Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-02-26
LIVE WIRE STARTS
ANOTHER NEW C. T. A.
Agricultural Teacher Finds
Chance to Serve Out
of Classroom.

The pure grit needed to carry out
a seemingly hopeless task has long
been one of the things that men most
admire.
Ivan Fay completed an undertake
Ing last fall that to everyone else
was thing that couldn't be DONE"
Fay is the teacher Of agriculture at
the DodgevilIe high school, where he
has been for the last two years.
Here is the story of his struggle
to put over q much-needed cow-testing
association:
During my first few months, al
though / was rather deep in my
school WORK here, 1 was completely
sold on the idea that nothing | could
promote would do more good than
contrasting association. / went to
one of our bankers, and he seconded
the idea most strongly, promised
hearty cooperation, then dampened
my ardor bit by offering to bet me
box of cigars that couldn't find
twenty-six men who would join. He
said they had tried twice before, but
had never found over fifteen who
were willing to sign up.
II made q list of these fifteen and
called on them, and found eleven of
them still convinced that an associa-
ton would be a good thing. I asked
each man, Any neighbors around
here you think we ought to land?'
and from nearly every man l got three
or four new names. Whether man
Joined or not, / always asked him
If he knew Of others who might be
interested, SO / always had list of
names ahead on whom to call.
Trials and Bumps Came Fast.
my school board is composed Of
bunch of princes, but they smile at
me lot more sweetly If my mileage
doesn't run too high, so most Of my
soliciting was done while out making
regular project calls. / didn't try to
rush the game, but / soon found that
nearly all were in favor of beginning
testin., in the fall. Each day / made
1t a point to try to call on three or
four prospects. | had rotten luck
with the fathers of my pupils Landed
only one of them. But every now and
then I'd hook one of the neighbors,
anyway
armed with all possible data on
the production of INFESTED cows COM
pared with those under test, the value
of records in selling cows and calves,
a box of cough drops for hoarse men,
and a pleasant smile, would drop In
and give the best selling talk I could
compose. In looking over my records,
can't fatter my salesmanship, for /
sold only one man in each five, but
as the summer passed my list of
pledges to join grew until at last it
reached the coveted twenty-six.
II felt pretty good wheneI walked
into the bank with that list. The
banker was much pleased. Come
aroun with your fiivver tomorrow
and I'll go out with you and get the
contracts signed he said. / thought
my troubles were over, but the very
first man had changed his mind, and
turned us down cold. Also Nos. z, 8,
IS, II, 10 and "a did the same, so
when we rolled in that evening we
then on 1 carried contracts with me,
and signed man up as soon as he
promised before he could change his
mind. On Saturday / signed up three
more, but that night the banker
called me in to tell me that two of
the other men had been in and de-
manded their contracts back-had
changed their minds. l must admit
that hurt.
Last Five Finally Sign.
1.-THE last five sure came slow, and
1t was in September when, after So
dieting about 100 men, we had the
needed twenty-six. / wrote each man,
asking him to attend a meeting at the
high school to organize the associa-
ton, and although only twelve showed
up, we elected officers and decided
to begin work October 1. Mr.. Cra-
mer, head of the cow-testing associa-
ton work in Wisconsin, found tester
for us, who was definitely hired. On
October l he began his first work
II ran out one evening to see him
In action, and I believe we have
to tell yet how much we can do with
the organization. The report of the
first months testing was very encour-
aging. We had 395 cows on test, and
although our highest COW fell short
of go pounds, and our best herd aver
aged just 40 pounds, much interest
Is being shown, more grain will be
fed next month In better-balanced ra-
tions, and am hoping for some real
results from our new association"
Contrasting associations number 176 |
in Wisconsin. Last year the total
at this time of the year was 1853. The
work progresses. Fifty of the sew
enty-one counties now have this valu-
able feature in their dairying pro-
gram.