No. 7. DEPARTMElNT OF AGRICULTURE. 291 



ADDRESS. 



By MR. HORACE SKAMANS, FactoryviUe, Pa. 



''The Local Oreanization of Institutes." 



'& 



We are told by one of the greatest lexicographers of this or any 

 other land, that organization is the act of forming or arranging parts 

 of a compound or complex body in a suitable manner for use or 

 service, and certainly the organization of a local institute is some- 

 times very complex as far as my limited know^ledge extends. 



At the city of Scranton, in our county, is a Home for the Friend- 

 less. A childless couple went to this Home recently and adopted a 

 five or six months' old baby and started for their home with it. 

 They had not gone far when the wife says to her husband, "Here, 

 John, you take the baby; I must go back and ask a question." When 

 she had found the matron she asked, "Was the baby's parents Dutch, 

 for if they are and the baby talks Dutch, what a dreadful fix we will 

 be in, for neither John nor I know a word of Dutch?" 



Even so with the organization of our local institutes. We must 

 talk of what we know and know what we talk about, or we will be 

 in a dreadful fix, and our speakers must talk on subjects that are 

 of local interest, and it is essential to our progress that we inter- 

 est the young farmer and induce him and his wife to attend the in- 

 stitutes. 



There are sometimes unusual occurrences. I have in mind an 

 institute held in our county in December, 1904. Our local society 

 had appropriated a sum of money for music, and our institute 

 manager (H. W. Northup) had engaged the services of a noted 

 singer and his niece, but for some reason the singers did not arrive 

 at the proper time. 



In opening that evening's session, our manager stated with pain 

 perceptible in his face, that we would all be disappointed, as the 

 musicians had not arrived. At this moment he was called to the 

 door and soon returned with a smile on his face, such as only Henry 

 W. Northup can wear, and announced in a good voice, that we 

 would have music, as Mrs. Krebs and her relatives had kindly come 

 to assist. This music was excellent with frequent encores. One 

 piece was a medley with just a touch of Yankee Doodle in it. The 

 pastor of thjs church was absent that night, but he heard of Yankee 

 Doodle early the next morning and finding Mr. Northup and my 

 self, he told us very plainly that his church was not for Yankee 

 Doodle, and that we could not have it again if such music was to 

 be heard there. Of course we both apologized, but said we saw no 

 harm in the music; if any one was to blame it was our local mem- 

 ber who had invited Mrs. Krebs and her friends to come, who was 

 also a member of that church. 



Next -night I was chairman. Mrs. Krebs came again but was met 

 at the door and told that her music would not be allowed. She 

 oa,rae to me and stating her case, asked to be allowed to make a 

 few remarks during the evening. I consented, and later called upon 

 her. She gave a short history of Yankee Doodle and said she had 

 played that medley in the churches of the larger cities of the United 



