706 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



nice discrimination on the part of tlie extension management to de- 

 termine -what it is best for a given institution to do with the limited 

 funds at its disposal. 



One of the greatest, and as yet largely unsolved, problems of ex- 

 tension work is the relation of the college force and organization to 

 the local community. Thus far the extension work lias not been done 

 by the colleges on a sufficiently large scale to call for much elabora- 

 tion of local organization, but the need for a broader organization 

 is now growing more and more imperative. 



Certain forms of extension work involve the cooperation of the 

 rural schools. Some have thought that a plan might be worked out 

 by which these schools would be made the public agencies for the 

 local management of all extension enterprises. This would, how- 

 ever, involve considerable change in the general system of school 

 management. The fact that most of the teachers in these schools are 

 women, whose tenure of office is on the average relatively short, 

 makes it very doubtful whether such a plan is feasible. If by a com- 

 bination of school and extension work many more men could be 

 brought into the service of the schools, and the rural teacher's career 

 could be made more permanent and honorable, it would be to the 

 great advantage of our rural communities. AMierever consolidated 

 rural schools exist this plan might have a reasonable prospect of 

 success. 



Others have thought that county organizations might be formed 

 under state laws, which would be charged with the local manage- 

 ment of extension enterprises under the general direction of the agri- 

 cultural college. It has been suggested that the fair associations be 

 made the basis for these county organizations, and have their duties 

 broadened to include the whole scheme of extension work. 



Another plan calls for the establishment under public control of 

 at least one demonstration farm in each countj^, the superintendent 

 of which should be the local manager of extension enterprises under 

 the control of the college. Tliis might include the supervision of a 

 considerable number of demonstration fields on farms within tlie 

 county. 



It seems most likely that we shall pass through a period of experi- 

 mentation with different plans in different States, and that thus after 

 a while some general American system for the local management of 

 extension work in agriculture will be evolved. Whatever plan is 

 adopted it should carefully conserve and help to broaden the spirit of 

 initiative, self-help and cooperation among the country people. In 

 establishing public agencies for the dissemination of agricultural 

 knowledge on a broad scale there is much danger of leading the 

 country people to lean too heavily on the national and state govern- 

 ments. 



