Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-05
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
BY DR.. ANDREW NJ SOULE

counties where there is local tax,
| alton for educational purposes"
Judge Andrew j. Cobb, who has
been both on the supreme court and
superior court bench, says also: 1T
is settled by this case that the coun-
ty agent is engaged in educational
work. Education for given class,
those from six to eighteen years Of
age, is provided for by the public
school system. The law declares in
mandatory terms that the element
airy principles Of agriculture shall
be taught in the public schools.
County superintendent are required
to report to the state superintend-
ent any failure on the part OF the
county board of education to comply
with this requirement.. (Code or
Georgia, 1910, Sections 1464-1465).
Why may not the county board OF
education make the county agent an
instructor in it's schools to teach
that which the legislature commands
to be taught? If they can so en-
ploy him, they may lawfully pay
him out of funds under their con-
troll to be expended for educational
purposes. Judge Matthews, OF the
Macon circuit, has already ruled
that this can be done. If, as an In
cident of the compliance on the part
of a county board Of education with
its duty to teach agriculture to those
of school age, those who are not OF
school age are benefited either by
classroom or practical demonstra-
lions in the field, this would not de-
strov the power to do that which
the board is commanded to do
also take the liberty Of quoting
from a letter received from Hon.
George M. Napier, attorney general,
dated March 18, 1922, giving his
opinion on certain questions asked
him:
You ask ~ can county commits
sioners OF ordinaries pay the coun-
tvs part Of the county agents sal
ary out of fines, fees or forfeitures?
(2) Could they pay him as super
visor of the county farm, making 1t
a demonstration farm? 90 May the
board of education employ agents
as instructors in agriculture and
home economics, or as assistant to
the county superintendent OF educa-
ton, or as supervisor of these sub
jects in the common schools of the
counties? (4 In case the board OF
education does not have sufficient
funds in hand at this time, may
such board request emergency edu-
cational funds from the county COM
missioners for this purpose?
I'm my opinion: ~ Yes, county
authorities may legally contribute
to the payment of such salary out
of any funds of the county, not
raised or set aside for special
purpose, which funds have not aris-
special act of the legislature any
Yended for the salary Of a county
agent.)
"2) BY making the county farm
a demonstration and experiment
farm, for educational purposes, and
by arranging for pupils of the com
mon schools to attend the agricul-
tural educational instruction and
demonstration to be afforded, the
county authorities (the ordinary, or
commissioners, as the case might
be) would be authorized to employ
a county agent and pay his salary.
"(3) l can find no lawful obstacle
nor objection to their doing so.
90 There is no provision for the
lending of money by the county
commissioners to the board Of edu-
cation. The assistance to be rem
dered by the commissioners to the
county board of education would be
restricted to the amount of funds
available under the preceding sec
tions hereof"
From the decision of these learn
ed jurists there can be no doubt as
to the Importance Of the work in
which these agents are engaged.
This is further borne out by the re-
suits being obtained as well as by
the attitude of the people to retain
their services under these conditions
and in these times of financial de-
preston. 1t is clearly evident that
any work considered so valuable by
both people and jurists as is the
work Of the county agricultural and
home demonstration agents should
not be handicapped by any doubt as
to the legality of it's local support.
For this reason it is greatly desired
that the next legislature may enact
such measures as will remove all
hindrances of this nature so that
the work may go forward to render
even greater service to the agricul-
tural interests of our state.
What are the functions of a coun-
ty demonstration agent? 1.-THE agri,
cultural extension work act" of con-
gress (3S Stat. 372) was passed 'io
order to aid in diffusing among the
people of the United States useful
and practical information on sub
jects relating to agriculture and
home economics and to encourage
the application of the same" and to
this end it was enacted that there
! NAV be Linaugllrated in connection