Editorials from Carolina Co-operator, January 1940

Editorials from the January, 1940, Carolina Co-operator

The saying that all too often we do not appreciate a person or a service until gone is just as true as it is old. He have come to accept as commonplace good roads, good schools, and many other advantages that were something to dream and yearn for back in grandpa’s day.

The same is true of co-operatives. Only in this last issue of the Progressive Farmer Dr. Clarence Poe points out that there are a great many farmers who do not realize their obligations to the cotton co-operative marketing associations. Says Dr. Poe:

“Many take for granted the revolutionary changes that have occurred in the handling of cotton during the last 15 years. Do you remember what it cost you to market a bale of cotton 20 years ago? It didn’t just happen that the trade is now handling cotton for a small fraction of what it formerly charged. It came about as a result of the competition of the cotton co-ops.

“Now that the ‘water’ has been squeezed out of cotton handling charges, cotton co-ops are no longer able to announce the large cash savings to their patrons as in old days. It is perhaps accurate to say the present value of co-operatives to farmers is not so much what they themselves are able to do, but rather what they are keeping the other fellow from doing.”

True, Dr. Poe, true! And we have actual proof of this right here in North Carolina. Farmers in some counties of the state where the Cotton Association has not been active this year have written for shipping instructions for delivering their cotton. Their complaint is that the market there is not near as high as in other counties where the Association is more active. Yes, it is good business for farmers to support their own co-operatives and keep them active. The way to do that is to be strong, active members.

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Editorial from the January, 1940, Carolina Co-operator

When what was the North Carolina Cotton Grower was converted into the Carolina Co-operator five years ago this month, one of the first things our program was to ask the most widely beloved woman in North Carolina to serve as editor of our Home Department. Finding such a person was easy insasmuch as for more than a quarter of a century Dr. Jane S. McKimmon had labored long and untiringly as a pioneer in home demonstration work. Miss “Janie” was a practical leader and she knew that it would take money to make needed farm home improvements, so she set about organizing canning clubs and curb markets and other projects to help farm women have money of their own to spend as they pleased. Her program has been felt from the highest to the humblest farm home in the State and today as a result of her great work stand thousands of painted and well-furnished homes, more livable and enjoyable because of her vision.

Busy though she was, “Miss Janie” consented to add to her many responsibilities that of preparing copy for our Home Department each month. For the past five years her section has appeared regularly in the Co-operator as one of the most consistently read and one of the most valuable in this publication.

A short while ago, however, Dr. McKimmon was asked to draw upon her wealth of information (she was the pioneer in home demonstration work in North Carolina) to prepare for those to come later a history of the extension service from its early days on down to today. The work of assembling this information for publication in book form in the time allotted her has placed a heavy burden upon her and, therefore, she has asked that we temporarily relieve her of the responsibility of editing the Home Department.

Taking over as acting editor of the Home Department, effective with this issue, is Pauline Monroe, who has been an assistant editor of the Carolina Co-operator for the past five years.