Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1927-02-03

Cooperative extension work in ag-
riculture and home economics is a
comparatively recent addition to the
educational system of the United
States. Nevertheless, it has made re-
markable progress. No other type of
education has developed so rapidly.
In the short span of 20 years it has
grown from practically nothing to a
vast educational enterprise reaching
into every agricultural county in the
country and involving the annual ex-
penditure Of approximately $20,000,-
900 and the employment of 5000
paid extension workers who are as
sisted by more than 100000 volunteer
local leaders. 1t takes the college of
agriculture, the college Of home eco
Monies, the experiment station, and
the United States Department of Ag-
riculture to the farmer and his family
in his own community and even in
his own home or on his own farm.
1t is primarily a supplementary edu-
cational system designed to help the
farmer and his wife solve their prob
lens, although very important
phase of it is the boys and girls All
club work, in which about 100000
boys and girls were enrolled last year.
This work is financed jointly by
the county, the state, and the federal
government. In the state, its admin
istration centers in the director of ex-
tension at the state college of agricul-
ture. In the county, the college and
the federal department of agriculture
are representa- by the county agricul-
tural agent, sometimes known as the
farm agent or farm advisor, and by
the home demonstration agent, or
home agent.
In some sections of the country,
particularly New York and New Eng
land, county club agents are employ
ed who work wholly with the boys
and girls. In general however, the
boys and girls club work is done by
the county agricultural and home
demonstration agents. In the United
States there are now more than 1000
of these county agricultural agents,
nearly 900 home demonstration
agents, and about 130 special club
agents. In the south nearly 800 ne
local extension agents among their
people. Altogether, there are near
ly $500 of these agents of the differ
ent classes working in the counties.
The extension system does not con-
flict with or overlap any other part
of the educational system. The vo-
cational schools in which agriculture
and home economics are taught pro-
vide instruction for those who have
time and opportunity to attend regu-
lar classes. The college of agricul-
ture provides special training for a
limited number who are to become
teachers, expsrimenters, county
agents, and farmers, but of necessity
it can reach directly only small
percentage of the people. 1t is the
job of the extension service to sup
plement these other agencies. Thru
the county extension agent the col
lege is taken out to the farmer and
farm woman, reaching both the
grown-ups and young folks.
The county extension agent there
fore is the keystone Of the entire ex-
tension structure. He carries an en-
tire college faculty under his hat; he
has at his finger tips the resources of
the state college of agriculture, the
experiment station, and the federal
government; and upon his shoulders
rests the responsibility of bringing
the store of knowledge in these insti-
tutions to bear on the problems of
the farm and farm home in every |
community, where, after all, the Ma
tons agricultural ills have their be-