fAKMERs' INSTITUTES. C63 



An-juifiiiig for Meetings.— Three classes of meetings are held: First, 

 local institutes in the several counties, usually two-daj' meetings in the 

 past, but to be one-day or two-day meetings in the future. Second, two- 

 day district institutes for a group of counties. Third, a two or three- 

 day annual conference of institute officers and workers for the entire 

 State. The details of arranging for the local institutes are left to the 

 county chairmen and their co-workers. Some six or eight Aveeks before 

 the time of holding the institute, the county chairman calls together his 

 associates and prepares a program in which the speakers assigned by 

 'the superintendent and local workers have about an equal share. The 

 program is printed, published in the local papers and distributed through 

 the mails and by other means. Programs, posters and handbills of the 

 coming meeting are prepared and posted up or handed out in various 

 parts of the county. Frequently a circular announcing the meeting and 

 extending an invitation to all people of the county is printed and sent 

 out in generous quantities through the mails. Postal card invitations 

 ai-e often made use of for the same piu-pose. Notices are frequently 

 given in cliurehes and in the schools of the county. A suitable room for 

 the meeting is engaged early so that tlie program may contain a definite 

 announcement of the-iilace, as well as the date and hour of the iueeting. 



It is not unusual to arrange for a competitive exliibit of farm products 

 in which the young folks, or all the farmers of the coimty may join. In 

 such case, a circular announcing the premiums is usuallj' published and 

 distributed as a part of the progi'am. All of the foregoing details are 

 looked after by the clinirmon and i)rogrnm committees in their respective 

 counties. 



The district institnics arc arr.nigcd for liy (he State superintendent in 

 connection with a local committee of farmers and business men at the 

 places Avhere tlie nicotiiigs are to l)e held. In selecting places for district 

 meetings the particular needs of tlie several sections of the State are kept 

 in mind so that the topics for discussion will be of special interest to the 

 people of the localities Avhere meetings are to be held. 



Tlie annual confoiviue of institute officers and speakers is arranged 

 for bj' the general committee on institutes. The character of the work 

 done at the district institutes and the annual conference of institute 

 workers will be referred to under aiipropriate headings below. 



Condueting the Institutes.— Indiana lias no institute conductors as do 

 s«'vera! otiier States. Tlie coiiiity institute chairinan is. as a general rule, 

 tlie presiding ottieer. As sudi he has charge of all the details of oi)ening 

 and closing the meetings, con<iueting the discussions, preserving order, 

 etc. Sometimes he <alls a subordinate officer to the diair. liut usually he 

 jireside.s in ]»ersiin. 'I'lii^ pl;in dois not always insure an cncctive presiding 

 officer, but it does ti'Uil to secure a more abiding h^-al interest in tlie work 

 where the meetings are lield. The people who attend the meetings readily 

 overlook any little shortcomings of their own presiding officer, and as he 



