264 ANNUAL REOPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Now, this looal talent question is one that can only be reached 

 by the County Chairman or his executive committee. It is a ques- 

 tion that comes right home, and it is not only a question as to how 

 much of the program should be given to local talent, but what part 

 of it. The average local speaker is self-conscious, and when the 

 State Lecturers are put on first, he can think of nothing but when 

 his time is to come, and wish it were over. It is hard for him to 

 give that speaker any attention, or to learn anything from him. Now, 

 if the local speaker is put on first, all this is overcome. He will feel 

 at ease the rest of the meeting, and I would suggest that the first 

 part of the program be given up to local talent, and let the State's 

 men follow. It is the local affairs that make it of interest to the 

 people there. 



Now, I don't put it on all; but there are some of the State speakers 

 who would do well to talk a little less; they start out, and they want 

 to fill the entire program, and then the local man who is to speak 

 begins to wonder Avhere he is to co.me in, and if this is the way, he 

 w(m't come next time. It does no good to put local talent on the 

 program unless you see to it that they are given their time. If you 

 get tlie local talent interested you have done much for the improve- 

 ment of the work in that locality. I like to see a Fanner's Institute 

 where the people lead and ask questions, and take an interest in 

 the discussions. I tell you, if there is anything that will make an 

 institute a success, it is to get local interest aroused. Let them run 

 the Institute, but have your State's men ready to step in in case 

 of an emergency. Many a time I have been to the Institute ag a 

 State speaker, and in the evening of the second day they would 

 have the County Superintendent come in, and bring his teachers, and 

 those interested farmers would sit down and have a good time, and it 

 was not a waste of time, either. It might be more convenient to have 

 these educational meetings at some other time, but let them have 

 their own time; they are becoming interested, and the work will be 

 a success. 



OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS ON INSTITUTE WORK 

 FROM THE LECTURERS' STANDPOINT. 



By Robert S. Seeds, BirmingUam, Pa. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I want to say that I guess 

 I am one of the best and oldest workers in the State of P<^nnsyl- 

 vania, having been in the work for nine years, and in that time I 

 have gone all over the State of Pennsylvania. 



Now, when it comes to the point in question, what am I to say? 

 I will try to go ovf-r the matter, and rehash what has alreadv been 

 said. First of all, I want to say that the Institute Lecturer who goes 

 into the woi-k ought to have his speech made of India rubber, so 

 that he can pull it out or cut it down, or twist it into any shape 

 to suit the emergencies of the occasion. Sometimes vou have twentv 



