Left to right: W. G. Kammtade, newly-appointed associate di- J. C. SpffJer, (tenter) is congratulated on his retirement after 



rector of Extension Service in agriculture and home economics; 33 years with the Extension Service by H. P. ftusk, (l^^f) dean 



Mrs. .Spit/er; and J. C. Spitler, former associate director who of fhe College of Agriculture, and H. C. Wheeler, from adviser 

 retired this fall after 33 years of service. in Lawrence country for 39 years. 



^^"■"TS BEEN a real privilege to 



■ work with all you Kxtcnsioti 



I folks over the year*, and I only 



I hope I can continue to be of 



service as long as the good 



Lord will let me." 



W ith 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 KtO 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 

 folki. 



This incident rlimaxed the Hecogni- 

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

 the Ulini Union building on the Utiiver- 

 sity campus at Urbana. If there had 

 been room, some 2(X) more friends of 

 his would have attended the dinner 

 which was held 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, 

 DeW itt 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 



DECEMBER, 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 bv 

 Secretary of Agriculture Charles F. 

 Brannan. 



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

 Dean Busk said: "No other man has 

 served the Extension Service in Illinois 

 in so manv different capacities for so 

 many years as has J. C. Si)itler. 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 mv 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 tJie 

 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 Ser\ice 

 -taruls for something not quite matched 

 liV any other state." 



■' '. . . It has -hown indepi-ndence in 

 handling its problems approached by 

 only a few other slates.' 



"■"... It has stood for sound |>rin- 

 < ipic- regardless of pressures." 



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

 hearted admirers, distrtistful admirers, 

 and severe critics. But wi- need in this 

 country a strong exponent of the Illi- 

 nois system. We h<>|ie." they said, "that 

 S|)itler"s successor will be a man ca- 

 [>able of giving the Illinois Extension 

 Ser\ire the strong leadershij) it has al- 

 uavs liad." 



■■-Mr. Spitler. we are eager to main- 

 tain the high standards of ser\ ice and 

 the enviable rejuitalion e>tablished by 

 the Extension Service during your long 

 p<Tiod of duty: and we are glad that 

 vour successor is one of the many ca- 

 pable nii'U who had had an opportunity 

 to see and [)arliei|>ate in the work under 

 your guidance. Though you have been 

 relieved of active duty, we are not ready 

 to grant vou a complete release. On 

 the official University rolls you are car- 

 ried witli the title of emeritus, but on 

 the unofficial rolls you have the title of 

 senior consultant. The acriculture of 

 the state and nation still has need for 



(C.onlinued on page 23) 



