What Was Happening in N.C. Farming, July 1953

From “Personal Mention” column by Frank Jeter in the July 1953 issue of Extension Farm-News

What to do about Farm and Home Week? It’s a North Carolina institution too great to be abandoned. Some have suggested this step, but maybe it’s our fault. No doubt it needs a shot in the arm. But those who get discouraged about the effectiveness of the Week, should take time to watch the folks who gather here. See how they meet, mingle, laugh, greet old friends, make new acquaintances. Farm and Home Week is one of the traditions of State College, and no amount of special field days, institutes, short courses, conferences, and other gatherings and celebrations can take its place.

Let’s have more Panhandle Petes, interesting demonstrations, good exhibits, and places to sit down. Older visitors to Farm and Home Week do not like to be herded through small laboratories, forced to stand on a hot day and listen to discussions about apparatus which they can see only with greatest difficulty. They are interesting, but not that interesting. So let’s give Farm and Home Week a shot in the arm, not abandon it.

Epsilon sigma Phi, the Extension Fraternity came back with new life this year, thanks to efficient planning and definite organization by Florence Cox and Margaret Clark. Chief Ewing Millsaps gave them a job to do and they did it. One of the best business meetings in years and a wonderful banquet although time was short for both.

The Home Demonstration Club women made good on their tribute to Col. and Mrs. John Harrelson. The Colonel and his lady appreciated the matched baggage given them, he said, but what would they use for money to fill them now that he was retiring.

A great celebration of the establishment of demonstration and Extension in the South. Everyone did his assigned job in excellent fashion and those who remained throughout the whole afternoon said it was an inspiring thing for them to learn again how this great work began and has functioned over 50 years. A recording of the event was filed in the College Library for future generations to hear how this work started and has flourished in North Carolina through the dedicated service of unselfish pioneers.

The best dinner of all, said friends of Mrs. Willis, John Arey, Landy Altman, Otis McCrary, and “Nice” Niswonger. They were among home-folks who knew of their work and loved them for what they are and had done. John and “Nice” should never forget the occasion, wonderful gifts supplied by interested friends. The three district people had been honored previously with gifts in their own districts. This dinner was another instance of teamwork in Extension. That’s the way we accomplish the good things we set out to do. Without teamwork, there is no definite and satisfactory accomplishment.

Orchids to our School of Forestry. The Seaboard Railroad issued a special edition of its forestry bulletin telling of the work of Dr. Preston and associates and about new Kilgore Hall, housing Forestry and Prof. Gardner’s horticulture department.

A hearty congratulations to Ainslee Alexander and the Lincolnton Rotary Club for honoring the outstanding HD Club member, Mrs. Cleo Finger, and the outstanding Lincoln County club, the Union Home Demonstration Club, at a dinner with gifts for each of the other 15 women nominated for the distinguished honor. A well-planned and significant occasion.

And that first county-wide home demonstration picnic for Wilson County. Mrs. Ona Humphrey and her food leaders, headed by Mrs. W.H. Blalock of Lucama, deserve all the wonderful praise one could heap upon their capable shoulders. It was just about the nicest thing this editor has attended in many a day. The final count showed about 600 people and there was food enough for all.

A song program by the Wilson County Chorus of 32 voices, a cool beautiful summer evening, a pleasing environment, great servings of fried chicken, baked ham, and all the other things the good cooks of Wilson County know how to prepare, a fine feeling of fellowship and good will. What more could one ask for any single occasion. Joe Anthony was there; also W.D. Lewis, W.P. Farrior and Hilton Carlton. Dorothy Wheeler blushing when the chorus sang, “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and trying not to be self-conscious about her approaching wedding. A wonderful eveing.

The Johnson County 4-H group won first honors at the Negro 4-H Club federation meeting at Trenton. Sherman Shelton says Jones did right well. Individual honors went to Roberta Suggs of Wayne. Nearly 500 contestants were on hand. Edward R. King of Edgecombe County is the new president of the Negro 4-H Council of North Carolina. Word from R.E. Jones says this A. and T. event was a successful occasion.

A wonderful trip over TVA territory and across North Carolina to Raleigh. Brice Ratchford in charge with Rufus Vick, Velma Moore, Maurice Scrotts and Mrs. Charles Bernard getting the inspecting group off to a good start as the visitors convened at Hayesville and began their trip to study the TVA farm management work in North Carolina. Notable achievements to see.

In the June issue of Lester Schlup’s Extension Service Review, S.R. Winters, freelance writer of Washington, D.C., extols the voluntary hospital insurance plan working so effectively in Haywood County. A compliment to Wayne Corpening. Now Wayne leaves us to develop a farm program for Wachovia Bank and Trust Company and is succeeded in the Western District by Bryan Collins, another good man with his feet solidly on the ground and steeped through experience in the Extension tradition.

The Asheville Agricultural Council is cooperating nicely with Riley Palmer and other Extension folks in the Western District and helping to bring about definite community accomplishments. Eager young agents were here to attend the In-Service Training School and [it was] a pleasure to work with them, about 50 learning what makes Extension tick in North Carolina. Fred Sloan was doing a good job as director of the school. Give Fred a hand also for hard work as Secretary of Farm and Home Week…a tough assignment.

Now we have an agricultural man as head of the North Carolina State College. General satisfaction was expressed at the selection of Dr. Carey Bostian as Chancellor, a Rowan farm boy who made good and who knows State College and how to work and work hard.

Swindell Lowery says the Albemarle Potato Festival was a success, the weather favorable, and more than 50,000 people in Elizabeth City for the occasion.

A hand to W.N. Payton Jr. for his work in helping to renovate and improve the homes of Negro farm families in Lenoir County and a nice story in the Kinston Free Press telling of the results.

Walter Johnson says it’s true. If you doubt it, write to him, but Walter says Mrs. T.N. Coile of LaGrange, Route 3, has a Barred Rock cockerel that began crowing when only six weeks old. His picture was made for the Coile family album.

From the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette comes a clipping about how George Hyatt explains the current surplus of butter and milk. George, as you know, has succeeded John Arey as chief of the Dairy Extension Office…hard shoes to fill.

Joe Pou succeeds Dean Deane Colvard as head of the Animal Industry Department, and our livestock and dairy work continues in good hands.

Former Dean Hilton gave us his blessing in a goodbye talk at the dinner to the retiring Extension workers.

Bertie’s C.H. Kirkman Jr. has one faithful listener to his radio program over the Ahoskie Station. His dog greets the talk with barks of doubtful understanding.

“Took my wool there, saw it graded, got my money and came home,” was the laconic satisfaction expressed over the two assembling places organized for receiving wool at Winston-Salem and Washington, west and east.

P.H. Satterwhite is happy over his new quarters for Extension in Salisbury and says those who visit the new building now get “one stop” service from all the agricultural agencies in Rowan County.

The “Pug” Hollowell picnic at Rocky Mount was a success despite the previous calamatious hail storms in Nash. . . So was the renovation job on the Martin F. Cameron farm home in Hoke County, says Josephine Hall and the Sanford Herald. . . Nice Hereford tour over Alamance arranged by Jerry Bason. . . E.L. Topping swears Hyde County suffered from dry weather in May. . . T.J. Morgan of Union fulfilled a lifelong ambition and toured New England in mid-May. . . And wonders of wonders, Lem Laney is satisfied with one Extension conference. Lem said the Carolina Beach Conference was just what he would have ordered had he been responsible for it. . .  Congratulations to John Crawford, Walter Carroll, and the agents concerned for the booklets on McDowell and Rutherford Counties…Excellent publications. . . . And great tobacco meetings here in Raleigh and out on the Branch test farms to learn the truth about this great money crop.