STATES RELATIONS SERVICE. 479 



and several other State institutions have the matter under considera- 

 tion. The subject is beset Avith many difficulties, but is receiving 

 careful study and will doubtless soon find its recognized place in the 

 college curriculum. While there is little of the undergraduate work 

 that can be omitted, there is need that the prospective county agent 

 or extension worker have a more fundamental training in such sub- 

 jects as psychology, salesmanship, public speaking, advertising, writ- 

 ing for the press, and most of all general and rural economics and 

 farm management. A few States, notably California, Indiana, and 

 New York, have attempted to meet the demand for trained men by 

 the appointment of assistant county agents. In this way men re- 

 ceive some practical experience with a good agent, and those who 

 have made good as assistants become candidates for vacancies in 

 counties. The agricultural college at Guelph, Ontario, has had par- 

 ticularly successful experience with an apprentice system. Under 

 our conditions the financing of assistants has in most cases presented 

 an insurmountable barrier. It is believed, however, that any system 

 of undergraduate or graduate study for extension service that may 

 be devised should be supplemented by some opportunity of field 

 experience. 



OUTLOOK. 



The outlook for county-agent work is most encouraging. It has 

 passed safely through a period of rapid expansion far beyond any- 

 thing contemplated when the work was started and has successfully 

 withstood the danger of serious reaction. It has also withstood the 

 crisis of sudden withdrawal of funds, which, however, have been 

 more than supplemented by local funds, so the net loss of counties 

 with agents has been negligible. The work has " made good " with 

 the farmers, and the agent's position of leader in rural affairs is no 

 longer questioned. The problem is now one of gradual expansion 

 of from 70 to 80 counties per year until the remaining 400 agricul- 

 tural counties have been supplied with agents and of training com- 

 Eetent men to fill the positions and keeping them contented and 

 appy in the work. 



EXTENSION WORK WITH WOMEN. 



On June 30, 1919, 609 home-demonstration leaders and agents were 

 employed in the 83 Northern and Western States. On June 30, 1920, 

 there were 309 home-demonstration leaders and agents. Thirteen of 

 these agents were located in cities. Although the force of workers 

 was in one year reduced nearly one-half, the appropriations made by 

 the local people for extension work with women increased 86 per 

 cent, and every agent now located in city or county has been placed 

 there in direct response to requests from the people, by whom they are 

 stanchly supported in carrying out a program of work suggested by 

 the needs of the locality. 



ORGANIZATION. 



With but one exception (Wisconsin) home-demonstration work 

 was carried on in the counties during the year through a permanent 

 organization of the people. In the majority of the States in the 

 North and West this organization has been designated as the farm 



