CONVENTION OF COLLEGES AND EXPEEIMENT STATIONS. 119 



whose scientific knowledge enables him to attack intelligently certain 

 farm problems, and who shows ability to interest and instruct farmers 

 through extension work. A combination of these two in one man 

 would make the ideal extension instructor. As a training for exten- 

 sion teaching the practical farmer should pursue carefully planned 

 reading courses and short courses in an agricultural college, and 

 visit other regions; and the college man should devote a proportionate 

 amount of time to actual farm practice. The summer vacation could 

 be devoted to this purpose. The training of the younger generation 

 for extension teaching should include, besides the regular college of 

 agriculture courses, a year of postgraduate work in the extension 

 department and a year of actual farm practice. The necessity for 

 the extension man to be a true teacher and not an entertainer was 

 emphasized. lie should study the special needs of each community 

 and visit a wide range of regions. Importance was also placed on 

 studying the art of public speaking as well as pedagogics. 



W. H. French maintained that agricultural extension is a part of 

 our public education and should not be regarded or used as a means 

 of advertising the college. The establishment of a system of con- 

 solidated rural schools, township high schools, and the introduction 

 of agricultural courses in these and in the high schools already in 

 existence he regarded as the greatest field for agricultural education 

 extension at the present time. The extension instructor in these 

 schools should also give regular instruction to the adult farmers in 

 the neighborhood and conduct demonstration plats. A plea was 

 made for the establishment in the agricultural colleges of courses 

 especially planned to meet the needs of extension workers. 



The necessity for extension workers to be true teachers and not 

 entertainers was also emphasized by P. G. Holden. They should be 

 consecrated to their work and they must know their people. The 

 plan of cooperating with the public school system in agricultural 

 extension work in Iowa was discussed in detail. 



C. H. Tuck, in discussing the relation of extension work to rural 

 schools in IS^ew York, recognized extension work as a part of the sys- 

 tem of public education, and the rural-school problem as the greatest 

 of the many that present themselves in the extension field, opening 

 up the way for cooperating with all agencies, educators, societies, and 

 State organizations, and the peoj^le n,s a whole. 



D. J. Crosby, of this Office, pointed out the necessity for extension 

 workers to encourage other agencies to pursue similar lines of work 

 as local centers, and he illustrated the point by citing a concrete case 

 in connection with a public school. 



