| Show FARMERS t INSTITUTES They Are the Best Means of Arousing Interest in the Practical I Questions Relating to Agriculture Some three weeks ago three young men strolled Into the college dairy They expected to attend college the coming school year and were makingS making-S < lmo Inquiries about the work They wero asked what line of work they expected ex-pected to take up and It was suggested that they take the agricultural course ns they were from the farm No No They knew all that there was to know about farming nobody could tell them anything In that direction What they wanted was something that would help them to make a living anywhere else but on tho farm It wan a type or a comment I have often heard A few days ago I was reading an article ar-ticle on Problems In Education by Booker T Washington In the September Septem-ber Cosmopolitan Speaking about the Introduction of agriculture In the Tus kegee I Institute ho says There were many dIfficulties In tho way The first was that most of the students came to U3 from the farms and that their main object In seeking an tiducatlon was to enable them to escape farm life They felt too that they knew about all there was to know about agriculture I thought how similar tho experience In Utah and Alabama It brought to mind the fact that the people of tho State fall to appreciate or use the advantages ad-vantages offered by tho agricultural courses offered by the Agricultural college 1 col-lege and afforded a probable explanation explana-tion It further led to an Investigation Investiga-tion of how this condition has been corrected cor-rected In other places and to the query loot d they prove effective here Vimt do these answers mean They appear to me to indicate a lack of a truo understanding of the occupatlpu of the farmer To them It la work dull aimless work and their main desire Into In-to get away from It They fall to understand under-stand perhaps because they have never been told In a way that they could readily comprehend that agriculture loan lo-an art a science a busnos > ind a profession pro-fession An occupation that rightly understood will call Into I play all tho best powerfi of the man The result Is I that the farmers as a class made but little effort to lift themselves them-selves out of the rut In which they with tholr fathers have trod and their sons looking abroad on others callings but with no broadened view of their own are discouraged and see their only hope for a bright future In leaving leav-ing the farm Palling to see what the calling of the farmer really has to offer of-fer satisfied with tho Inherited practices prac-tices of the past all platonic offers of help are disregarded or spurned How Is this condition to be corrected 7 The leaders In both State and Nation recognize that on the progress and development de-velopment of agriculture rests In no small degree the progress and development develop-ment of the Stale and Nation Thus numerous agencies have hen established estab-lished to aid that development Agricultural Agri-cultural colleges experiment stations State and national departments of agriculture ag-riculture State and county fairs farmers farm-ers Institutes boards oC agriculture etc However the Stale cap but offer and thus In many cases they fail touch to-uch those whom they desire to benefit and the efforts put forth arc in a measure mea-sure lost or arc only partly successful The problem all over the country Is how to reach tho farmer How to impress Im-press upon him the Importance of that mental equipment and tho necessity for that special training In his calling which men In other lines of work deem I Iso I-so Important This Is a vital question In Utah With an Indifferent constituency I constitu-ency tho best endeavors oC the experiment experi-ment station to elevate and render I more efficient the work of the agriculturist agricul-turist are not onehalf as effective rag I I they should be The best equipment that the State can provide at the Agricultural Ag-ricultural college for the more efficient Instruction In agricultural topics cannot can-not accomplish pnclmlf the good It might How can this condition be corroded 7 What has been done In oilier States and countries Is but a repetition of Ma hornets conclusion If the mountain I will not como to Mahomet then Ma I i hornet will go to the mountain The i I I college must carry Its work to the people 1 peo-ple This does not mean to merely tell I what tho college Is prepared to leach I I or how thoroughly It Is prepared fors j i that work but It means to demonstrate I I I by precept and example the kind of I I work It Is doing and is prepared to do For this work two avenues have been used in other States with remarkable success nnd those two arc In a measure mea-sure open to the Agricultural colleges of Utah I refer lo the farmers Institutes Insti-tutes and to cooperative experiment with farmers In the various lines of agriculture I ag-riculture True our facilities In thcvo directions are not aim great as with many other States but I have faith that with a thorough demonstration by systematic work of the good to bo accomplished ac-complished we shall not lack for the the means to expand 4 + 1 I Probably the most efficient agency in arousing an Interest In the value of agricultural education Is the farmers Institutes The organization and management man-agement of those Institutes is rightly a part of the field of the college Instruction In-struction work and In some States rises to the importance of a department with a corps of Instructors a phase of development de-velopment which Is In accord with tho American Idea of agricultural education educa-tion Tho farmers Institute worker should be In close touch with the advanced ad-vanced thought and work of the college col-lege and experiment elation and should at tho seine time be In close touch and In full sympathy with the work of the farmer Addresses from such men carry conviction stir latent thought and spur the Indifferent forward for-ward Into action The frequent visit of such men to a community keep alive the awakened Interest until In a few years the people lake a broader view nf their calling as farmers and reach out to grasp after more light The result will be that they oV their sons will find their way lo the source of this Influence for their good tho Agricultural college col-lege legeThere There appears to be a dearth of men in thc State competent to impart the thorough definite knowledge needed by the farmers Thus for the time being the college must in a large measure furnish the Instructors needed for those Institute They can at the same time ferret out and educate those to whom a share of the work can In tho future he given This Is undoubtedly pioneer work but it Is a duty which tho Agricultural Agri-cultural colleges have recognized as cs sontlally their own and thus by every possible means have striven to Increase i the knowledge and Improve the clTi clency of the farmer and of his meth ode To be effective tho work of tho farmers farm-ers institute must be thoroughly or ftanlzed and systematically carried on This organization must commence with those authorized to carry on tho farmers farm-ers Institutes In this State the Agricultural Agri-cultural college Permanent plans should be laid not for one year only but on IL basis that can be systematically systemat-ically followed year I arWF year From limp to time such modification may be made as experience shall dictate The nirn should bo to cover every important I farming district In thc State every year Much and lusting good can only he accomplished by keeping constantly at work on those lines Haphazard and I desultory work will accomplish but little lit-tle of permanent value An the work develops and the faith and enthusiasm of the people grow local I lo-cal organizations of farmers may be formed thus affording a local center through which the college authorities I can work more efficiently In advertising advertis-ing and arranging for meeting In the various localities With a still further i fur-ther Increase In the work the > college board may appoint a permanent officer to be known as the superintendent or l farmers Instituted who will have direct di-rect charge of the work With such an arrangement much might also be done I to encourage and direct the work oC nature study and of agriculture in the rural schools which I believe promises when Intelligently and systematically undertaken to revive In the youth oC the I farm a love for the t things of nature that will mean much to future generations genera-tions The purpose of the Agricultural experiment ex-periment stations of the Agricultural colleges in I to aid in the development of the agriculture of the Slates In which they are located This should be done by the elucidation oC fundamental problems prob-lems underlying the agricultural practice prac-tice of the State by originating testing and applying any and every factor that will lend to make more profitable the work of the farmer To be effective therefore the work of the station must find expression In I tho work of Its farming farm-Ing constituency From questions that frequently come to my office I have been fearful that much that has been written by the station sta-tion staff my own work not excluded has not been comprehended by those it was dcjiened to benefit The lack maIn ma-In a measure be due to the station officers offi-cers but I believe much more to a lark on the part of the general public The station ofllcpr falls to understand his audience the audience cannot understand under-stand thr teacher If the two parties occasions lly met at a farmers Institute Insti-tute meeting to discuss matters of mu tur1 I Interest face to face much of this misunderstanding would be overcome and the work of the station would he more readily comprehended and acted upon Yet again it has occurred to mo that many of the facts demonstrated In tho experience of tho station find very slow adaptation by the people Thcro Is probably reanon for this The thought Is now To venture on the untried field has an element of risk Does tho thought apply on his particular farm or has It any value whatever These and other questions delay the adaptation adapta-tion of methods which would mean much toward agricultural advancement advance-ment Frequently too very frequently In regard re-gard to grain and fruit crop the exp ex-p < zlmenler Is not certain that what has proved successful In his work will prove successful In another part of the State and under other conditions This and other questions affecting the relation rela-tion of the slatfon to the farmer may In a measure be answered by a system of cooperative experiments which would afford a demonstration nt check on the otatlon experiment Or Q that on tho farms whom all the Ind e ata lion worl must have Its final tC1ll work will lead lhIJ the farmer armor to o feel that he is a part of the college and and that these Institutions So station are his for him Thus his Interest IH I ana armi With a demonstration r1 of the GOOd the station IB 1 doing before him v or his faith In the work of tho colleg la in crciuKd and lathe crf1v with that faith will co m the desire to know more of what Ul college bus to offer thu Not very valuable data perhaps at llrst be expected from the eXperl C1n i mental phase of the work though ti I will increase In time But In Vo ° far thIn fill It takes the work of tho niatlon direct ly l to the people and shows them at flrnt = t hand hoW to use tho new methods d 11 vised or lakes the new varieties grain and faults which the station hna nt originated or selected and proved to be i superior and Introduces them to tlm farmers In BO far will the station be more Immediately helpful to work the farmer and to the agricultural welfare or the State But these demonstrations will I be lleve have a permanent and lasting cC feet In another direction They will show to the farmer that there in In his calling much yet to be learned and will point tho road to where he cnn got thi necessary Information Information that will enable him to sea In his work on the farm an art a science a buql ness and a profession and thovSlatc will rejoice In a moro Intelligent morn progressive and moro contented niri People F B LINFIELD |
