78 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



DISCUSSION. 



LED BY K. L. BUTTEKFIELD. 



When the men who made Michigan came and planted wheat and corn in order that 

 the. body might be nourished, they did not forget to build the schoolhouse so that 

 the mind of the new generation might also be fed, and the church to provide that the 

 soul as well might wax fat. 



Life was simple in those days, and so were the institutions that ministered to that 

 life; the church and school were vital factors in all social relations. But it was 

 not long before other forms of association grew up, answering to wants which neither 

 church nor school supplied. Agricultural fairs, and societies of live stock breeders and 

 of fruit growers became numerous. Then came associations for some purely business 

 purposes, such as the farmers' mutual insurance companies. Finally there arose 

 what we know as farmers' organizations, — The Grange, the Farmers' Clubs, etc., the 

 object of which included business, social, educational, and political ends. 



Today we can appreciate how great a change has taken place. Country life is not 

 as simple as it was, nor are the institutions that affect country life as simple as in 

 those early days. The same fundamental institutions exist, but in new forms, in order 

 that the new wants may be supplied. 



Take, for instance, the church. The church building and society do much the same 

 work they used to do. But in how many new ways is religious work performed! 

 Young people's societies, the work of the Young Men's Christian Association, and 

 even Sunday school work, have developed to meet new needs. 



So with the school. In the pioneer days the primary school was about the only 

 educational institution the farmer had. Bvit today agricultural colleges and experi- 

 ment stations, farmers' institutes, home reading courses, farm papers, traveling 

 libraries are of great and growing value to farmers. 



So with various farmers' associations. Instead of societies of stock breeders only, 

 we have societies of breeders of particular breeds of stock. Dairy societies have been 

 organized. Many horticultural societies exist. The Grange and Clubs never flourished 

 as they do today. Farmers generally have more organizations and believe more in 

 co-operation than ever before. 



The great fact to notice about all this is that while everything is much more com- 

 plex than it used to be, practically all the various endeavors among farmers can 

 still be classified as religious, educational, or business. This is not a new thought, 

 but one worth notice. It is perfectly natural that practically all the co-operative 

 effort of farmers can be put imder one of these three heads. 



Suppose we put all the religious efforts under the name of the church ; all the 

 educational efforts under the name of the school; all the business co-operation imder 

 the name of the farmers' organization. We have then three great rural institutions 

 which have grown rapidly, which seem to be firmly established, and which seem to 

 serve permanent needs of mankind and hence are likely to live long and prosper. 



I am aware that it is easy to criticise this classification. The Grange and Clubs 

 bring educational and moral results. The schools help men in business. The church 

 aids socially as well as spiritually. But this criticism would be valid against every 

 classification. For as a matter of fact all these forms of endeavor do overlap not only 

 in purpose but in work and in results. The classification can be criticised also because 

 it seems to omit many important things — the home, the press, free rural mail 

 delivery. But presuppose the home. And nearly every agency for good that can be 

 named will we believe find a place in some one of these three groups, considered 

 broadly. Let it be remembered that I include within the word church every agency 

 that is primarily religious; within the word school, every agency such as farmers' 

 institutes, that is primarily educational; and within the words farmers' organization, 

 every associated effort that deals primarily with the farmer as a farmer and a citizen. 



The more we think about it, the more we shall agree I believe to fully recognize that 

 these three great lines of work must be kept up and that the church, the school, and the 

 farmers' organization are the great and necessary institutions which shall make 

 rural life better and more satisfying and more attractive. 



If we all do agree upon this conclusion, I have no doubt we may also agree that 



