An Effort to Help the Farmer 253 



of these schools reported as follows in Bulletin 122: " As a 

 result of the holding of many of these schools, I am now 

 of the opinion that they cannot be used as primar}^ factors in 

 universit}^ extension ; they are capable of accomplishing a great 

 amount of good when the community has been awakened by 

 simpler and more elementary means. I should therefore consider 

 that they could serve their best uses when they are given as a 

 reward to those communities in which the greatest amount of 

 interest in reading courses, in horticultural clubs, institutes and 

 such other public factors has been developed. There are cen- 

 ters enough in New York State where such schools can be held 

 with distinct advantage at the present moment ; but they should 

 be the culmination of a series of extension teaching efforts rather 

 than a primary or preliminary means of awakening the rural 

 communities." 



With this sentiment we still agree. The larger part of our 

 work can be done more economically than by the holding of 

 schools. Yet, these schools are of the greatest value in particu- 

 lar places and cases. During the present winter we have decided 

 to hold ten of them, locating them, so far as possible, in places in 

 which the Reading- Course has made some progress. At this 

 writing, four of these schools have been held, in Niagara, Sara- 

 toga, Cattaraugus and Genesee Counties. 



In these schools, an attempt is made to teach the fundamental 

 principles of the given subject, — that is, to educate the partici- 

 pants. One session is devoted to one topic, and this is placed in 

 the hands of an expert in that subject. These schools do not in 

 any way conflict with the Farmers' Institutes, but are rather 

 supplementary to the work which they are doing. We believe that 

 the Institutes have done and are doing the greatest good to the 

 farming interests, and the itenerant schools are in no sense 

 rivals of them. 



Special dairy schools have also been held during the past sum- 

 mer in factories at Ox Bow, Somerville, Hannibal, Houseville, 

 Carthage, Windecker, McGraw, Windsor, Lyons, Willink, North 

 Cuba, Canisteo and Belfast. These were largely in the nature of 

 practical demonstrations. 



A dairy instructor was also sent to cheese factories and cream- 

 eries in the following counties : St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton 



