without a vote against it. It went through the Senate without a change of even a letter in the bill.

We are asking this legislation because we have reached the limit of expansion of our program in our State. We are reaching 100 rural high schools out of a possible 400, and we are reaching 2,000 boys out of a possible 8,000 boys. I am talking of farm boys. We are asking this legislation in order to extend this training to communities in Kansas to whom it has not been extended.

Senator CAPPER. Are those communities demanding this work! Mr. MILLER. Yes. Just as an indication of that, last week-end, Thursday and Friday, we had a meeting of what we call the council of administratives in our State, which is composed of administrative heads of schools.

"I

We have on file about 40 applications from superintendents of rural high schools for an extension of the work, and 14 of those men in two days came in to my office personally to make a personal application for extension of the work.

If this bill should pass, every dollar of this money that comes into Kansas will go to help to pay the salary of a teacher of agriculture or of home economics out in rural communities. There will not be a dollar of this money used for overhead, because the overhead is already provided for, and every dollar of this will go out into rural communities.

Senator CAPPER. I am right, am I not, when I say that there is no overlapping or duplication in Kansas as between these two governmental activities?

Mr. MILLER. I think we have as happy a situation in that regard as could be asked under any circumstances.

I want to make this further point, and I believe that it is pertinent to this record, that Kansas and the Federal Government, as do almost all the other States, cooperatively operate an agricultural college. They do two things in particular which concerns this program. They have a large, well-trained staff of experts working out scientific principles which are applicable to Kansas agriculture.

They are doing another thing-training agricultural leaders, and the job is not complete, either on the part of the Federal Government or the State, until they have provided for taking those scientific principles and making them actually applicable to the business of producing foodstuffs on the farms.

This is a very effective vehicle for doing that, by training up a generation of young farmers in those scientific principles which have been worked out in the agricultural college.

I would like to compare that with the General Motors Co., for instance. If the General Motors Co. provided only for the manufacture of automobiles they would not last very long. They have to provide for delivering them to the ultimate consumer.

Likewise with scientific principles in agriculture and home economics education.

There is one other point that I want to make, that any appropriation of this kind should be a continuing one. That is to say, we do not come here asking for all of this money for any one year. A program of education must grow. It can not be developed over

night, but must grow. As teachers are trained and interest develops the demand for it becomes greater, so that it could not be better arranged than to be graduated over a term of years.

If there are no questions, I think that is all.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much.

If there are further witnesses that can not be heard by 12 o'clock, if they would like to make a statement in writing it may go into the record as though they had made it orally.

STATEMENT OF RAY FIFE, STATE SUPERVISOR OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE, COLUMBUS, OHIO

Mr. FIFE. We are spending at the present time, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, out of the Federal funds $121,420; out of State funds, $155,118.18; out of the local funds, $175,000 for the support of this work in vocational agriculture.

We have an unexpended balance of last year's Federal fund of $233. You can see, therefore, that we are in an economic situation where we need additional funds for the support of this work.

We have 196 vocational agricultural departments in 78 counties of the State of Ohio. There are just 10 counties which are not being reached by the vocational agricultural program.

In addition to the work with boys in high school which has been described here, we also have a number of courses with boys of 16 to 25, particularly with boys 16 to 21 who have dropped out of school.

We have just completed a survey in 92 communities of the State where vocational agricultural departments are maintained, and we find that there is an average in each of those 92 communities of 39 boys who are out of school, young men on farms, 16 to 25.

The CHAIRMAN. How are you reaching them?

Mr. FIFE. Through part-time courses.

I just visited a community last week where those young men had been in school one evening per week for the last 53 weeks.

Senator SMITH. What subjects do you teach? What are the practical things that you get at with these boys?

Mr. FIFE. We offer the things they want at the time they want them. This community that I speak of was a vegetable gardening community, and these young men, in addition to the study of economic production, studied marketing. These young men have an organization there for studying the marketing of their products as well as the production of them.

The plan that is usually followed is that these young men are gotten together for a preliminary meeting. They decide at that meeting the things they want to study in their course, and as much of the instruction is drawn out of their experience as possible, because a young man 21 years of age has had certain valuable experiences on the farm which can be utilized in instruction.

The county agent may come into those meetings at certain times if he is a specialist in certain lines. The extension specialist for the college occasionally may be brought in there if he is in the community in connection with other work. All these forces are allied

together, Senator, to bring together the scientific forces of the college and the specialists.

Senator SMITH. In those courses do you study the soil, and those things that are adapted to the soil, what fertilization, if any, is needed, and what would bring the best returns? Is it along that line also?

Mr. FIFE. Yes, sir. In this particular group, of course, the soil question was very important, because it was a matter of vegetable gardening. About half the meetings, so far, have been taken up with soil problems. There have been samples of soil taken from the farms of these different young men, and those samples have been brought in and analyzed and recommendations have been made for the treatment of them.

Senator SMITH. Do you also instruct them along the line of insecticides?

Mr. FIFE. We do.

The CHAIRMAN. I think it covers the whole range, Senator, from what has been said this morning.

Senator SMITH. I have found, and I just want to make this statement, that in some communities the practical result of these instructors being in the local schools, in the high schools, has been of wonderful benefit to the whole community. The boys become enthusiastic. They know how to makes these mixtures. They know in a general way how to go about analyzing the soil or where to go to get it analyzed, and what would be proper in the way of supplying chemical ingredients that are deficient in the soil. It has in it the elements of great benefit.

Mr. FIFE. I might say on another point, Mr. Chairman, in connection with the relationships in Ohio, that we have worked in the very closest harmony and relationship with the agricultural extension service.

I recall my first visit to the director's office. I am speaking of the director of agriculture extension in Ohio. He made a statement there that I have never forgotten. He said, "The job is big enough for all of us."

Our relations with the extension service have been most friendly. There is not any overlapping, but cooperation. Most of the statements concerning overlapping as they come from our local people come from persons opposed to both lines of work.

That is all I have to present, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much.

(Witness excused.)

If there are any other witnesses present I would be glad to have them submit their statement to be printed in the record.

Doctor DENNIS. May I ask the privilege of submitting, without reading, some communications which have come from certain organizations?

The CHAIRMAN. Yes.

Doctor DENNIS. And I would call attention to the fact that there are several documents here in which you will be very much interested. (The documents referred to and submitted by Doctor Dennis are as follows:)

ESSENTIAL FACTS CONCERNING THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION ON VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE UNDER SENATE BILL 1731

A BRIEF DIGEST OF SENATE BILL 1731

1. Increases Federal aid to States for the purpose of further developing the program of training farm boys and girls in agriculture and home making.

2. All funds appropriated for agricultural purposes are subject to the same conditions and limitations as are prescribed in the Smith-Hughes Act of February 23, 1917.

3. Additional funds appropriated for agriculture under the provisions of this act are allotted to the States in the proportion that their farm population bears to the total farm population of the United States. (See Table I for data on how this affects the several States.)

PROVISIONS IN SMITH-HUGHES ACT OF FEBRUARY 23, 1917, WHICH APPLY TO EXPENDITURES OF FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR AGRICULTURE IN SENATE BILL

1731

1. Supervised or directed practice in agriculture on the home farm for at least six months per year is required of all persons enrolled.

2. Agricultural teachers in local communities are employed and paid by local boards of education in the same manner as all other teachers and are subject to the same conditions of local supervision and control. They are the only teachers in the high-school faculty who are required to remain on the job during the summer months to supervise the practical work of their students on the home farms.

3. Federal funds are distributed within the States by the State boards for Vocational education and are used as reimbursement only, on a 50-50 basis, for salaries already paid to agricultural teachers by local boards of education. 4. Federal funds appropriated under the provisions of this bill will not make any appreciable increase in the number of State or Federal employees. 5. All expenditures of Federal funds in the States are in accordance with plans prepared by the several State boards for vocational education.

SPREAD OF THE WORK

1. Each of the 48 States now has a going program of vocational agriculture operating under the provisions of the Smith-Hughes act of February 23, 1917. 2. The percentage of farm boys in school reached by systematic instruction in vocational agriculture has increased from 6.9 per cent in 1923 to 10.6 per cent in 1927. (See Chart I which follows.).

3. The enrollments for systematic instruction in all types of classes in vocational agriculture have have increased from 0 in 1917 to 129,032 in 1927. Chart II.)

(See

4. Departments of vocational agriculture are placed in rural consolidated high schools and in schools having a large percentage of farm boys enrolled. There are at present 11,561 rural high schools in the 48 States which represent 80 per cent of the total number of high schools in the United States. Of this number (11,561), there are at present only 3,339, or 29 per cent, which maintain departments of vocational agriculture. (See Chart III. See map of United States. See map of Virginia.)

5. The total amount of Federal funds spent for salaries of agricultural teachers in the 48 States during the last five years was $10,418,460. Students of vocational agriculture in all day schools received a total labor income of $23,637,924.25 from their supervised-farm-practice enterprises during the same period. Stated in another way, this means that for every dollar of Federal funds spent for vocational agriculture during the last 10 years there was a financial return of $2.26 labor income realized by our vocational boys.

WHAT THE FARM PRESS OF THE NATION SAYS ABOUT VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE

Vocational agriculture has recently been the theme of editorials in many of the leading farm papers throughout the United States. Below are listed a few editorials which have recently come to our attention.

[From the Breeder's Gazette of January, 1928]

THE SMITH-HUGHES SCHOOLS

Congress is to be asked to extend the appropriations for vocational-agricultural education by the Smith-Hughes high-school teachers. We hope that every Senator and every Representative understands that this is the most vital and resultful educational process going on in the open country to-day.

[From the Ohio Farmer, December 10, 1927]

AT AN IMPRESSIONABLE AGE

Vocational agriculture is making its impress on Ohio farms with a group where the lesson sticks. It works with the boys and young men, those who are eager to learn and do. Results come quickly. They are vitalized. They are sure to be far-reaching and enduring.

This year Ohio had 185 such departments in high schools of 77 counties, with an enrollment of 8,548. They completed 2,184 productive projects that averaged $121 to the boy on the farm.

Besides these practical demonstrations at home these boys held many demonstrations, 725 in the year, reaching almost 16,000 farmers. They had exhibits at 87 farmers' institutes and at 79 community fairs, reaching over 80,000 people. These boys had unusual opportunity to widen their vision of agriculture by trips outside their communities, 88 tours to the experiment station, 49 to sub stations, 185 to the college of agriculture, 135 to the State fair, and 72 that followed their products through to markets in the large cities.

There are minor projects that might be mentioned too. They tell a story that augers well for the youth on Ohio farms. The practical farm course offered in high school is covering Ohio like a blanket and is already redounding to the benefit of her farms and rural families.

[Progressive Farmer, January 28, 1928]

WHY NOT ENROLL IN EVENING SCHOOL?

Federal legislation, we hope, will eventually bring some relief to the farmers of the South. The numerous organizations that are seeking to increase the use of cotton and accomplish other worth-while objectives may held in some measure. But after all, when we get right down to the brass tacks of the situation, every man must work out the solution to his own problems. "Every man is the master of his own destiny."

Farming is a complicated business. No farmer can hope to attain any great measure of success who is not willing to study hard to develop a safe and sane program. Every opportunity to secure helpful information should be grasped.

A new type of opportunity for such study is now open to many farmers in the evening schools that are being conducted by teachers of vocational agriculture. These evening classes, or night schools, as they are sometimes called, are simply a series of ten or more meetings where the farmers of one neighborhood or community get together to study problems of common interest. Usually the groups are small so that an opportunity for free discussion is afforded. The same people attended each meeting. The subject selected is studied throughout the course. Those enrolled get not only the benefit of the literature and information presented by the instructor, but also the help of swapping ideas and experiences with their neighbors.

In 1926, 8,990 farmers in the Southern States enrolled in evening classes organized by teachers of vocational agriculture. The past school year the number increased to more than 10,000.

[From the Farmers' Guide, December 10, 1927]

"AG" TEACHERS LEAD A BUSY LIFE

Teaching, supervising projects on farms, helping parents of students, teaching night classes for older boys and for adults, leading 4-H clubs, attending rural organization meetings, putting on exhibits at fairs and institutes, writing