The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-05-15
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

' !
- tension work in agriculture and HON
economics was completed by tn
n signing Of the Smith-Lever Act b
q President Wilson. At the conclusio
;, of the tenth year of cooperation BIZ
tween the federal government an
r the states in the conduct of extensio
:. work it seems fitting to revie,
= briefly what has been accomplishe
, and to think for moment of tn
4 future.
Altho demonstration work ha,
been under way for some ten year
, in the south, under the leadership o
! DR.. Seaman A. Knapp, and alth,
various phases of extension work hat
developed in the different sections o
the country, it was not until 1914
that the movement took on united
cooperative national character. The
movement was given impetus by the
report of President Roosevelt
Country Life Commission in Feb
ruary, 1909 and soon thereafter bills
providing for federal aid to extern
sion work were introduced by Senator
bolivar of Iowa, and Representative
Mclaughlin of Michigan. Other bills
along similar lines were introduced
from time to time, but all of these
failed of passage until 1914, when,
under the leadership of Hon. Hoke
Smith of Georgia, chairman of the
/ 10 NIT TOR on, oc rrin q ND
forestry and Hon. A. F. Lever, of
South Carolina, chairman of the
house committee on agriculture, the
Smith-Lever Act was finally passed.
The act is unique in federal legis-
lation. 1t was the first of series
of federal acts which provides de-
f1nitely for cooperation between the
federal and state governments in
carrying on common enterprise and
permitting participation by counties,
local governments, associations, and
individuals.
At the time of the passage of the
Smith-Lever Act there were more
than 500 men agents and 200 women
agents engaged in demonstration
work in the south. More than 200
county agricultural agents also were
states. In the ten years that have
passed, the number of men agents
in the United States has increased to
2,239. There are now 921 women
agents, and 126 boys and girls club |
agents. The county workers, specil-
lists, and the administrative and sup
ervisory forces make altogether
nearly $500 people, who are now en-
gagged in carrying the gospel of bet
ter and more profitable farming, and
healthier and happier homes to the
people of the United States.
With this large development the
movement is still far from complete.
The building up of the extension
'orce to double or more than double ;
is present size must necessarily be l
long time job, but it is one toward /
which we should be looking and I
triving. One of the most hopeful 6
igns of the time is the recent very a
arge increase in local leaders Of ex-l q
ension projects. The development
f these local leaders in the farming
communities is certain to result in
ot only better farming and more sat-
sfactory home life, but more in u
elligent and responsible citizenship. t.
In commenting upon the work on c
he tenth anniversary of the signing c
( the Smith-Lever act Hoke Smith, c
primer senator from Georgia, now
racticing attorney in Washington,
. c., writes:
''It gives me great pleasure to ex-
End to you my hearty congratula-
ons You have contributed much to
lie improvement of rural conditions
nd to the increase and diversified Z
on of our agricultural products.
GU are serving a class of people who
re the very backbone of our country.
o not be discouraged by obstacles.
O on enthusiastically with your ef-
,rts. They will be crowned with
lccess.''
Hon. A. F. Lever, for many years
representative from South Carolina
nd former chairman of the house
)mmittee on agriculture, now presi-
ent of the First Carolinas Joint
took Land Bank at Columbia, sends
lis message to extension workers:
Il believe no single piece of legis-
ltion in the history of this county
as done, or is doing, so much for
lie agriculture of the nation as is
le extension act. 1t will help to
)lve the agricultural problems from
ay to day and year to year as they
rise. To the thousands who are en-
aged in this work in every state In
le Union, l extend the greetings of
ne who spent many, many months
/ the preparation of this law, and
no wishes, for each and every one
ontinued and added success and
appiness as life goes on"
DR.. A. G. True, director of the
ate relations service, writes as fol-
,ws:
"The great merit of the law en-
cted by congress under the wise
of Hon. Hoke Smith and
on. A. F. Lever is that it has made
ossible the combination of all the !
seful factors in the extension work
reviously conducted by these vari-
is agencies and has brought into
,tive cooperation the public and
-ivate organizations dealing with
yricultural advancement, as well as
eat multitudes of men, women and
lildren living on American farms