116 THE COUNTY AGENT'S SERVICES 



come again. The ealer should not be hurried, but he 

 should be left with no excuse to stay and visit after he has 

 obtained what he wants. How to dismiss an office caller 

 without offense is as important and as much of an art as 

 welcoming one. It demands firmness, an air of finality 

 without any suggestion of brusque dismissal or lack of 

 cordiality. 



A county agent's office may be made to promote the work 

 by giving it not only a businesslike appearance but a farm 

 atmosphere as well. To modern business office equipment 

 should be added exhibits and pictures illustrating the work, 

 charts showing progress and results, a news and advertis- 

 ing bulletin board and plenty of demonstration material 

 collected in season and displayed both within and without 

 the office. The office itself may be made a teacher and a 

 source of information. 



A factor of considerable importance in an office, as num- 

 bers of county agents will testify, is an efficient clerk and 

 stenographer or secretary. She should have the same ability 

 to meet and to serve people that we have described for the 

 county agent. S*ich an office secretary may take much of 

 the load of office calls off the shoulders of the county agent 

 by her ability to give satisfactory information, to satisfy 

 the inquiries of caliers and to do all this as well as he can. 

 This will permit the county agent more time in the field. 



CONTACT BY CORRESPONDENCE 



The written letter is an important though a second-hand 

 form of personal contact which may be of great usefulness. 

 Since it is easier and requires less time for its use, it reaches 

 a much larger number of individuals at less cost than does 

 the office call. The average county agent receives and 

 sends out several thousand personal letters each year. 



