284 ANNUAL REPORT OF TI1K Off. Doc. 



practically but little of the numerous branches belonging to the art. 

 A few essentials are a combination of theoretical and practical 

 knowledge, the faculty to express it intelligently in plain terms, 

 without straining oratory or eloquence, avoiding redundancy and 

 circumlocution. The long-winded essayist or speaker is an abom- 

 ination before the Lord, and before a farmers' institute. Half an 

 hour is usually long enough to discuss an interesting topic, and if 

 not interesting and instructive, it is twenty minutes too long. For 

 an evening lecture on a literary topic longer time may be permissa- 

 ble, provided the audience is entertained and show appreciation, 

 but to be subjected for ninety minutes to a collection of meaning- 

 less phraseology, a mere play upon nouns, pronouns, verbs and 

 adjectives, conjunctions and interjections is almost beyond endur- 

 ance, and no wonder that restlessness, yawning and expressions of 

 "Oh, Lord," become audible in the audience. A certain degree of 

 dignity, modified by modesty, is desirable, and accompanied with 

 reasonable enthusiasm and good looks are captivating attributes. 

 The speaker should possess integrity, not despise labor, be a culti- 

 vator, harvester and husbandman all in harmony with the work of 

 the present day farmer. 



Being a voluntary act on the part of the would-be-institute worker, 

 it is optional with him to engage or not with the Department and 

 it does not entitle him to assume special importance because of an 

 appointment, and expect from communities treatment better or 

 worse than is accorded other traveling men and itinerants. It hap- 

 pens sometimes during the institute season that contagious and 

 infectious epidemics prevail, and thoughtless persons carrying con- 

 tagion subject speakers and audience to danger about which county 

 •chairmen may be entirely ignorant. There are instances also in 

 rural communities where a lot of young people gather for amuse- 

 ment after the meetings close, and by dancing late into the night 

 creating much disturbance, when quiet and rest are desirable. These 

 are a few of the contingencies encountered, and while somewhat 

 annoying, we should be reconciled with the thought that when the 

 young generation assemble in mutual enjoyment, the dangers of race 

 suicide are somewhat remote in agricultural communities at least. 



Like missionaries going into heathen lands, to brave the dangers, 

 climatic changes or to be consumed by cannibals, the institute 

 worker should be reconciled to his fate, and bear the burdens as a 

 true hero without complaining to the Deputy Secretary, who has 

 troubles of his own. All the county chairmen under whose juris- 

 diction it was my pleasure to be assigned have been kind and con- 

 siderate and my co-workers congenial, generous and self-sacrificing 

 A speaker should not be condemned if through playfulness, hydrogen 

 and oxygen are substituted for spiritiis, ferme?iti,puri, or for pinning 



