THE COUNTY UNIT OF MINNESOTA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3131, 21 August 1922, Page 2

THE COUNTY UNIT OF MINNESOTA.

(By Mary F, Serverauce).

Minnesota, since its inception, has been a laboratory for experimentation m scientific methods of farming, stockraising, education and social welfare. I nhampered by tradition, undeterred by solidified ideals, unretarded by any individual authority, it has put in operation the best methods and conditions of life. As a State it furnishes' examples to visiting students of the world of financing and organising educational systems, asylums for defectives and insane and penal and corrective plants. One of its most far-reaching and effective accomplishments in the completely organised and successful functioning unit of the counties. It is a macro -osm in microcosm, a miniature State. This county organisation emanates from and is closely related to the .State Government, the University and the Agricultural College. While' each county function® ns a- whole and in detad, it is possible to gather all of the threads at headquarters and keep in constant touch with its machinery. The most outstanding accomplishment of Minnesota is its educationalsystem, headed by the University, one ot the largest in the country, and the Agr cultural College, one of the mostprogressive institutions of its class. With far-seeing wisdom, announcing hat “religion, morality and knowledge were necessary to, good government and that, 'therefore, schools and the means of education should forever be encouraged,” tqagrest made provision for financing this educational system, ’ setting aside sections 16 and 36 of every township, all swamp lands, salt springs and various other lands, the sale of which will in time amount to 200,000,000 dollars. The income of this is already 7 dollars per scholar; in addition there is 8 do!-. 1.-.rs p. r sc hol r from the- State, which is raised by taxation. This, in addition to the distr.ct allotment of the county funds, assures ample support for ail time. The county schools are administered by districts and local Boards under the direction of a County Superintendent, who is elected by the voters of the county. These county schools carry the children through the eighth grade, have playgrounds, school gardens, and most efficient teachers. In addition there are consolidated schools offering a highschool course. To these schools children are brought in buses which arc paid for by the the State. In addition to the schools there arc travelling libraries, the property of the county. The l/ooks are left at the schools, churches, and country stores. They are sent by parcel post and many places are served by trucks. These trucks are arranged like a small library, so that those desiring books can examine or read and take them home. Minnesota- is the bread-and-butter State. Its chief industry is ' farming and in methods it is thoroughly up to date and very near the head of all States. There "is, in every county, a Farm Bureau, organised by the farmers for educational and experimental purposes. This is directed hy a county agent, trained and suggested by the Agricultural College and elected by the Bureau. He is paid by the Federal Go- , vernment, the State, the County, and the Bureau, He directs education, experimentation, soil-testing, and improving the breeds of horses and cattle, in addition to these agents there are four State Supervisors. They, with the agent, are experts in dairying, agronomy, swine, beef, poultry, fruit raising, and so forth. They conduct classes, hold meetings, visit farms, and urge farmers and their wives to attend short courses at the Agricultural College. One of the unique things in Minnesota’s county organisation is the children’s stock activities. I hey work m groups, under the Farm Bureau. There are 15,000 children now purchasing or receiving as gifts from their parents, animals which they raise. These they care for from the beginning, and when matured show them at the County Fair. Those receiving the first arid second prizes (sometimes several more) receive the money for the trip, with thenanimals, to the greater shows. Ihc fat steers and pigs are shown and sold at auction at the stockyards pavilion at South St. Paul. This beef has brought as high as 1.50 dollars per pound. The brood sows, sheep and heifers are exhibited at the State Pair. It is a moving _ sight to sec a teu-year-old boy or girl leading into the -arena a huge, gentle, manicured and marcelled steer which is his or her own creation. Many a farm has been saved from mortgage foreclosure and the farmer regenerated hy the example ol a stock-raising son nr daughter. Many of these children have thus raised the money for their college education. All are receiving the inspiration of selfsupport and production and are doing their part to swell the wealth of their State. In pract cally every county there arc Women Home’ Demonstration Agents, who conduct classes in cooking, canning, dress making, household budget, home management, household engineering, gardening and poultry-rais-ing. Tlieso classes are held at community centres, churches, clubs, and schools. They have resulted in raising tho standards of hundreds of farm homes. They study with homemakers the needs of individuals and communities, and are thus able—by linking their technical skill with the practical knowledge jof the housewives—to provide a channel through which the State Agricultural College and the United States Department of Agriculture etui deal di- . rectly with tho home makers. Following is a brief outline of the main projects carried on where Home Demonstration Agents are employed. Only two or three are emphasised on one year’s programme. Nutrition: Food for the family, its selection and preparation ; child feeding and care, the hot school lunch, nutrition classes. Food Preservation : Canning of meats, Vegetables, and fruits. Gardening: Raising of vegetables and small fruits, with special emphasis on securing a well-balanced diet. O’othiug: Clothing construction, home-made dress forms, efficiency methods in sowing, the use of niachie attachments, selection of textiles and clothing, the clothing budget, dyeing, and dry cleaning, remodelling and children’s clothing. Person a I Hyg ient and Home Sanitation : Personal hygiene, sanitary disposal! of sewage, safe water, supply, home care of sick, rudiments of home nursing. Household Managaiiient: Improved household equipment, rearrangement of inconvenient kitchens,, running water, efficiency methods in housework, household accounts, the family budget. House Planning: Home furnishing; beautifying the home grounds. Poultry; Increasing income through improved methods of breeding, care, housing, culling, marketing. Community Enterprise: Rest rooms, co-operative soiling, community marketings.. recreation centres. Work with Girls’ Clubs: Garmenlmaking clubs, broad clubs, canning clubs. There are also intensive courses in milk education—its production. care aud use. Milk drinking in schools has become a friendly rivalry, districts vying with each other in the number

of tons gained by their milk-drinking children. As the State stands very near the peak of dairying productivity, it was selected last year and again this year as the site of the National Daily Show. Third in importance in efficiency is the County Child Welfare Board. This is appointed by the State Board of Control and consists of a County Commissioner, the County Superintendent of Schools, and representatives of ! he different religions. This Hoard deals with the socially handicapped, the inarticulate, the solitary, the neglected, abused, abandoned, imbecile, illegitimate, incorrigible and dependent child. '1 he Board is supported by the County Commissioners and is managed with the greatest skill and success; unwanted and abandoned children are placed in suitable home's. These homes are thoroughly investigated, the child is placed on trial for six months, and if child and home are found to be mutually;'" suitable, adoption is allowed. As far as possible similarity of social position is preserved. Children are given to homes of the same nationality and religion, which is their heritage. It has been found that there are more childless homes than there are chiliren to fill them and that the request for children comes largely from people to whom adoption means sacrifice. The County Board has been very successful in dealing with illegitimacy, investigating its causes and cures. In most cases paternity is established and the father made to support the child until it is 16 years old, unless it is given for adoption. Under the Jaw maternity homes must be licensed and under these same laws baby farms have been practically eliminated, Ihe imbeciles, morons, and incorrigible children are placed on educational farms, segregated from the criminals and given healthful activities and corrective teaching. The influence is toward simpilicity in organisation to permit greater individual care. In many cases the child is boarded with an intelligent, woman, who would give affectionate care and correction. The crippled, blind, defective and deformed are given institutional care. In addition to the Child Welfare Board each county has an Industrial Commission, charged with the administration of the child labor laws and to prevent the harvesting of human crops in tho springtime.' In addition and in close relationship to the Child Welfare Board are the Juvenile Courts, which solve problems of the delinquent, dependent and neglected child and administer the Mothers' pension Fund. The investigation and follow-up work in all of these cases is so faithfully carried out that there is practically no wastage of child life. Minnesota is one of the most healthful States m the Union, with ils ten thousand lakes, ocean-like Lake .Superior, pine forests and broad spaces. Many of the early settlers were healthseekers and organised the State on sanitary lines. The County Health' Board is composed of high-grade physicians, who control infectious and contagious diseases, report vital statistics, advise location of mortuaries and cemeteries and administer hospitals. It conducts health instruction in the school, corrects malformation in children, of teeth, tonsils and adenoids, attends to retarded physical and mental growths, and provides school physicians and nurses. As a result of this health programme, the children of Minnesota are larger and stronger than their parents,*and many diseases formerly prevalent have entirely disappeared. The administration of the Forestry Department is carried out through the County Agent. Trees are issued to each county and the schools and clubs and farmers encouraged to plant highways, school and farmyard shelters and wood lots. Tree-planting day is observed generally in the public schools. Memorial highway planting is being largely carried on and instruction and cooperation sought in fighting forest and brush fires. Many activities are carried on in districts comprising two or more counties but working through the county organisation;'for example, the Highway Commission is divided into IS districts, but operates through the County Engineer, County Commissioners, and Town Boards. The Came and. Fish Commission works in the same way, through county patrols, gamekeepers and local operators, who control the shooting, trapping and extermination of vermin. These few facta are gathered to show that the efficiency of Minnesota is largely due to the organisation ami correlation of its counties with Stateguidance and aid.