Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1921-01-13
EXTENSION DIVISION
BENEFITS THOU ANDS
Of TENNESSEEFA farmers
Carries Message Of Better
Farming and Home Making
TO Remote Parts Of State

ture of the University VI Kentucky has
Served in a most effective way, thru
short courses in agriculture and homo
economics, by means Of visits upon tho
farm and in the home by county anil
home demonstration agents, thru
boys and girls clubs Of various kinds,
adult community organizations and
field demonstrations, more than 3OO,-
900 people of Tennessee.
The Division of Extension has been
an active integral and organized par
Of the UAiverslty since 1914. and there
10 probably no force that is Of so wide
q benefit or 10 giving greater returns
to more people Of the state than this
organization with Its corps of able and
efficient men and women agents and
specialists.
Rural progress In Tennessee is writ.
ten In every line of the annual report
Of the Division prepared by Charles A
Keffer, director. II ia the purpose OF
the extension service TO carry directly
TO the farms and the homes of the
country and secure the adoption in
practice Of the hest available infOr-
nation regarding agriculture ana
home economics thru county agents,
Who deal with farm problems; home
demonstration agents who deal with
the problems of the home; club lead
. ere who carry on work with young
people, and specialists In the various
branches of agriculture and home eco.
Monies.
The charge sometimes made that
farmer" meaning that he does not gel
out among the farmers in the field, but
spends most Of his time In the office,
can not be held against Tennessee
agents. The annual report shows that
rs per cent Of their time was spent
IN the held and only n per cent in
their offices. Statistics are not always
interesting. but the following, showing
the accomplishments of the agents,
will convince the most skeptica that
County agents work is worth while
In performing their duties Of the
year the agents visited 1855 demon
strnOrs, $780, co-operators 1881
farmers not directly cooperating with
them, 1900 business men, 6T77 bOys'
club members, fsaklng total number.
of visits by them 1897 They trav
sled 276,S7S miles lad 22.3S2 persona
calls 1904 calls by telephone aud as.
sisted In 3.3l3 farmers meetings which
were held under their auspices or III
vision OF Extension They addressed
4,7s3 meetings, with ntnl attendance
VI Approximately 100000 ana conduct
ed s62 ne meetings with lie total
attendance of 1857 They wrote
u, III Official letters. prepared for pub
LEGATIONS 2,o45 articles sent out 10000
circular letters and distributed 1025J
United States Department. of Agricul-
ture bulletins. ,lSS bulletins ~ cr>
cusrs for the State College of Agri-
culture and the Division Of Extension
and Visited 2.&2l schools to interest
them In agricultural. work More than
$3.50 farmers are now practcing fall
blowing 4,5S9 selecting seed and 1905
are growing improved seed for sale
A.. ~ -.
money value 10 the farmer. enabling
him by the improved mefhods put into
practice 90 pay or mor'ga@. and open
bank accounts agents rrrol tia over
co farmers have oprnc6 bank ac-
counts for the first time since begin
Aina demonstration work and l.0Si
havs been able TO increase their bank
deposit. More than loo farmers
lave paid on their mortgages on their
farms since starting demonstration
vsgk and IS per cent Of the farmers
cooperating with The agents are do
0sasing their indebtedness. g. per
sent Are showing Increased interest IN
agricultural meetings and ~ per cent
are showing q desire to study he farm
business and progress. Labor saving
tevisss hsvs been placed in $40 homes
Of co-sperators and demonstrators az
result Of agents work. Some III the
more noticeable effects Of farmers
homes and family az resulting from
the work OF the agents is the bulldin,
Of better homes barns, breeding OF
better livestock. attendance at fairs.
shcrt courses and conventions. taking
Of more papers and magazines. par
chase OF automobiles. Improved roads,
Installing Of water and light .! stems
In the home and providing OF home
amusement
Some OF the outstanding pieces Of
work ionc by the agents demonstrates
the value ~ The work
rh,. 1.Gll acres II corn grown unG r
Refhusi> ad,uc., "a by cogt.. JSeijS
IN 1912 produced an average II H.
bushels Iier acre The average Weld 10
thess same counties was - bushels
rer acre. which shows thai he yield
was practically d115.-i due r. dHmoH-
stration methods his Applies qua.
ly 10 cotton tobacco aud >mau grains
The agents Influenced S1t farmers 70
select seed corn n the fall for next
years crop: amount ~ scr,i haiHg So
lected amounting 10 Az. '.a-lpis.