xl Report of the Director 



cussion by visiting educators and professors of the University. Subject- 

 matter will be demonstrated by school children. Among other topics the 

 following will be discussed : Agriculture in the high school ; agriculture 

 in the grades ; gardens ; the school and home ; manual training ; and books. 



CONFERENCES AND ORGANIZATIONS 



The College is becoming the meeting-ground of many rural organiza- 

 tions and groups that desire to come into touch with the broader aspects 

 of its work and to be in position to reach a growing constituency. Many 

 organizations meet at Farmers' Week, but others convene at other times 

 and are more or less continuous in operation. 



I desire specially to mention three organizations or conferences that are 

 now assuming much importance : 



Students' Association. — The Students' Association of the New York 

 State College of Agriculture is an organization of all present and former 

 students for the promotion of agriculture and rural betterment. By the 

 organization of local or county branches, it is planned to extend its 

 work through cooperation in the holding of extension schools, cooperative 

 experiments, farm demonstrations, lecture-courses, reading-courses, and 

 the like. An annual meeting is held at Farmers' Week. This Associa- 

 tion has become an important factor in the larger work of the College, 

 and this influence will increase through the organization within it of a 

 Committee of Twenty-five to keep in touch with the institution in all its 

 activities. 



Rural Church Conference. — The College of Agriculture is interested in 

 all worthy institutions that contribute to the development of country life, 

 and is glad to cooperate with them. There are calls for assistance from 

 rural schools, granges, and other farmers' organizations. Similarly, there 

 has come a demand from rural churches for cooperation in the solution 

 of some of the problems that result from their rural environment. To 

 meet this there is held, in the annual Farmers' Week, a conference of 

 country pastors and rural social and religious leaders of all or any 

 denominations to discuss the questions that particularly afifect the work 

 of rural churches. Topics of live interest to rural religious and social 

 workers are presented briefly by persons who have given them special 

 study, after which they are discussed by the conference. Three con- 

 ferences have so far been held. This year at least twelve hundred 

 persons attended, and the discussion covered a wide range of rural social 

 subjects. 



