Part I.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 29 



The present relations regarding the agreement between the 

 Board and the college stand practically as they did at the close 

 of our business meeting last year; indeed, the extra work 

 occasioned by the war has temporarily laid aside many ques- 

 tions which should be settled. 



Agricultural education is more than ever coming forward, not 

 alone through the college, but by means of courses in high 

 schools and the establishment of county schools in agriculture. 

 Massachusetts now has over 12 high schools offering such 

 courses and 3 county schools, all of which are accomplishing 

 good results. Especially I wish to call to your attention the 

 Essex County Agricultural School in which our late lamented 

 member, Frederick A. Russell, was deeply interested. This 

 school has enjoyed, under the efficient management of Director 

 F. A. Smith, an unparalleled success, with an enrollment of 

 185. Its work has the support of the people of the county. 

 This type of school is doing much toward directing the young 

 people of the county into agricultural work at an early age, 

 and is giving them the practical training necessary for them 

 to make a success in this industrv. 



The Committee on Public Safety. Subcommittee on Food 

 Peoduction and Conservation. 



Soon after the outbreak of war the Governor appointed a 

 committee of 100, known as the Committee on Public Safety, 

 and this committee appointed a subcommittee on food produc- 

 tion and conservation. Similar bodies were organized in practi- 

 cally all of the towns of the State. 



This subcommittee w^as composed of C. D, Richardson, West 

 Brookfield; N. I. Bowditch, Framingham; Joshua L. Brooks, 

 Springfield; Marcus L. Urann, South Hanson; Reginald W. 

 Bird, Boston; Philip Allen, East Walpole; Henry Sterling, 

 Belmont; John D. Willard, Boston; Kenyon L. Butterfield, 

 Amherst; and your secretary, and immediately took up the 

 task of increasing production as well as conserving food. Many 

 agencies were called upon and responded loyally. 



The program of the committee embraced the subjects 'of farm 

 production, boys' and girls' gardens, family gardens for adults. 



