596 ANNUAL, REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



GENERAL IMPROVEMENT IN PLANS AND METHODS. 



The maxim that all programs of extension work should be based 

 on an analysis of local or community needs has been given increasing 

 support, as shown by the greater number of community programs 

 developed throughout the United States. More than 21,000 com- 

 munities in counties now employing county extension agents have 

 local committees or clubs which join with the extension agents in 

 developing and working out local programs of work. In developing 

 such community programs, however, very definite progress has been 

 made in the direction of securing more specific programs, programs 

 that express more nearly the problems of the people locally. This 

 has been brought about through the close contact with leaders in 

 the various communities and by more thorough analysis. With this 

 has come, also, greater realization of the need for developing in the 

 community a permanent program which includes a limited number 

 of the larger farm and home problems. There has also been a 

 tendency to insure a definite and more widespread adoption of 

 recommended practices, during a reasonably brief and specific period 

 of time, by incorporating in such programs 5-year or 10-year goals. 



There has been fine response to the principle that the programs 

 of extension work should express the needs of all rural interests, 

 those of the farm, the home, and the youth of the farm, as well as of 

 farming industries in general. In many States the number of club 

 members enrolled by county agricultural and home demonstration 

 agents as well as of demonstrations carried on in connection with 

 farm and home problems have greatly increased. The agents not 

 only have been more active in demonstrating and working out prob- 

 lems incident to developing more sanitary home conditions and the 

 installation of household conveniences, including water supply, 

 sewerage, lighting systems, and the like, but in counties without 

 home demonstration agents have, with the help of home economics 

 specialists, aided in securing many demonstrations and widespread 

 adoption of practices in connection with such problems as those 

 of clothing, food preservation, rural health, and child nutrition. 



In connection with the determination of local and county pro- 

 grams of extension work, county extension agents are testing, as 

 never before, the solutions and recommendations which heretofore 

 have been suggested. This has been necessary because closer contact 

 with the people in a community brings better recognition of local 

 habits, prejudices, economy, equipment, practices, and in general of 

 local needs and conditions. It is being found that it may often be 

 necessary to make adjustments and changes in the recommendations 

 heretofore made in order to secure greater adoption of practices. 

 These local conditions may affect not only the recommendations 

 made but also the kind of teaching carried on. 



For example, the use of lime has been recommended for many 

 years. The lack of local conveniences for distributing lime, the 

 high cost of material, and perhaps lack of sufficient proof that the 

 use of lime may be a paying proposition have prevented many 

 people from using lime. When the extension agents help the 

 people to find a convenient way to use lime or to cheapen its cost and 

 by an adequate number of well-placed comparative demonstrations 



