THE DEMONSTRATION WORK 



Starting a New Agent 



A State Home Demonstration Agent had just employed 

 a young woman, whom she knew very well, who had taken a 

 four year's course in domestic science at the state university. 

 In giving her some preliminary instructions the following 

 language was used: 



^'Ruby, you have just finished a four-year's course along 

 home economics lines, forget it. Concentrate your thoughts on 

 the needs of country girls and country women in your 

 county — fasten your attention on a country home of the 

 poorer class ; keep your eyes fixed on it until you decide what 

 changes are necessary and what improvements can be made 

 first. We must raise standards of health, sanitation and 

 beauty. When you get your demonstrations going you will 

 find that the whole plan of work will be a process of evolution 

 and development. You will need to use your judgment often 

 and be resourceful. Now, you will see why I told you to 

 forget your college course. You cannot use the college methods 

 of class instruction with your club members scattered all 

 over a county. This is a new field of education that you are 

 going into and requires a new type of teacher altogether. Of 

 course your superior education will help you. You have 

 greater ability and a wider horizon than you would have had 

 otherwise. The longer you stay in this work the more valuable 

 you will be because of your course at the university, but you 

 cannot depend upon it now for the method of approach and 

 the type of training necessary for success. ' ' 



Simple Instructions Best 

 Once upon a time an ambitious boy, who hadn't had much 

 chance to go to school, joined the Corn Club. He lived with 

 his grandparents, and they grew up right after the Civil 



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