FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II S5 



cept necessary traveling expenses and the expense of erecting a tent or 

 place in which to show the exhibit. We have found these exhibits were 

 quite largely attended during this last fair season and earned very 

 favorable comments. They were certainly interesting in their manner of 

 presenting the facts, and no doubt the people derived a great deal of 

 benefit therefrom. So, those are some of the features in which the Exten- 

 sion Department can be of assistance in the way of educational matters 

 at these County Fairs. I think few of us appreciate the real importance 

 of the County Fair as an educational influence In this state. The bring- 

 ing together of the best breeds of livestock in the county and comparing 

 them is of great educational value, and needs encouragement and devel- 

 opment in every possible way. 



Now I come to the question of these farmers' institutes. The Farmers' 

 Institute is one of the pioneer organizations in the development and the 

 promoting of better agriculture. We appreciate the important place 

 which it has held and we wish to co-operate with it in every possible way. 

 At the present time the Extension Department maintains a corps of 

 speakers whose business it is to attend these farmers' institutes and give 

 such help and assistance as they are able to give. 



I haven't very much to say about the program at the farmers' insti- 

 tutes. I think they have been very well worked out. It is a matter 

 largely in the hands of the local fairs as to what shall go on in the partic- 

 ular institute. There should be some method of guarding against im- 

 moral interests and practices and influences in these institutes. There is 

 certainly a great difference at the various farmers' institutes. Some 

 places you go you will find a very enthusiastic and large attendance; 

 everybody pushing and working, trying to make the thing go. In other 

 places you will find a kind of desultory affair. You go in the morning at 

 ten o'clock, and possibly wait around until eleven before anything is 

 done; have a small crowd in the forenoon and a comparatively big crowd 

 in the afternoon. Now, that is due to the local method of working up 

 these farmers' institutes. This attendance depends on the local people. 

 I have often thought if tickets were sold; if men got out through the 

 country and made an effort to sell tickets at a small price, and then made 

 an attempt to put on a program, it would be worth the money expended, 

 or more, and they would have a larger attendance, get started earlier in 

 the morning, and accomplish more during the day. 



Now, as regards the Extension Department and the things it can do 

 to help out the farmers' institute. As the institute is now organized 

 each one is independent largely of the other. Each community meets to 

 gether and decides upon the time at which it can hold its institute meet- 

 ing and goes ahead and makes its arrangements, and it very often hap- 

 pens that several institutes select the same week. They write in to the 

 Extension Department and it is impossible to give assistance as we would 

 like to, because so many institutes hold their meetings at the same time. 

 We have to call upon the College faculty in order to fill these dates, and 

 oftentimes we are unable, with all the help we can get from every avail- 

 able source, to fill the dates that come to us from these institutes. Then, 

 for instance, an institute will be given in the southern part of the state 



