Vermilion School of Agriculture - Yearbook (Vermilion, Alberta Canada)

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I N ACCEPTING once more the invitation to address the students of the Ver¬ milion School of Agriculture through the medium of their Year Book, it is my desire to give a lead to their thoughts for the future, and to point the way to a real contribution which they, on account of their attendance at the School, should be in a position to make towards the welfare of their own communities—or in a wider sphere. My experience has con¬ vinced me that there has never been a time when the rural people were in a more re¬ ceptive mood with respect to the adoption of new and sound agricultural policies, H. A. CRAIG than they are at present. Deputy Minister of Agriculture The members of the staff of the Department of Agriculture, whose respon¬ sibility it is to make direct contact with the public, have been impressed with the unmistakable evidence of this, and with the changed attitude on the part of the public towards the agricultural industry. May I say that this is an exceedingly healthy sign, and perhaps is a natural result of the depressed conditions through which we have been passing. Our farmers, naturally, have adopted a high standard of living for them¬ selves and their families. This is characteristic of farmers in all Anglo- Saxon countries, and has been developed over a long period of time. When economic conditions require a reduction in the standard of living amongst rural people, there is a reaction which finds expression in the desire to change the present system to one which will permit of a more adequate return for labor and capital invested. Unless this return can be increased by some means, there must continue to be unrest and disturbed conditions—not only amongst the farmers themselves, but amongst all other classes of the com¬ munity whose prosperity and comfort bears a very close relationship to that of farming, in a country, the economic background of which is so largely agricultural. Some of the best thoughts of Canada hasbe en brought to bear on this important question, and much progress is being made. A number of new and promising policies have been adopted, and others are in the course of development, but in the main we must blaze our own trail according to conditions which exist in our own particular country. Those whose responsibility it is to create and administer new policies, will always welcome the advice and counsel of any one who can bring [ Page eighteen ] the process of sound thinking to bear upon the problems involved. It is only through the united efforts of people representing the whole structure of the agricultural industry that the soundest policies will be developed, and the greatest benefits accrue. I have found that when one Branch of the industry undertakes to secure too large a share of the ultimate value of the products of the farm, most naturally there is a reaction from those, who as a consequence, have to accept returns which are inadequate. Without doubt farmers have not received a fair share of the ultimate value of their product. This has come about largely because of the fact that they have not been organized properly to look after their own particular interests. There is every indication that this will now be changed, through the efforts of the farmers themselves under the provisions of the new Marketing Act. During the past few months I have been impressed with the tremendous responsibility which is now about to devolve upon the leaders in new fields of agricultural development. If we are to proceed wisely and on a sound basis, it would appear that haste should be made somewhat slowly. It is of the utmost importance that there shall be an informed rural public. When the public is in possession of all the facts, it is seldom wrong in its decisions. One of the greatest problems facing rural Alberta today is the problem of carrying correct and complete information to the great body of farmers, respecting the rapidly changing conditions of affairs., which condition will so vitally affect their whole future. It is with this object in view that I appeal to the students and ex-students of the Schools of Agriculture: to set yourselves the task, and to accept the serious responsibility of studying a number of these vital questions, so that you will be in a position to take your place in the intelligent discussion of these problems, whenever oppor¬ tunity is afforded. Through your contacts at the School, and through reading and studying, you have had a chance to secure a grasp of conditions which has been denied to many other young people. It may be that your talents and inclinations will lead you into the study and promotion of some production problem, rather than that of the marketing of farm products. It may be that you are especially fitted to give leadership or supervision to some worth¬ while activity other than those just mentioned. Let me emphasize, how¬ ever, that you cannot hope to spread your energies over a very wide field and make a worthwhile contribution to any one. Better make a choice of something in which you are particularly interested, and for which you are especially adapted, make a study of every angle, and you will find that you are not only getting more out of life, but that you are in a position to give more to it. May I draw particularly to your attention the great opportunity there is for students and ex-students of the Schools in connection with boys ' and girls’ club work. I have just returned from Toronto and Chicago Shows, where I saw a very large number of boys and girls in attendance who re¬ presented the Club activities in both countries. At Chicago there were between thirteen and fourteen hundred present. I was impressed with the tremendous possibility of training the growing boys and girls through Club work, and influencing them in such a way as to make them vastly more useful citizens than would otherwise be the case. Those present were only a small (■Continued on Page 2ff)

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The Golden Opportunity A PARABLE, by Barbara Villy Cormack O LD MRS. ALBERTA was worried, distinctly worried, she worried about it all the time she baked, and scrubbed, and swept, and did her spring cleaning, and she kept on worrying even after she tumbled into bed at nights. She was trying to decide what to give all her children for graduation gifts. You see, the spring is such a time for graduation of one sort and another. There are the University students, Normal students, High School students, nurses—and, first of all to come out, all the farm boys and girls who have been attending the Schools of Agriculture. ”1 must think up something specially good for them,” said Mrs. Alberta. So she got out her big catalogue—in which she always found her presents and gifts—and ran her finger down the index. It was the Catalogue of Opportunity. A few years ago the little old lady had had nothing to worry about. The catalogue had solved all her graduation gift problems for her. In it were hundreds and thousands of Opportunities all ready and waiting for the young people as they graduated—and a choice for each of them. Here were teaching opportunities, professional opportunities in medicine, law, nursing, and the like, opportunities to make good money farming—all shapes and sizes of opportunities, to be had for the asking. Today, though, as the little old lady peered at the index through her spectacles, there was a difference. Most of the opportunities had shrunk so much that you could hardly see them. A lot of them seemed to have disappeared alotogether. What were left seemed to be priced so high that Mrs. Alberta shook her head over them sadly. Even with the savings she kept in the old sock she couldn’t manage anything like that. She just put her head down in her arms on the table, and had a good cry. They ' ll just have to go without,” she sobbed. There are hardly any more opportunities left. There doesn’t seem to be any work left for them to do any more.” Suddenly there was a tap-tapping at the door. The little old lady put up her head and listened; outside a little voice was laughing away as hard as ever it could. Let me in, I say,” said the voice. “Let me in. That’s a good joke, that is. . . . No more work left to do. . . . No more work left to do. Ha! ha! ha! ha! The laughter was so hearty that old Mrs. Alberta found herself laughing too, as she hurried to undo the latch. In marched a cheery little fellow, dressed from head to foot in bright gold cloth that glittered in the sunlight. Come, come,” he chuckled, “Don ' t you recognize an Opportunity when he knocks at your door, old lady? Mrs. Alberta peered at him through her specs. You’re a new kind, she said. I don’t remember ordering any like you before.” No, said the sprite, drawing himself up to his full height, “I am unique. I am the Golden Opportunity, and I have come to offer myself and my brothers—any amount of us you may specify in your order—as graduation gifts for all your children. The old lady delightfully clapped her hands. What do you offer them?” she asked. Offer them! my good woman. Why, seriously you don’t really believe the nonsense you were just saying, do you? That there is no work left for them to do?’’ That is what they all tell us,” said Mrs. Alberta, sorrowfully. It’s just utter nonsense,” said the sprite. Have all the things been invented now? Don ' t the people on the farms need any more comforts than they ' re getting? Are there enough schools, and colleges, and hospitals? Does everybody get all the education, and the leisure time, and the medical care they really should have? Have all the books been written, and all the gardens planted, and all the pictures painted? Nonsense, my good woman. There is all kinds of work to do” And where do you come in?” said Mrs. Alberta. I, said the sprite, Am the the Golden Opportunity of Service. Never before had there been such an opportunity for young people as the present time. There is lots of work to do. That the professions and trades seem to be full is just because things are all so muddled up. There are lots more teachers needed, lots more nurses, lots more good farmers. The trouble today exists because we don’t seem able to distribute their services widely enough. But that is man’s fault. You can ' t blame it on our Op¬ portunity Catalogue.” What can the young people do with this Golden Opportunity?” said the little old lady. They can use the training they have, and the knowledge they have to think sanely about things, and help to bring the old sick world out of the mess she’s in. The worse times are, you know, the bigger is the oppor¬ tunity to make them better. Nothing to do, indeed! I’m surprised at you, old lady.” Mrs. Alberta smiled happily. And will all the young graduates use you, Golden Opportunity? she asked. The sprite smiled. That is for them to say,” he said, slowly. The Opportunity will be theirs, but we cannot force them to take it.” Mrs. Alberta was quickly scribbling out an order form. I want a rush order, she said, “One Golden Opportunity for each graduate of the Schools of Agriculture—the best graduation gift I have ever given! [ Page seventeen ]

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STAFF AND STUDENTS, 1934-35 (It is to be regretted that several were absent when this group was taken on account of sickness.) [ Page nineteen ]