40 



lx>eii al)an(l()nod for the one of holding these gatherings annually at the college during 

 the winter term.'' The fifth annual institute was held in 1873. The attendance was 

 referred to l)y the Kansas Farmer as "surprisingly large." The Nationalist refers to 

 this as " the most profitable and interesting one yet held." 



The institute held in 1874 was the last one of this series under the special patronage 

 of the college. Classes were dismissed, and students were expected to attend. The 

 board of regents attended some of the sessions. 



Institutes, however, continued to be held under the auspices of the Bluemont 

 Farmers' Club, but were of local character. This club held institutes in nearly, if not 

 quite, all of the years up to and as late as 1&88. 



The present system of farmers* institutes was begun by President Fairchild in 1881. 

 President Fairchild had been intimately associated with the farmers' institute work 

 in Micliigan and thoroly appreciated its value to the farming population. The Indus- 

 trialist in its issue of November 26, 1881, states that — 



It is proposed to organize a series of annual institutes thru which the State agri- 

 cultural college and the farmers of the State may work together for the promotion of 

 agriculture. The professors will, under the direction of the lioard of trustees, take part 

 in six farmers' institutes in as many portions of the State provided sufficient encour- 

 agement is given by application from local organizations. The board will endeavor to 

 choose among the applications in such a way as to accommodate the greatest numl)er 

 this winter, with a view to reaching all parts of the State during a series of years. 

 Applications should be senc to President Fairchild at as early a date as possible. 



President Fairchild, in an article published in the Industrialist March 25, 1882, 

 speaking of the system of farmers' institutes, states that — 



Since the middle of January members of the faculty have taken part in six such 

 gatherings, besides those held annually, as heretofore, in Manhattan. In this way we 

 have met the prominent farmers of Clay, Cloud, Osage, Barton, Jackson, and Coffey 

 counties. * * * por the next winter it is proposed to select six more counties from 

 among those which apply first and can be readily reached and to hold in them belter 

 institutes than the good "ones f>f the first winter — better Ix'cause experience will help 

 to better methods. The college will furnish, as in the past winter, three or more 

 speakers and pay their expenses, but will insist that each institute make provision for 

 at least half the speakers from among those interested in the immediate locality. 



Up to 1890 the expense of farmers' institutes was met by appropriatiohs made by the 

 board of regents from the income fund. The cost varied from $123 to $490 per annum. 

 In 1899 the legislature made an appropriation of $2,000 for each of the next two fiscal 

 years, and this has been repeated by the two legislatures since then. The first two 

 years the amounts expended exceeded the approiTriation, while for the other years a 

 balance has reverted to the treasury. These appropriations have greatly increased the 

 number of institutes assisted. The largest numbers were held in the fiscal years end- 

 ing June 30, 1900, and June 30, 1901, namely, 134 and 156, respectively. These large 

 numbers were made possible by arranging class work so that the members of the farm 

 department were entirely free from teaching duties during the fall months, and speak- 

 ing tours were arranged for them largely under the patronage of creamery companies. 

 In this way more meetings were held, but they were to a greater extent of the character 

 in which the local population did not contribute to the program excepting by partici- 

 pation in discussions. In the latest years the increase in students, and consequently 

 in the number of classes to be handled, has become a greater burden upon the teaching 

 force, and this has reached a point where the farmers' institute work can not ])e 

 extended or even maintained without additions to the teaching force. While no 

 requests for institutes have been declined where the people themselves were prepar- 

 ing a program, efforts to extend the work and encourage the organization of institutes 

 have not been made, or at all events to a very slight extent. If the college and station 

 force were of sufficient numbers to permit it, there is no doul)t that the institute work 

 might be enormously and rapidly extended, especially if it were transformed into a 

 series of speaking tours in which the ])eople of the localities visited participated only 



