1. Farmers’ Institutes Gary Moore, NCSU

2. Farmers’ Institutes 4 Found in nearly every state in the late 1800s 4 Structure varied from state to state

3. Farmers’ Institutes 4 Ohio (1847) - County agricultural societies sent lecturers out on request

4. Farmers’ Institutes 4 New York (1842-43)- State agricultural society started a program of itinerant lecturers

5. Farmers’ Institutes 4 Institutes were held in counties, occasionally there would be 2-3 in a county 4 Meetings were 1-3 days in length, 2-3 days at first, then one day 4 Variety of speakers featured –Typically balanced between local people and outside experts

6. Farmers’ Institutes Program 4 Welcome by local dignitary 4 Overview by Institute official 4 Speakers followed by question and answer period 4 Speeches were normally 30 minutes or less 4 Question box used to overcome hesitancy to ask questions

7. Farmers’ Institutes 4 Lunch prepared by the ladies (a time to socialize) 4 Afternoon session consisted of more speakers

8. Program, cont. 4 If there was an evening session, it was often light hearted entertainment (had to entice farmers back from doing their evening chores)

9. Farmers’ Institutes 4 Recreational activities were provided for young people (baseball, games, races) 4 Institutes were scheduled for “down time” on the farms

10. Farmers’ Institutes 4 Once a year there was often a state wide Farmers’ Institute or Round-up

11. Farmers’ Institutes 4 By 1900 Farmer’s Institutes were operated primarily by: –Land-grant colleges (19 states) –State Departments of Agriculture (17 states) –Counties (Delaware, Iowa) –Independent Board (Minnesota)

12. Typical Topics 4 How to increase profits in dairying 4 Maintaining soil fertility 4 Are sheep profitable? 4 Potato growing 4 Good citizenship 4 National Grange 4 Rural Roads

13. Speakers 4 University Professors and Experiment Station staff –Farmers often had a deep suspicion of scientists and few trained men could speak in a manner intelligible to the farmer 4 Well known farmers in the state 4 Local farmers 4 State Department of Agriculture staff

14. Farmers’ Institutes 4 American Association of Farmers’ Institute Workers organized - 1896

15. Farmers Institutes 4 1903 - Office of Experiment Stations (USDA) added an Farmers’ Institute specialist 4 1903 - Congress appropriated $5,000 for Farmers’ Institute work

16. Farmers’ Institute (NC) 4 State law in 1887 called for Farmers’ Institutes to be held in every county every two years. 4 State Board of Agriculture was responsible. 4 No funds were appropriated. 4 Some institutes were held in 1890.

17. Farmers’ Institute (NC) 4 New Farmers Institute law passed in 1893. 4 State Board of Agriculture was responsible. 4 $500 appropriated. 4 State treasurer wouldn’t release the money, plans were cancelled in 1893-94. 4 45 institutes were held in 1895-96

18. Farmers’ Institutes 4 Tait Butler and T. B. Parker were two early directors 4 Boys corn growing contest started in 1906 4 Educational reform was often a topic at Farmer’s Institute meetings

19. Women’s Institutes (NC) 4 A separate Women’s Institute program was started in 1906 4 Program conducted at the same time as the Farmers’ Institute 4 Some joint meetings were held 4 The NC Women’s Institutes claim to be the first in the nation

20. Train Institutes in NC 4 1908 - First Demonstration Train 4 1909 - Two Demonstration Trains –Bladenboro to Rutherfordton, 800 miles round trip, Seaboard Air Line Rail Road - 30 institutes held –Hillsboro to Murphy - 900 miles round trip, Southern Railway - 27 institutes held

21. Demonstration Trains 4 One car was equipped with modern kitchen appliances 4 Women’s Institutes were held in this car 4 Equipment was demonstrated and lectures given

22. Demonstration Trains 4 One car contained farm implements 4 At each stop, the workings of the implements were explained 4 If a team was available, the implements were demonstrated

23. Demonstration Trains 4 The trains continued in popularity for a number of years. 4 A provision in the Smith-Lever Act doomed the trains.

24. The End 4 Two factors contributed to the demise of Farmers’ Institutes –Establishment of the Cooperative Extension Service –World War I