THE COUNTY AGENT'S JOB AND OPPORTUNITY 131 



a "leaven" which may result in much leavening of com- 

 munities. 



NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS 



It will be readily apparent that if the possibilities of a 

 county agent's job are to be realized, and the opportunities 

 which it offers utilized, a person possessing not only knowl- 

 edge and ability but training, experience and certain per- 

 sonal qualities as well must be secured. Unless such a job 

 is to be a mere office to be perfunctorily filled in which 

 case it is practically useless it is no place for a politician 

 or any other individual who is merely hunting for a job. It 

 must not be filled by an individual because he has influence 

 or a "pull." It is no place for an untrained farmer or 

 an inexperienced local favorite young man. 



In Chapter III we have already pointed out some of the 

 necessary and important qualities of leadership. These 

 apply especially to county agents. An understanding and 

 sympathetic knowledge of farming and farmers and some 

 practical experience in the business are almost indispensa- 

 ble. Some special scientific training in agriculture, in- 

 cluding not only the productive processes of crop and ani- 

 mal growth, and the control of insects, diseases and other 

 limiting factors, but also in the business management of 

 farms and cooperative organizations, is .essential. This 

 ought to be further supplemented by training in the gen- 

 eral fields of economics, sociology and education. "While 

 this may seem quite ideal now, the time will come when such 

 special advanced preparation or "graduate study" will not 

 only be sought but demanded for this exacting job. 



But training and experience, essential as they are, are 

 not in themselves sufficient qualifications for a county 

 agent. Unless they are accompanied by those personal 

 qualities which make men acceptable as leaders to be fol- 



