J.W. Kyker

Agent, Union County when I began work in Union County the later part of Jan. 1918. The heavy snow and severe cold kept me handicapped for several days. One of the first pieces of work was undertaking the gov. Plan of selling nitrate. There being no local paper I used posters and wrote letters also made it my chief conversation. Then called meeting, but somehow the people failed to be interested. Next, I had to do a lot of travel, over the county getting acquainted and selecting community centers. Next I began the club work. Enrolled 25 boys, began the season with 21 and only had 11 to complete records. However, the remainder did good work. Somehow I can't get them to the county seat at all, but the work in the community was satisfactory.

Have given considerable time to all the war activity and campaign. Also, tried to do demonstration work on all farm work. One of the greatest hinderance is that we have a county seat of consisting of only court house, jail and two ordinary country stores. There being no town or public spirit, or no one to back up a single undertaking, it was just individual work for the county agent. The county food administrator helped what he could but we have no council of defense (the most need thing of all). Union County really isn't a county. It is just branches of Knox, Campbell and Claiborne counties. The larger part of the county will not support the county seat, on this I have worked quite a lot and can see some faint results.

Demonstration work is still in its infancy in Union County but with ample time it will succeed.

Typed from original copy from the files of Union County extension.