FARMKKS' INSTITUTES IN THE UNITED STATES. 687 



In such States, tliorot'ore, the local institute organizations are i)crnia- 

 nent in their character and are obliged to report annually to the State 

 superintendent, showing that they have complied with the laws con- 

 stituting them, l)efore they can receive an}- appropriation for their 

 support. In a few States no local hoards of institute officers exist, 

 but the State director selects from year to year a correspondent in 

 each county, and to these correspondents the work of advertising the 

 meetings, selecting local committees, renting halls, and other prelimi- 

 nary ari'angements is committ«Hl. All of the directors recognize the 

 need for some form of local assistance to relieve them of minor 

 details, and the tendency is in the direction of legally constituted 

 county societies, or institutes, to take charge of the purely local work, 

 leaving to the State ofHcers that of providing for the districting of the 

 State into sections, fixing dates of institutes in the several sections, 

 and of supplying to each a corps of speakers selected and paid Ijy the 

 Stiite director to assist in conducting the institutes. 



Fourteen States held annual round-up institutes last j^ear. In some 

 instances these meetings were confined to the lecture force. In others 

 the local directors of institutes wore also included, while others 

 included in the round-up meeting lecturers, local managers, and the 

 general farming pu))lic. In all cases the directors have found that 

 these aimual meetings of the workers for conference have been highly 

 advantageous in creating enthusiasm and in securing greater uniform- 

 ity of method among those who are intrusted with the organization 

 and conduct of the work. Prominent lecturers and specialists from 

 other States are frequently invited to these meetings, who present new 

 methods, found to be successful elsewhere, for the consideration of 

 their hearers. 



NATIONAL MEETING OF INSTITUTE WORKERS. 



A meeting in many respects similar to the State round-up was held in 

 June, 11>08, by the American Association of Farmers' Institute Workers, 

 at Toronto, Canada. Seventeen States of the Union were represented 

 ])y delegates, and several of the Provinces of the Dominion of Canada. 

 A full stenographic record of the proceedings was made and has 

 been published as Bulletin No. 138 of this Oftice. One of the most 

 important subjects brought l)efore that meeting was that of interesting 

 the sons and daughters of farmers in the institute work. Facts were 

 piesented showing that it is possible to interest the boys and girls of 

 the country in agriculture so as to secure their attendance at the insti- 

 tute meetings, and that it is also possible to induce many of them to 

 enter upon a course of study suited to fit thenj to enter the agricultural 

 college of their State. This feature of the institute ought to be care- 

 fully considered and some method devised that can be generally 

 adopted which will create in the minds of young people a desire for 



