Clay County Receives National Honor, 1956

From the August 1956 issue of Extension Farm-News, Raleigh, NC

HAYESVILLE—Citizens of Clay County joined with the United States Department of Agriculture in honoring their farm and home agents at the Clay County Day celebration Friday, August 10. The special day’s events marked the receipt of a plaque presented to the extension staff of Clay County for their superior service to the agriculture of the county. Those honored were R.G. Vick, farm agent; Velma Beam Moore, home agent; H.J. Rosenkranz, assistant farm agent; and Janet C. Martin, assistant home agent.

Awarding the plaque to the agents was L.I. Jones, field representative of the USDA’s Federal Extension Service in Washington, D.C. Jones read the citation on the plaque to the audience. It stated:

For successfully assisting rural families in Clay County, N.C. to recognize problems and adopt more productive farming methods, thereby improving living conditions and creating a climate in which good citizenship has flourished.

It was signed by Ezra Taft Benson, Secretary of Agriculture.

In recognizing the work which this group of men and women have done, Jones cited tremendous increases made in gross farm income since 1940 when the gross was $100,000. In 1955 the gross income of Clay County farmers had reached $1,102,000.

Presiding over the ceremony was J. Howard Walker, Clay County hatcheryman. Following special music from the Junior Glee Club directed by Mrs. E.C. Strandridge, the invocation was given by the Rev. Boyce Huffstettler.

Speaking on the changes that had been made in Clay County, Cline E. McClure, former county commissioner and one of the first Clay County farmers to establish a grade A dairy, brought forcefully to the attention of the assembled guests the many changes which he had himself seen in the development of Clay County.

President of the Clay County Council of Home Demonstration Clubs, Mrs. Kathleen Roach talked about the many changes that had been made in the homes of the county and of the many projects which the women of Clay County had undertaken over the past 15 years.

The citizens of Clay County were challenged to further progress by Miss Ruth Current, State Home Demonstration Agent for the North Carolina Extension Service. Miss Current said that the challenge for the future included reaching even more people with the better way of life that was developing in Clay County, developing and training more leaders, and continuing the cooperation which was so evident among the people and agencies of the county.

David S. Weaver, Director of the North Carolina Extension Service, stated that farm people have a real task in educating the representatives of the people to the real problems of the farmers as the farmers of the country are now a minority group, and as the farm population continues to decrease, they will become even more of a minority group. Weaver introduced L.I. Jones who made the presentation to the Clay County Extension Staff.

Individual certificates were awarded each member of the Clay County extension team in addition to the plaque presented the county. This award for superior service was given to only one other county group in the United States this year.

After the lunch, the guests assembled in the auditorium of the high school to hear a speech by the Honorable George A. Shuford, congressional representative from this district. Shuford stated that he wished to see the western area of North Carolina developed to its fullest potential. In looking to the future, he stated that he believed Clay County would want to consider attracting industry to the area. For, he added, a well-rounded economy in the county will depend on fulltime employment.