College of Agriculture Extension reports

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: UA 59

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The College of Agriculture Extension reports (1913-1972; 126 cubic feet) documents the annual reports of the ninety-two Indiana counties' extension work; some include agricultural agent work, home demonstration work and beginning in the 1960s, cooperative extension work. There is a rich collection of photographs from some counties during the earliest years and beyond. Some reports feature a “farm family of the year” among the documentation. Types of materials include: bulletins, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, programs and reports.

Dates

Creation: 1913 - 1972
Creation: Majority of material found within 1940 - 1969
Other: Date acquired: 01/10/2010

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Access Information

Collection is open for research. The collection is stored offsite; 24 hours notice is required to access the collection.

Copyright and Use Information

Some material in this collection are in the public domain, while other material copyrights are held by Purdue University. Consult with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections prior to reproduction of materials.

Historical Information

In the 1880s Purdue University started interesting experimental work in agriculture. Valuable information on crop rotation, soil fertility, care of livestock, fruit production and marketing, and other numerous farm related topics were generated from the ongoing research. In 1889, Professor W. C. Latta became a key figure in the enactment of the Farmer’s Institute Act, which legally recognized the work the university had been doing in holding farm schools and ‘moveable’ schools throughout the state.

The first county agents were appointed in 1906, along with the appointment of the first home demonstration agents in 1910. This work in turn led to the Clore Act in 1911, which authorized expansion of extension work, under the direction of the Department of Agriculture Extension. On May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Smith-Lever Act which provided for co-operative relations between state and nation to aid in agricultural education. Extension Service became the educational arm of the United States Department of Agriculture. Forty-two states had extension work in some form in 1914 and 929 counties already employed 1,350 extension workers. By mid-June 1918, nationally 2,435 counties had agriculture agents, 1,715 counties had home demonstration agents, and 4-H membership had soared to a half million members.

In 1940 about 55,000 Indiana boys and girls between ten and twenty years of age were enrolled in these groups, which led to great improvements in farm life. More than 2,000,000 persons attended in one year the lectures and demonstrations that the county agents, home demonstration agents and specialists from Purdue conducted. In the 1960s and 1970s additional programs were added, and the Agricultural Extension Service was changed to the Cooperative Extension Service, and agent titles were changed to County Extension Agent. In the 1980s and 1990s, the “farm crisis” redirected extension; Indiana combined 10 areas into 5 districts, positions were downsized in 1987, with a strong emphasis on accountability and collaboration with organizations with similar goals.

Extension continues to take the university to the people and the demonstration method is still in use. Goals remain to empower customers, develop volunteers, build collaborative partnerships, increase the capacity to secure resources, utilize appropriate technologies and communication networks and create a climate for staff to realize their potential. Extension educators with agricultural and natural resource specialties offer programs and information on agricultural production and financial management for farmers, food and fiber processors, manufacturers and consumers.

Extent

127.20 Cubic Feet

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

*Please note that it is best to search by county. The reports were processed at two different times, due to the fact that some were located at a later date. Some older reports may be interspersed with the more recent years. For the most part, the reports are arranged alphabetically by Indiana county and then chronologically.