DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 83 



a few cases where it was supposed that the local arrangements had 

 received proper attention, it was found, when the speakers reached the 

 places where meetings were to be held, that the advertising had, for 

 one reason and another, been neglected and on this account the attend- 

 ance was greatly reduced. 



While it cannot be said that the best results have been secured in 

 counties where the secretary has received a small percentage of the 

 amount collected for advertising and in the way of membership fees, 

 as a partial recompense for the time spent in arranging institutes, this 

 in many counties gave excellent results. On the other hand, too much 

 praise cannot be given the secretaries and other officers in counties where 

 no salary whatever has been paid and where the meetings, of course re- 

 quired the expenditure of considerable time in making the local arrange- 

 ments. 



The attendance has varied considerably in some of the counties as 

 compared with previous years. This has been due in some cases to the 

 fact that the weather may have been either more or less favorable than 

 last year but it has generally resulted from the fact that many of the 

 meetin2;s have been placed at points where institutes have not been 

 held before and where, as the people knew little regarding the aims and 

 objects of the meetings, they took less interest than would have been 

 the case at points where institutes had been held previously. 



The speakers have for the most part been the same as in previous 

 years, although a few persons have been added to the force. Although 

 some were undoubtedly handicapped by being unfamiliar with the 

 methods used in conducting meetings, the recruits have, in the main, 

 given excellent satisfaction and in another year will be able to take 

 their places with the more experienced speakers. Several of those added 

 to the lecture force are gi'aduates of the Agricultural College who have 

 demonstrated upon their own farms the correctness of the principles 

 learned while in college and whose training has fitted them for taking 

 up institute work. 



At the close cf each meeting reports are sent in by the president and 

 secretary of the county institute society, the chairman of the Women's 

 section and others regarding the interest taken in the various topics and 

 the impression made by the speakers. With a very few exceptions the 

 reports have been very favorable. In many instances such comments 

 as, ''We shall be glad to have any of them with us again," ''The speakers 

 were all satisfactory," "I heard only favorable comments." "Everybody 

 delighted with the speakers," "They were all good and the farmers were 

 well pleased," and ''They are first class. If they are asked a question 

 they cannot answer, they say so" were sent in. 



As in previous years the work of carrying on institutes has been 

 greatly assisted by the members of the faculties of the various normal 

 schools and the state university, who have frequently given their time. 

 Among those who have been especially helpful are: Professor Filibert 

 Roth of the State University, President L. H. Jones, Doctor N. A. 

 Harvey and Professor Laird of the State Normal College, Principal C. 

 T. Grawn and Professor Keeler of the Central Normal School, Principal 

 D. B. Waldo and Professor Ernest Burnham of the Western Normal 

 School, Principal Clarence E. Holmes of the School for the Blind, Honor- 

 able D. E. McClure, Deputy Dairy Commissioner Colon C. Lillie and 



