MICHIGAN STATE ASSOCIATION OF FARMERS' CLUBS. • 425 



fill work. The enthusiasm of the wives and daughters, who soon joined in 

 these assembUes and brought the dehghtful club dinners and transferred 

 the meetings to the various farm homes, assured the permanency of the 

 movement and made the farmers' club meetings, as they are today, educa- 

 tional and enjoyable. The farmers of other progressive localities "wrote for 

 particulars and methods of organization, and the club spirit multiplied. 

 There were no hired organizers and no inducements offered from without. 



The record of the organization and development of the individual farmers' 

 clubs of Michigan furnishes one of the world's most charming examples in 

 rural sociology — the result of co-operation in cultured minds and active 

 hands, for good. 



And at that time the masses of the farmers, as was true of the average 

 citizen masses in all other walks of life at an early date, did not believe in 

 education. They had no sympathy \\-ith our university or agricultural 

 college, nor likewise with the so-called "theory farmers" of the clubs. 



Notwithstanding these discouraging, though ever present stumbling 

 blocks of self satisfied ignorance and superstition, brains and public spirited 

 citizenship prevailed and the clubs continued to multiply and thrive. The 

 influences of club work in the different sections spread and met in all direc- 

 tions, but strangely enough there was no jealousy, and the out-stretched 

 hands touched and grasped in friendly good-will while from this fraternal 

 contact the State Association of Farmers' Clubs was born. 



OFFICERS FOR 1907. 



President — L. W. Watkins, Manchester. 

 Vice-President— Mrs. E. A. Ross, Milford. 

 Secretary — Mrs. W. L. Cheney, Mason. 

 Treasurer — Mrs. Sara C. Taylor, Novi . 



DIRECTORS. 



Term expires. 



James P. King, Marshall, R. F. D. Xo. 4 1907 



Rev. J. B. Reynolds, Hartford 1907 



Hon. W. A. Reed, Hanover. . . . .' 1908 



Frank Clark, Vernon 1908 



D. M. Beckwith, Howell 1909 



D. M. Garner, Davisburg 1909 



MRS. W. L. CHENEY, 



Sec. 



54 



