leff to right: W. G. Kammlade, newfy-appolnfed atsotlate di- 

 rector of Extension Service In agriculture and home economics; 

 Mrs. Spltler; and J. C. Spltler, former associate director who 

 retired this fall after 33 years of service. 



J. C. Spltler, (center) Is congratulated on his retirement after 



32 Y'^''* •citb the Extension Service by H. -P. Rusk, (left) dean 



of the College of Agriculture, and H. C. Wheeler, from adviser 



In Lawrence country for 29 years. 



1 



^^"■"T'S BEEN a real privilege to 

 work with all you Extension 

 folks over the years, and I only 

 hope I can continue to be of 

 service as long as the good 

 Lord will let me." 



With these words, J. C. Spitler, retir- 

 ing associate director of the University 

 of Illinois Extension Service in agricul- 

 ture and home economics, sat down. 

 More than 400 farm and home advisers 

 and other extension workers rose in 

 standing tribute and applauded for sev- 

 eral minutes the man who was ending 

 32 years of service to Illinois farm 

 folks. 



This incident climaxed the Recogni- 

 tion banquet for "J. C." last October at 

 the Illini Union building on the Univer- 

 sity campus at Urbana. If there had 

 been room, some 200 more friends of 

 his would have attended the dinner 

 which was h^ld during the annual fall 

 extension conference so all farm and 

 home advisers could join in tribute to 

 "J. C." 



Earlier in the evening warm words of 

 appreciation had come from H. P. Rusk, 

 dean of the College of Agriculture, 

 speaking for the college; H. N. Myers, 

 DeWitt county farm adviser and presi- 

 dent of the Farm Advisers' Association, 

 speaking for that group; and Mrs. 

 Hazel Adams, McDonough county home 

 adviser and president of the Home Ad- 

 visers' Association, speaking for that 

 group. 



And J. D. Bilsborrow, assistant state 

 leader of Farm Advisers, speaking "For 

 Everyone," had presented "J. C." with 

 a bound volume of more than 200 testi- 

 monial letters from his friends all over 

 the country. 



C. S. Tenley, representative of the 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture, also 



DECQSSER. 1949 



Tribute to Spitler 



Dean Rusk, Farm and Home Advisers, Other Extension 

 Service People Acclaim J. C. Spitler' s 32 Years 

 Of Devotion to Farm Folks of Illinois 



had given the retiring associate director 

 a bronze lapel pin representing 20 years 

 of service and a certificate signed by 

 Secretary of Agriculture Charles F. 

 Brannan. 



In commenting on "J. C.'s" work. 

 Dean Rusk said: "No other man has 

 served the Extension Service in Illinois 

 in so many different capacities for so 

 many years as has J. C. Spitler. And 

 his influence has steadily grown over 

 this long period of service. 



"I could say many complimentary 

 things about Spitler as a man, as a citi- 

 zen, and as an administrator and col- 

 league. But to my mind, no more sin- 

 cere expression of respect and approval 

 of Spitler's service would be possible 

 than the widespread and friendly inter- 

 est that has been taken in the selection 

 of his successor. 



"Among the varying expressions of 

 interest which came from all over the 

 country, the unsolicited comments of 

 three men — one a college dean on the 

 Pacific coast, one a former extension 

 director in the midwest, and a third an 

 important official in Washington, D. C. 

 — constitute an unusual tribute to Spit- 

 ler and to all who have been associated 

 with him in this Service. 



"What two of these men said in al- 

 most identical language, and the third 

 said in substance, can be paraphrased 

 as follows: 



" 'The Illinois Extension Service 

 stands for something not quite matched 

 by any other state.' 



" '. . . It has shown independence in 

 handling its problems approached by 

 only a few other states.' 



" '. . . It has stood for sound prin- 

 ciples regardless of pressures.' 



" '. . . It has its sincere and whole- 

 hearted admirers, distrustful admirers, 

 and severe critics. But we need in this 

 country a strong exponent of the Illi- 

 nois system. We hope,' they said, 'that 

 Spitler's successor will be a man ca- 

 pable of giving the Illinois Extension 

 Service the strong leadership it has al- 

 ways had.' 



"Mr. Spitler, we are eager to main- 

 tain the high standards of ser\ice and 

 the enviable reputation established by 

 the Extension Service during your long 

 period of duty; and we are glad that 

 your successor is one of the many ca- 

 pable men who had had an opportunity 

 to see and participate in the work under 

 your guidance. Though you have been 

 relieved of active duty, we are not ready 

 to grant you a complete release. On 

 the official University rolls you are car- 

 ried with the title of emeritus, but on 

 the unofficial rolls you have the title of 

 senior consultant. The agriculture of 

 the state and nation still has need for 



(Continued on page 23) 



