farmers' institutes in the united states. 311 



knows the needs of the district. This state of things, in my opinion, can best be 

 brought about by a permanent organization in each county, with committeemen or 

 directors in every farming community. The secretaries of such local institutes soon 

 become regular correspondents of the State directors. All communications are sure 

 to come before the local board at the regular meetings, the localities themselves 

 designating where the meetings are to be held, and hold themselves responsible for 

 their success or failure. 



He continued: 



Such an organization, wherever tried, has brought about the following results: (1) 

 More and better meetings in each county; (2) feeling of responsibility for the success 

 of the meetings, because they are "ours;" (3) a closer touch with the State depart- 

 ment of agriculture; (4) thorough organization, an opportunity of visiting and studying 

 the methods of work employed by the State agricultural colleges and experiment 

 stations, and (5) by virtue of the increased number and regularity of the meetings an 

 opportunity is given and appreciated of carrying out a systematic study and discussion 

 of the principles underlying the science and practice of agriculture. 



The president concluded this part of the discussion by saying: 



I feel that I can not speak too strongly on the absolute necessity of organized effort 

 in this educational movement if we are to raise the general standard of intelligence 

 among farming people. 



The standing committee on institute organization and methods 

 in their report agree that the organization of the institute has now 

 become a necessity in order to do effective work. The report says: 



It appears to your committee that so far as possible there should not only be a State 

 organization to lay out and supervise the work, but that there should also be county, 

 township, and similar local organizations, to have immediate charge of the arrange- 

 ments for the meetings, and that these should be of a permanent nature, with a consti- 

 tution, by-laws, and rules for carrying out their institute work. The maintenance 

 of local organizations with regular members, each of whom pays a small fee, also serves 

 to increase the interest in the work, particularly if they can be made to feel that it is 

 "their institute." And, on the other hand, while the local officers would be consulted 

 regarding topics, dates, and places, the actual selection and assignment of speakers, 

 the grouping of meetings, which to a certain extent will fix the time and place for 

 the meetings, should remain with the State director or superintendent of institutes. 

 To this end we again commend the general scheme for an institute system prepared 

 by our secretary, Mr. Hamilton, and which was printed in the last report of the 

 association. « 



The report of the committee on women's institutes was in the 

 nature of a preHminary report, giving only the localities in which 

 such institutes are found and the condition of women's institutes in 

 the United States and Canada. Replies in answer to inquiries by the 

 committee respecting the condition of the women's institute work 

 were read from 33 States and Territories and from 5 of the provinces 

 of Canada. Twenty-two States and 3 of the provinces reporting had 

 no separate organizations for women, although many women attended 

 the regular institutes. In 11 States and 2 provinces women's insti- 

 tutes have been organized with satisfactory results. The committee 



a U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 165, p. 78. 



