xt7n8p5v8h8s https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7n8p5v8h8s/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.  journals kaes_circulars_004_annual_report_1953 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station)  2014 true xt7n8p5v8h8s section xt7n8p5v8h8s E 
l953 ANNUAL REPORT
of the A
Director of Agricultural Extension
College of Agriculture ancl Home
Economics, University of Kentucky
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture ¤nd Home Economics iv
College of Agriculture and Home Economics, University of Kentucky ·
V and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating .
li/lcehi sl  FRANK J. WELCH, Director 4

 t [ [
  LETTERS OF '1`RANSMITTAL
I A
. Lexington, Kentucky
s
[   President H. L. Donovan
[ University of Kentucky [C
[ My dear President Donovan: P
. [ _ U
[ I have the honor to present the annual report of the Division of O
[ Agricultural Extension of the College of Agriculture and Home Eco- _ Q,
nomics, University of Kentucky, for the year ended December 31, “
1953. In this report will be found a statement of the various activities d
of the past year, a list of publications, and a financial statement of P
receipts and expenditures. i
[ Respectfully, T
Frank ]. VVelch le
Dean and Director al
. by
lo
ci:
University of KentuCl<}' eo
Lexington, Kentucky in
fu
Honorable Lawrence NV. \Vetherby _
Governor of Kentucky en
Slln
Sir: _ lal
In accordance with an act of the Legislature of the Cjominonwcaltli for
of Kentucky. approved March 15, 1916, I herewith submit the zllmiliil DE
]‘QI)()1't Of the Diyrjgigii Of Ag[i(gultu1`3l EXt€l1S1OU of thé College of   PO]
culture and Home Economics, University of Kentucky, for the }'¢‘2¤' ¤
ended December 31, 1953. `  be
Respectfully Hm
tl .
H. L. Donovan · (I;
President

   ‘
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXTENSION DIRECTOR
ck`, FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 3I, 1953
Extension work in Kentucky had a good year despite some un- ’
favorable situations. For the second year in succession, drouth plagued
farm operations; coupled with a sharp decline in prices of most farm
products, the effect was demoralizin g. However, it was encouraging to
. note that farm people turned at once to extension for help. Full co-
i of operation was given in behalf of government and other agencies to
]co- . give direct assistance. Printed recommendations of a practical nature
31, were widely distributed to county agents, farmers, and others. A re-
ties deeming feature was the production of a near—normal tobacco crop,
t of prices remaining at previous high levels.
The financial situation
Financing the extension program was one of the most trying prob-
` lems. The year 1953 was the second in the biennium for the current
allotment of state funds. In 1952, an increase of $200,000 was granted
. by the state, but among Kentucky’s 120 counties, funds had to be al-
located sparingly. The failure to realize anticipated revenues forced a
cut in state extension funds of about $12,000. ·
Local situations were relieved in some counties by increases of
Icky county funds of $36,620.75 in 1953. In less fortunate counties, it was
'cky p impossible to provide adequate operating costs, causing a drain upon
funds from the University.
. The esteem gained by extension through previous performance has
I encouraged the allotting of private funds to implement certain projects, _
such as tobacco, the Green Pastures Program, county soil-testing
A laboratories, and the Corn Derby. A
· Certain individuals and farm organizations, who recognize the
mul} L fortunate combination of research and extension with the United States i
Lili- r Department of Agriculture, are pressing for increased financial sup- V
" _ . port for the extension and research programs.
ycm , Many counties are requesting additional workers, their support to
be financed cooperatively. Unfortunately, the University frequently I
· finds itself in the embarassing position of having no funds to meet ~
 I. their offers. This has been particularly apparent in requests for home j
f demonstration agents. I
· 3

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if 4 V
  Personnel
i · Most extension workers have remained constant, though some were 2
: lost to other agencies able to pay higher salaries. The necessity of  
i replacing workers tends to lower the efficiency of a department. — S
»   Refresher short courses have helped equip workers to meet the de- (
F mands of their work. While the University can offer little financial as- ll
  sistance, scholarships provided by foundations and other agencies have `
i been helpful. It is often difficult to make the necessary arrangements 3
V f to enable extension personnel to do graduate work, or even to attend  
i summer courses. b
T Programs
The extension program has been improved each year by carefully F
prepared county plans of work. County advisory committees have
been useful. Emphasis was placed on enterprises free of the surplus ,  P
problem, such as spring lambs and strawberry production in eastern Vi
V Kentucky. in
Consumer education, operating on an organized basis in Louisville · tf
only, shows the possibilities for service to both consumers and pro- 16
ducers. It is hoped to extend this service to other localities. fil
i A modified plan of 4-H cattle shows included a change from thc
statewide show held annually for 34 years to a series of district shows T PI
and sales. A development of a different nature was the setting up of —
a camp in a 450-acre state park in western Kentucky acquired by the in
University. It will serve at least SO counties. 6:
A branch of the Extension Service that needs expansion in Ken- Ex
tucky is that of forestry, curtailment having been necessary through
a reduction of federal funds. A  en
Public relotions wt
Relationships with organizations and agencies of different types Q fig
were further improved. The Director and many staff members wcrc i far
sought as advisory members of boards of directors of organizations
having to do with agriculture and rural well-being. p IM
An enlarged radio program and our press service kept the public i
informed as to the work of the extension program.   (mf
. tim
" lie].
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AGENT WORK .
County Extension Advisory Committees ,  Ne?
The number of county extension advisory committees in the statc 3  ·
increased in the past year from 75 to 82. Their organization has hclp<‘)' l  tllé assistance of local leaders. A total of -1,078 111e11 a11d 5,594 \VOll`lC‘ll
Z U)   served in this capacity, and 378 older boys a11d girls served as junior
f Ol;   leaders. Altogether, 10,268 adult V()lLll1t€€l` leaders assisted with tl1e
Gil? _  4-H club 3.l1(l Utopia programs in the state.
letv 1
Hill.- I  State Committee of 4-H Club Leaders
I j Eacl1 of 13 districts i11 tl1e state was represe11ted by a 11]}.111 2Ul(l a
A \VOlTl2ll`1 at a meeting at the Experiment Station ill Lexington, for tl1e
_ Y  formation of a State CO1l]Il]itt€€ of -L-H Club Leaders. They elected
fwd ’  ollicers and a board ot 11i11e directors. a11d adopted a COllStltUtiOll tlllil
S to   by-laws. The purpose of the committee will be to assist district com-
ms? ‘ mittees with activities or problems that arise. District committees will
ate]-   4 build tl1eir programs o11 1'€COlHlH&‘llCliltiOllS sub111itted by counties.
3  4-H Week
  The 30th annual 4-l·l Club \Veek ill june, 1953 llilfl 1,357 -1-H’ers, '
mgh i agents, a11d leaders in attendance. All but eight counties were repre-
mw   sented. The program for the week was planned to give tl1e boys a11d I
VHS`   girls an opportunity to observe something of college life 2lll(l to visit _
  the Experiment Statio11 farm 2`lll(l tl1e ca111p11s of tl1e University. The "
wel'   theme of the week was “-1-H CitiZ€IlSllil)`, in the county, state, nation,
lawn in  Hllil tl1e world. A me111ber of the National -l-H Club Foundation di- `
mul ip  fccted the discussion programs, assisted by University staff members. -
mug   The State Dress Revue climaxed the year’s clotl1i11g project, in ·
16 Oi   which 24,737 girls were enrolled. Taking part i11 the revue was each 1
5 iw  - county’s 111ost ()UtSt2II](llllg member in the project. a11d from the total, .
WCW  ig il State champion was awarded a trip in December to National -1-H
  Club Congress ill Chicago. U

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I
Demonstrations
Q Demonstrations by club members have been an important method S
  of teaching farming and homemaking ever since the beginning of 4-]-I . j
l club work. In 77 counties, 585 4-H club girls participated in individual (‘
i demonstrations, boys giving about the same number on agricultural ‘  a
  subjects. Through district elimination contests, 12 individuals and 12
  teams were chosen to participate at 4-H Club \Veel<. A series of · J
‘   demonstrations in water management provided opportunity to interest
g boys in the conservation of the soil. N
sc
UK 4-H Club U
Twenty-three percent of the total number of 5,652 students at the Sl
University last year were former 4-H club members, and 61 percent lo
of the students in the College of Agriculture and Home Economics. ` tit
The University 4-H Club is made up of former members. D
Camps `
Twenty-two 4-H camps were held in 1953. with an attendance of , C6
. 3,619 members and 194 volunteer local leaders. Leadership, citizen- . 164
ship, and health were given special emphasis. ‘ {O
o1
National 4-H Club Camp . We
Kentucky sent her full quota of four members to the annual Na- ·
tional 4-H Club Camp in \Vashington, D.C. Ng
District Dairy Shows L Co
Eight district dairy cattle shows were held the latter half of August.  _- me
867 animals being shown. The shows were so located that they were nth
accessible to all interested in dairy cattle shows without excessive . ant
travel. Premium money was provided through the State Legislature. V
and awarded through the State Department of Agriculture. Many of V  Ne
the highest rating animals were shown at the State Fair.   of
Lamb show J wor
The 16th Bluegrass Fat Lamb Show and Sale was held in ]une. 683 . higl
lambs being shown and sold. —  are
Baby beet shows ~  pm!
Eight district beef cattle shows were held in place ot the state Show-  V {md`
thus giving more club members an opportunity to show their CHl\`*`$· — 91 C
Four hundred and sixteen club members from 64 counties sold 569 _ Om
animals, the average price per hundred being $26.51. ‘

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Achievement meetings
Thirteen district achievement meetings were held throughout the
Jd state, 4-H delegates from 8 to 11 counties attending each meeting.
H Those in attendance were the best from each county, and from the
ral `  districts the state winners were chosen. Most of the latter received
·al  . all—expense trips to the National 4-H Club Congress.
0
ii ‘ Judging teoms
ist .  judging contests were held at the Kentucky State Fair in poultry,
` meat animals, and dairy cattle. The champion poultry team repre-
‘ sented the state at the National Poultry judging Contest in Chicago, the
  meat animal judging team in the contest at the International Livestock
he   Show in Chicago; and the dairy team at the Cattle Congress in \Vater—
mt _ loo, Iowa, where it placed third, and at the International Dairy Exposi-
CS_ L  tion in Chicago, where it placed first.
Q  District tobacco shows
  Nineteen district 4-H tobacco shows and sales were held in De-
Of E cember, club members from 90 counties selling 808,313 pounds of
iw { leaf for an average of $57.12 per hundred pounds. These shows started
, four years ago, and have proved most helpful in providing incentives
  for club members in this project. judging and auctioneering contests `
V were features of most of the shows.
M-   Noticnol 4-H Club Congress
Q  Kentucky sent her full quota of 28 delegates to the National Club
I Congress, all being winners in projects or activities. The national
ist. if · meeting provides an opportunity for delegates to meet members from
gre n other states, to learn new ideas for improving the work in Kentucky,
jve `  and to receive inspiration for the following year’s work. ·
usf lj  Negro club work 3
`  Nine Negro agents, six women and three men, work in 16 counties
_ of the state, the total 4-H enrollment being 2,449. Opportunity for . ·
I  work among Negroes is limited, inasmuch as there are few rural Negro
683 2  high schools, and less than 53.5 percent of rural farm boys and girls .
_i  are Negroes, according to the 1950 census. '
  Two state events and one regional event were included in their n
  program. A 4-H camp held at Lincoln Ridge was attended by 47 boys  
Ow` `  Had 73 girls; 4-H \Veek at State College at Frankfort was attended by
WS'   91 Club members and nine agents. The Regional Camp for the south- `
569   tm states was held at State College in june. 4

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Utopia Club work fr
Thirty-one counties had Utopia Clubs, or organized groups of older ` cr
  youth. Their programs included the study of improving farms and  
l homes, and of studying state, national, and international problems. . j,-
  Many Utopia members are the leading citizens of their counties. T P,
f Recreation 1;
l Many counties now have local leaders trained to carry on recrea- ie
V l tional programs which are enjoyed by both club members and par- m
i ents. Such programs were carried on through the 4-H and Utopia  
carbs. (=
ar
ed
FIELD AGENT WORK IN AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Economics  
_ The continued decline in prices received in 1953 for agricultural   O,
products by Kentucky farmers resulted in their seeking information V. th;
which would enable them to cope more adequately with the economic _ Cu
situation. _
The demand for economic information, particularly outlook, was so V Bu
great that the specialists were unable to fill the requests. Sixty-nine -  tw,
outlook meetings were held at which 6,293 farmers, farm leaders, and Cul
agricultural workers were present. A large portion of the time and for
effort of the specialists was devoted to training farm leaders, county _ Val
extension workers, and agricultural leaders of other agencies in order ·
that the information could be spread to a much wider area than would A  Mh
be possible by the personnel of the department alone. Leaders trained S COO
included members of county extension planning committees, families `  (1)
serving as leaders in the Farm and Home Development Program, Wm
vocational and veteran teachers, Soil Conservation personnel, Farm and mm
Home Administration workers, Production Credit Association person- , OHM
nel, representatives of local banks, field men for special commoditieS~ __ 
such as dairy and poultry, county agents, and commodity specialists. .  tum
Several county extension agents held county-wide and community g  xpm
meetings at which they discussed the agricultural outlook. They &1$· { Phu
sisted an average of 1,024 farmers per county. _  {Hm
The personal presentations of the agricultural outlook were $11}* j and
plemented with a monthly marketing newsletter and by special 1‘<‘r ` the
ports. radio talks, television appearances, commodity letters, and HH   and
annual outlook report. The latter was sent to farmers, farm leaders. .  P
bankers. and newspapers throughout the state. It served as a basis _»

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for discussion at bankers’ meetings, it was adapted for local use by
ler county agents, and published in part or in total in county newspapers.
nd An entrance was made into the field of agricultural policy in an
ns. ‘ important way in 1953. Specialists, together with others of the De- -
( partment of Agricultural Economics, prepared unbiased statements on
‘ 12 national-policy issues. The statements were used by Farm Bureau
i  leaders as the basis of discussions with farmers in nearly every county
  i  in the state. The use of the statements revealed that ( 1) farmers are
ai- A keenly interested in state and national programs that affect them, and
Pm Q  (  there is need for provision by the Extension Service of leadership
i and of materials dealing with both sides of policy questions for the
;  education of our Kentucky farmers.
. Specialists in charge of economic information assisted in training
O  49 county extension workers o