start bank accounts, or
gained cooperative buying and selling
secured on demonstration
plots ageneral average corn yield Of IS
bushels per acre; and organized exten-
siye club work for boys"
working Program.
J. A. Evans appointed committee,
consisting Of /. ". Kin, J. B. Pierce,
J. ". Davis, Henry S. johnson, and
C. R. Hudson, to report on the results
Of the meeting. The committee report
follows:
1T is the sense Of this meeting
That the present Conference Of
white and Negro Extension Workers
On Negro Extension Work has been
very valuable in bringing ont the value,
status. and needs Of Negro extension
work;
ThEt extension work for Negroes
1honld Be conducted in cooperation
wfth the Negro lsad-grant colleges Of