132 LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR POSSIBILITIES 



BEGINNING AT THE BOTTOM 



In glancing over the experience of the larger enterprises, some of 

 which have been successful and some of which have not, we are led 

 to wonder whether we are not in too many cases either beginning at 

 the top or doing nothing. Are there not many simpler activities 

 that would be full of usefulness and which would, at the same time, 

 prepare the community for successful co-operation in larger things? 

 For with communities, as with individuals, practice makes perfect. 

 Should not such undertakings grow as does the oak, rather than as 

 the mushroom .f^ A wide correspondence carried on within the last 

 few months has brought to hand a great fund of information regard- 

 ing the experiences of organizations in different sections of the East. 

 Some of these are located in our own state, and some in Canada, 

 where the association idea has developed to a wonderful extent. 

 Perhaps by means of illustrations selected from this material, we can 

 best support the idea that has just been advanced. 



GETTING ACQUAINTED 



The first thing to be gained is mutual acquaintanceship. In 

 most market garden sections and in many shipping sections, there is a 

 feeling of competition. Smith has a little notion that perhaps Jones 

 would just as soon undermine his business as not. As a result of this 

 feeling, Smith avoids Jones to a greater or less extent. They pass 

 on the street and speak, but they don't seem to care much about 

 falling into conversation. But when Smith and Jones get acquainted, 

 Smith finds that Jones isn't such a bad fellow after all. One of the 

 best agencies for bringing men into acquaintanceship is local meetings. 

 If a meeting is to he held, there must be an object. If a little group 

 in a locality can get together, perhaps only four or five, to talk the 

 thing over and call a meeting and arrange for a speaker, then the 

 object of that meeting is settled. It is to hear so and so from so and 

 so talk about some problem that is affecting the neighborhood, per- 

 haps a general soil question. Perhaps a man from the agricultural 

 college will come and give you the fundamental principles of soil 

 fertility, or perhaps you can get a grower from some neighboring city 

 to come to you and tell what they have been doing. Just as soon as 

 you have a meeting like that, you will have discussions. The round 

 table idea is prevalent. After the meeting is over, you will find 

 little circles of men all over the room getting acquainted with each 

 other, and pretty soon they will be talking over common difficulties. 



