farmers' institutes. 665 



practical workers in the State have been developed in this way, and they 

 are highly useful as they have generally the full confidence of their 

 auditors. 



As far as* practicable, specialists, station workers and the faculty of 

 the school of agriculture are drawn upon to supplement the labors of the 

 practical workers. 



The following speakers are worthy of especial mention for gratuitous 

 services rendered in the early stages of the Institute work: Messrs. R. M. 

 Lockhart, Robert Mitcliell and John Q. A. Seig were especially active and 

 helpful members of the State Board of Agriculture in arranging for and 

 conducting institutes in their respective districts: Mrs. Virginia C. Mere- 

 dith and the late lamented Governor Mount attended many of the farmers' 

 Institutes during the first two years that the work was conducted under 

 State control. They not only freely donated their services, but they proved 

 especially helpful in performing the duties assigned them on the programs 

 and in informal discussion as well. 



Methods of Instruction.— In the early stages of the work it was quite 

 frequently the practice of the speakers to read papers, especially those 

 who had not much previous experience in the institute work. The papers, 

 or essays, were somewhat formal in character, and the audience seldom 

 took an active part in discussing the subjects presented. In recent years, 

 the methods of the school room are more generally employed, especially 

 for the day sessions. This is particularly true in the discussion of prac- 

 tical subie< "s. The exercises are only sufficiently formal to secure an 

 orderly movement and a systematic presentation of the subjects for dis- 

 cussion. As a rule, the speaker takes about half or three-fourths the time 

 su'otted to a given subject, and then gives way for questions and informal 

 discussion by the audience. Frequently, when the speaker has the sub- 

 ject well in hand, he permits the audience to question him as he proceeds. 

 In certain lines, and with certain workei's, this method has proved highly 

 successful, as it holds the attention of the audience closely upon the sub- 

 ject before the meeting. 



Inexperienced speakers are requested to write brief papers, not exceed- 

 ing twenty minutes in length, in which their experience and observation 

 are definitely set forth. The decided preference of the audience is, how- 

 ever, for the speaker who can discard paper and notes and speak extem- 

 poraneously. The more experienced and more effective woil'crs use only 

 outlines, and refer to the written, or printed page, only w) .^n they wish to 

 make definite statements or give figures that can not well be carrieil in 

 the memory. Models, photographs, diagrams, charts and black-boards are 

 freely i.rule use of liy tlic speakers to more definitely fix tht- instruction 

 given. 



Local Institutes.— Two classes of local iiistitutes In the counli< s have 

 hillierto been held, namely, (1) annual meetings usually at the county 



