Ii
I.
Educational j
EDITION
'
VOLUME XXXVI.
FSRM DKMONSTRM
PROGRESS IN
A Glance at Its Scope and Usefulness
By John B. Steele, County Dem- j
oustration Agent
Agriculture is the fundamental in 1
Viustr\ in the United States, hut in
Watauga county this is especially
nor many of tiv qualifications nee.
Ptgftrv In vt-. 'jjJjjfAw-ojj
fcept an almost unlimited supply of
water power. While Y-'ataug;'. has
been depending for many years 011
its agricultural development for its
wealth very little progress was made
until recent years because ?f inadequate
transportation facilities. The
roads were rocks, narrow and long
and railway connection seemingly im-.
possible.
The development of the agricultural
resources of the United States
was not undertaken in any sort of
systematic way until recent years.
True there was a department of Agriculture
at Washington with a small 1
-experiment station that ever so of- (
tew would publish a bulletin which j
was sent to those whose names ap-1
Beared on their mailing list but the!
7, bulletins were seldom if ever read'
by farmers themselves. It was not I
until the bol) weevil was striking1
Texas and the farmers became al?r-j
Bied and appealed to the U. S. government
for heip, that definite thot |
was given as to how the farmers of!
that section could, be saved from
what appeared to be their ruin.
Dr. S. A. Knapp, who was working
with the Department of Agriculture
doing cotton work in Texas,
.conceived the idea of working with
a few individual farmers to show,
or demonstrate, that diversified farming
would bring thi farmers more
money than they could possibly get
from an attempt to grow cotton alone.
It was Dr Knapp's long-cher-,
ishul idea that the object lesson was
the best method of teaching the average
persn.
In 1910 an appropriation bill was
passed definitely setting aside for
the study and demonstration of the
best methods of meeting the ravages
of the Mexican boll weevil. The appropriation
for. the following two
years was made in the same language
a ~ although the amount of the Depart%
' meat's funds was increased each year
it was not until 1013 that the wording
of the bill, under strict interpretation,
was made broad enough to allow
the money given by congress to
bo used for the promotion of all
lines, of farming.
The increased financial support for
co- ?perative demonstration or extension
work is an index as to the
need and favoi with which this work
is received. In 1904 $27,316.00 was
appropriated which amount was increased
1 o $6,31C,370.00 by 1921.
A trikinu feature of the increase
is the support the* came from local
or county appropriations. In 1907
$2,800.00 came from this source
which increased to 81,050.621.00 by
1021.
ihe Co-operative Extension work
r_ v- . i: ... ,li * ..k ... .
in .Minn \ iiruiiiic iii uu? ; caai
of I. O. Schaub as director who *>. re sponsible
for the state college, of
Agriculture and the V. S. Depart mer.t
of Agriculture for the work of
the organization. The Assistant Di
rector Mr. James Grey, t directly
in charge of the countv ajr .. ?
The state is divided into five disticts
according to physical, 1 and
district composed on ID counties,
from Alleghany to Cherokee, i-.- supervised
by Mr. John V\\ Godman
with headquarters at Ashcville. The
soil in this territory is fertile and
productive, the rainfall usually plentiful,
and the season short and coo'.
These conditions are indicative of c
^ section suited to live stock, poultry
v '
. - *
Y
Sl.SO Per Year BOONE,
ifwr ^unvsrcr
ivii T? vim JUU n i3
WATAUGA COUNTY
JOHN B STEELE
Co. Farm Demonstration Agent
fruit, berries and all kinds of truck
crops. Even tho this section is well
suited to the above, the section is
jusl .mi its infancy from the standpoint
of development. This is largely
due to the fact th at timber, and in
some sections roots and herbs and
minerals, have furnished an occupation
for the inhabitants. Since the
natural resources arc becoming exhausted
there i need for developing
the resources of the farms.
At present the problem facing us J
is one of increasing the production:
of certain crops, of certain types of1
livestock, of certain fruits and truck,
crops; increasing in sufficient quan j
* ity in every community to insure
enough to ship, in car lots, after sup-1
plying the home demand; improving,
the method of growing, packing and
marketing.
To bring about these conditions it
is necessary to employ a definite system
in orde that we may reach and
teach the fundamental principles in
building up a great system f agri-,
culture in Watauga county. As far
as is possible the County agent is,
follow-lig the definite demonstration
as a means of translating scientific |
knowledge into a practical app,;cat-ion
on the farm. Since there are over
.1000 farme s in Watauga county is
not possible for the agent to conduct
demonstrations along the various
lines on every farm or even to
visit every farm; therefore the agent!
puts it up to each community interested
to select the farmer and the
farm where the demonstration will
be- of ihe greatest benefit to the community
as a whole. Field meetings
, and meetings at the schooi houses
in the Communities are he'd to assist
the other members of the communtiev
to profit by the teaching
brought out by the demonstration.
T.ie dairy work is being developed
around the cheese factories. The
chief method of improving the grade
1 of cai.lc milked is hv the use of good
With". 11 the last few months
1 many have been brought in, also the
dairymen are buying a goodly number
of puebred cows and heifers? and
r_* d; Ph. iri-mvinv of 'ho n^wfisarv
feeds on the home farm is at! asset;*
vial part of the demonstration and
.1 is encouraging to note that aefw
farmers are making a definite atK
r ;?! h' do this.
The work with the poultry is being
done on the same definite basis us'
ing <' tandard home flock of from
n! to 200 hens as a good maxim to
wo. k vo. The important poultry work
for Watauga County is not to develop
commercial poultry men but to
. improve the breeding and the condi
surrounding the farm flock.
The program includes the prowr bree
d.ng. fe di. g, bousing and culling
Justice Hall, Boys' Doi
rtYiftt
WATAUGA COUNTY. NORTH CA
! The North C;
Oh. the North Carolina hills, how maji
With their summits bathed in glory
Like our Prince Immanuels' land:
is it any wonder then that my heart n
As I stand once more with loved ones
Oh. the hills, beautiful hills! How I Ion
f o'er sea or land i roam, still 1 think
And the friends among the North Care
Oh. the North Carolina hills! Where i
Where I often wandered lonely and th
Many are our visions bright, which th(
But how sunny were my day dreams c
Oh. the North Carolina hills, how unci
With their summits pointing skyward
Many changes I can see which my heart
But no change can be noticed on the N
Oh the North Carolina hills I must bid
In my home beyond the mountains I wi
In the evening time of life if my lath
1 shall still behold the vision of the No
for meat and egg production.
The work with certified seed potatoes
is not only developing the
seed potato industry for the county
but it is through the methods of ban- j
dling, fertilization and cultivation, 1
having a largo influence on the pro-'
duction of table stock potatoes both ! i
in quality and quantity. | ,
f armers who have never attempt-1!
ed to grow seed potatoes are growingj
more bushels per acre because of '
high grade potatoes because, of the M
fact that they are giving the subject j
more thought.
The kraut factory is working it3 <
way into the market. By reducing
the cost of manufacture, lessening *
the waste, by securing commodity
freight rates anil by the production <
and canning of a kraut that is of the j ,
highest quality in every way. the;
business promised to develop intoj'
a large and profitable market for
the farmers cabbage This, like any
other industry, could not develop (
all at once but has to develop by degrees
working out its problems one
by one but the progress that has been
made so far gives promise for a successful
future.
These and many other lines of
work are being carried on to tho
end thai the farming may be more |
profitable. The soil is the basis of
all work and must be fertile if the
crops or livestock are to eturn the
maximum profit
Si nre thf pvp raawis tci bc? the
most drect avenue to the brain the
method of teaching by means of local
visible demonstrations has been dc-.
vcWiped. For the same reason the
Watauga County Agent has added
motion picture machine to his eqI
uipmcnt so that the actual vsible deni
onstratioii can be placed before the
masses of the people. Many who ::: >
ot sufficiently interested :tra
\ several mires to sec a good pie-. 1
work done along some line. wil go
to see the movies, become nten 4<*d.
I seek further information and he;
come a demonstrator himself.
Seventy six counties out of the
j 100 in North Carolina have county,
i agents. In each of the counties a u
j f ;.ite program ha? boon worked out
between the county agon and the
people to meet the greater needs of
the county an., state. A definite:
vroup of people in every county in
are assisting in making the program
as useful as possible in bringing,
about improved farm practices and
improving rural condition and the
| prosperity of the county and state.
: * JOHN R STEELE.
. ..*v ?
\
mitory, Appalachian Nori
i
Bern
ROLINA, THURSDAY JUNE 11,
aroliim Hills
estic and how grand
vith rapture thrills
on those North Carolina hill%.
e those North Carolina Hills,
of happy home
>!ina hills.
ny childhood hours were passed. .
e future tried to cast;
? future ne'er fulfills
>n those North Carolina hills.
ianged thy seem to stand
to the great Almighty's land.
. wild saairess mis
orth Carolina hills.
you now adieu;
il ever dream of you;
bear only wills
irth Carolina hills.
BOONE'S BIGGEST ASSET
The following is taken from a re-|
cent issue of the Winston-Salem I
Journal:
The eyes of the state are on Boone. I
Recently the news came of the completion
of a splendid new hotel in i
hat mountain center. This hotel is
destined to be a tremendous aset to
hat community, because Boone is at
present one of the most easily accessible
points in the mountains of the
State west of the Blue Ridge. It is
true that the town has no railroad
connection with Piedmont and Eastern
North Carolina. But it now has
two of as fine highways to the east
is the State affords.
But Boone's biggest asset is not;
its hotels. Boone's greatest asset is
coming to be one of the biggest things
in Northwest North Carolina, and for
that matter in the whole state. It
is a million dollar plant for the training
of school teachers.
President B. B. Dougherty of the
Appalachian State Normal School of
Boor.o spent a few hours in WinstonSaiem
this week. We learned from1
him that the institution he heads has
made remarkable progress in the last
three years. Few people realize that
this college for teaepjera now has a
plant that cost a million dollars and
.s worth a great deal more than that.
And -till fewer dt-;ini that wh?a? tin
umuK't school iu.- teachers opens in
June thelx? will Lit- teachers there
from no less than 75 of the one hunv.?
.i counties in North Carolina.
Over f;ve hundrml thousand dollars
hare been invested in buildings at the
Appalachian State Xrraml School in
the last three y nrs. This brings the
total value of the buildings up to one
million dollars. Last year the school
drew students from seventy counties
in North 1 aroiina. President Doughri\
says the institution will draw
students from e\ery couura in the
Siate, and from every state in the
outh. The scnoei is already crowded
I for the summer school which open*
! (Continued on page two)
nal
'525. 5 CU. aCopy
SliP T. HaGMAN od
UF WATAUGA CI
i
SMITH HAGAMAN
i Superinfeem&nt of Public Schools
Watauga f 'o ii . v.
c*. i . r* -
v?oo oiuaenis Kegister
at the State Normal
Additional Teachers Employed to
M-et Emergency 81 Counties are
Represented.
It would bo hard to find a busier
I <>r more enthusiastic crowd than the
faculty and student body of the Appalachian
State Normal College for
ih? past week. The registration of
students is at a high water mark,
there being at this writing n.16 on
roll, as fine a student body to all
appearances as ever registered in this
or any college. The great mass of the
student:? were registered on the first
: day of the term, beginning on Tuesi
day the second, and classes began re
gularly on Wednesday, and the work
| is running smoothly, save for some
classes which were so 'arge that they
had to be arranged in sections and
additional teachers employed to meet
the situation. At the faculty meeting
on the 5th t hi- fact was impressed
upon the teachers by President Dougherty
that they should emphasize
deportment, judgment and common
sense, as weli as credits, and that
this important fact must be realized
by all the student body. Prof. Dougherty
v as deiightcd to express his
impression that there is a very high
type of t alerts here, and it is generally
believe that this school will
trfco ?h :\?1 in t houghtfnlnes?. 70
j of the 100 counties in the state arc
I represented, Watauga leading witl
SI. followed by Caldwell with 42.
Gasto "7. Wilkes 31, Cleveland 30
Iredell v A he an Union each 21
??.-! il- " ?
. ?..-u <11; ?mi rower. hour othej
states ! : 11 counties representee
by !! j idonts. South Carolina load
, ing with t?. making in all five state:
k and SI t u unties.
I On Saturday night the school \va
* most interestingly entertained h;
- Prof. ..'ut Mrs. I. G. Greer with ;
numb* i ?>f folk songs. There was
very large audience present and cei
tainly few occasions have come who
they were all better entertained, a
Prof and Mrs. Greer know so we
how to do, and are most capable c
doing.
'
BETTER BR
' "
We respectfully solicit your
tv cooperation in building up
kery in Boone. Without this *
town so small as Boone.
We are working to make tl
ter in quality as the name in
This ixrcad is served inall
town and scld by all the gro
of the country stores.
You can buy hot rolls and
times.
BETTER BR
J. L. Q
Twelve Page
TWO SECTIONS
NUMBER 23
TUNES GROWTH
HJNTY INSTITUTIONS
I Education Throughout the County Oo
Steady Incline, According to the
tf ' r ? . -
or c-oucationa! U!tacial
j The pu'lic schools of Watauga Co.
1 have bee run with two thing- con|
stantly n v w?first the progress
and deveiopoteiit of schools and of
:sc looi faci] dies within the limit o
reasonable taxation, and second, that
the citizen-' opinion shall h< treated
with great deference always.
The last juarter of a century has
seen very gnat changes, going from
a term of three months to six months
and in numbers o f schools an * ight
months term, in many cases untrained
and poorly educated teachers to
much better prepared teachers. At
j that time we spent for public educa|
tiori but littie more tliar. S.S.OOO. This
| year we shall spend about $74,000,
1 of which amount the state will donate
$1 K.000.
Then' has grown a strong demand
for larger schools, better buildings
j Brd especially high school facilities
j to take care of the rapidly increasing
i numbers of boys and girls who are
j completing the free school course
In order t o meet these requirements
the board of education has
made a number of consolidations under
the lav providing for a county
vide consolidation. These consolidations
will be worked out as the roads
finances and other conditions wili per
mit.
One of the larger consolidations
known as the Stony Fork Consolidated
School will be worked out this year
The building is now under construction
and will he ready for use by
Aug. 15. This is a modern six room
building with an auditorium that will
seat. 500 people. This consolidation
will take care of five districts.
The people of Stony Fork are to
be congratulated upon the progressive
movement and the fine spirit behind
?t.
The high school students of the
county aie being taken care of in
two standard high schools and four
junior high schools. Instead of building
more high schools at present and
perhaps for a number of years the
board of education has figured that
it is better much cheaper
to provide where practicable, transportation
in schools already built.
The board has bought three school
trucks that will be used this year,
one of these trucks will carry high
school student* from the state line
1 over the Boone Trail Highway to the
: Cove Creek High School. One will run
' from the Wilkes county line to Boone
for the same purpose. This truck
I will nick i:n ? smsill ?chr.r?l . th?.
( way afid thereby eliminate the price
, of a teacher and school building.
' The County Superintendent c-f
- Schools has so arranged the e'emen>
tary schools that each teacher follows
a weekly aehedulc worked out. in ev.
i cry grade covering the same amount
^ of work in each school every year.
a SMITH HAG AM AN,
a County Supt.
VISIT IN MECKLENBURG
,s
' Mrs. Nathan Sharp and her baby
,f daughter. Nancy, are off for a two
weeks visit home folks in Mecklenburg
county.
EAO BAKERY
patronage and friendly and hear
and maintaining a permanent Bak
Bakery could not exist long in a
le bread standard in size and betaplies.
the hotels and restaurants of the
eery stores in Boone, and several
fresh bread at the Bakery at all
EAD BAKERY
UALLS