Newspapers Praise Frank Jeter's Work, 1955

Editorial in the Brevard Transylvania Times, on Sept. 22, 1955

The sudden passing of Frank H. Jeter, noted director of the Department of Agriculture Information at State College, brought to a close a career of service which reached all of our state. Because of this man, more farmers know more about agricultural progress and are able to live fuller lives. Widely known for his writing, public speaking and radio broadcasts, Dr. Jeter was able to see the agriculture picture in its entirety and could interpret the practical in such a manner that all farmers could understand it.

He understood all phases of arm life, the 4-H clubs, FFA, H.D. clubs and all other organizations which make for better understanding and progress in rural life. His enthusiastic support of these and other worthwhile farm organizations won for him thousands of friends.

Not only was he successful and influential in his profession, but was dedicated to service in many other fields of civic, social and religious life.

We feel that in his death North Carolina has sustained a great loss, but we are conscious of the broad service which he rendered throughout his life and know that his efforts have made this state a better place in which to live.

Knowing that the truth shall make us free, we can be thankful for his ability and untiring efforts in bringing worthwhile information to rural North Carolina and helping farmers to free themselves from undated methods by keeping up on changes and progress in agriculture.

Dr. Jeter’s life of dedicated service should prove an inspiration to all who follow him.

-=-

Editorial in the Lumberton Robesonian, printed September 19, 1955

FRIEND OF ROBESON

For 39 years, the people of Robeson County have benefited from the services of Dr. Frank H. Jeter, director of agricultural information at N.C. State College. They have had no exclusive claim on these services, for Dr. Jeter worked for the whole state. But the need for agricultural information has been as great here as anywhere, and Dr. Jeter filled that need better, pherhaps, than he could have done by living here.

State College has been a productive mine of information on farming methods. Dr. Jeter was the man in charge of distributing that information to the public, by means of press, radio and television. The Robesonian acknowledges with gratitude its debt to Dr. Jeter for the thousands of farm stories that have passed through his hands on their way to this and other newspapers.

Occasionally, Dr. Jeter visited Robeson County, speaking at public gatherings. He always had something worth while to say, but he was more likely to be remembered for his wit and his friendly manner. He was a trustee of Presbyterian Junior College at Maxton and a member of a number of professional and honorary organizations, but was just as at home at a country barbecue or fish fry. Whenever he made a talk, he had the least need of anybody to say, “It’s a pleasure to be here,” because he showed so readily his enjoyment of any occasion and the people who shared it with him.

-=-=

Morganton News-Herald, September 22, 1955

There is no way to measure the influence on North Carolina agriculture of Frank H. Jeter, agriculture editor of State College, who died last week in Raleigh.

A pioneer in an important field, he had held the position since 1914 except for a two-year period in the early ‘20s, serving with such success that Dr. Carey H. Bostian, chancellor of State College, said that his work has “made the rural people of North Carolina better informed than any similar group in the United States.”

Dr. Jeter (he received an honorary degree of doctor of science from Clemson College in 1948) held the affection and confidence of newspaper people throughout the state, and his weekly packets of “farm news” from State College were welcomed—and printed—by small town, non-daily newspapers which used little else from other sources not originating in their home towns. His influence on the farm pages of larger city dailies was tremendous.

Mr. Jeter had the rare ability of interpreting for easy reading the agricultural work at State College, contributing to the spread of practical, scientific knowledge. And his work presented to non-farm readers the problems of rural families in a way that led to greater understanding between urban and rural Tar Heels.

He has left as a monument to his year-after-year work a well-informed farm population which enjoys a degree of sympathetic understanding from its city cousins.

-=-=

Editorial from the Goldboro News-Argus, printed September 23, 1955

Remembering Frank H. Jeter Sr.

Death has claimed Dr. Frank H. Jeter Sr., editor of the North Carolina Extension Service at State College, at the age of 65. While Dr. Jeter was known to have been in poor health for several years, his sudden death was quite unexpected and came as a shock to the thousands of people over North Caroina who knew him intimately and called him friend.

Frank Jeter came to North Carolina State College for the first time in 1917 and over the years he made a great contribution to the development of modern agriculture in North Carolina. His public relations department at State College was one of the most efficient and most thorough and most hard working to be found anywhere. His department had a steady flow of valuable information to farmers which reached newspapers and radio stations several times a week throughout the state. In addition, Frank Jeter went up and down North Carolina preaching better farming, more balance in farming, and a new day in agriculture. Everywhere he was heard gladly because he was a man of understanding and genial sympathy and good humor.

His work attracted national attention and his college, Clemson of South Carolina, was pleased to confer the doctorate honorary degree on his several years ago.

People throughout Wayne County knew Frank Jeter. He appeared in every community in the county in recent years and appeared often in Goldsboro before the Kiwanis Club. They will feel that they have lost a personal friend in his going.

Though Frank Jeter is gone, he will never quite leave us. The good work and the good gospel of better farming that he preached so effectively will go on throughout time as a memorial to a good life.