DIFFICULTY IN UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS/DEPARTMENTS USING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS
Scope and Content Note: Policy decisions and freedom of speech can be affected by receiving either public or private funds. Safety depends on relative freedom of pursuit.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DISCUSSION PROGRAM PROMOTES FREEDOM OF SPEECH
Scope and Content Note: Public affairs discussion programs began so state groups would have basis to discuss alternative solutions to a problem. Resource materials for public affairs problems included the bulletin How to Conduct Group Discussion, and such subject matter guides as How Can the Buyer Get the Money's Worth?; Is Dairying Doomed in Wisconsin?; Who Should Pay the Doctor Bills?

CONTROVERSY OVER WHO SHOULD PAY THE DOCTOR BILLS?
Scope and Content Note: Became controversial because one alternative solution involved organization around consumer cooperatives. Other proposed alternatives included socialized medicine and individual responsibility through personal funds or insurance plans.

SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS DISCUSSIONS
Scope and Content Note: Statewide support for public affairs discussions.

OPPOSITION TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS DISCUSSION PROGRAMS
Scope and Content Note: American Medical Association through State Medical Society opposed public affairs discussions on Who Should Pay the Doctor Bills? President Frank and U.W. Regents vindicated Wileden on the issue.

DEPARTMENT OF RURAL SOCIOLOGY DISCONTINUES PUBLIC AFFAIRS DISCUSSIONS
Scope and Content Note: Public affairs discussions dropped; not considered logical part of sociology. General support outside but not within department.

REPRIMAND FOR REPORTING FAILURES AS WELL AS SUCCESSES
Scope and Content Note: Required to submit annual reports to federal government, and monthly reports to state. Warned repeatedly that reporting failures as well as accomplishments would jeopardize continuation of funding.

COMMENTS ON FEDERAL EXTENSION ANNUAL REPORTS
Scope and Content Note: Challenges worthwhileness of information.

BACKGROUND OF FARM SHORT COURSE
Scope and Content Note: Begun in 1880's by Professor Moore in agronomy, coincidentally with Farmers Institutes to disseminate information to state farmers. Winter short courses held at the College of Agriculture for farm boys and girls.

CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSION OF FARM SHORT COURSE
Scope and Content Note: Three five-week terms. In early years, enrollees usually not high school graduates; later most had high school diplomas. Usually took two years to complete course. Many of Wisconsin's best farmers graduates of farm short course, which Wileden taught between years 1926-1940; 1945-1951; 1954-1956.

DIFFERENCES IN TEACHING SHORT COURSE AND RESIDENT INSTRUCTION
Scope and Content Note: Short Course students “fresh off the farm, full of energy and enthusiasm, and they were anything but a captive audience.” Short course considered “low-level teaching” by some professors; difficult for farm short course directors to recruit good teachers.

DECLINE IN INTEREST IN FARM SHORT COURSE
Scope and Content Note: Introduction of Smith-Hughes agricultural teaching in high schools led to decline in interest in farm short course. Dean Christiansen attempted to revive course by hiring John Barton, experienced with Danish folk schools, but failed in attempt to apply Danish folk school philosophy to short course.

FARM SHORT COURSE RETURNS TO AGRICULTURAL FORMAT
Scope and Content Note: Smith-Hughes teacher Frank Wilkinson became director; short course became a more concentrated form of what taught in high school. In 1950's the Department of Rural Sociology withdrew completely from farm short course.

WHY FARM SHORT COURSE TEACHING CONSIDERED “LOW-LEVEL”
Scope and Content Note: Teachers in farm short course among the best in college of agriculture; Wileden believes many critics probably not effective enough individuals to teach a course where students walk out if disinterested.

WILEDEN'S TECHNIQUE IN TEACHING FARM SHORT COURSE
Scope and Content Note: Found out real concerns of students. Relevant discussions included such topics as marriage, type of farm they wanted to operate, role of child in farm family. Discussion format for classes; instructor presided rather than engage in professorial “speechmaking.”

ACADEMIC TEACHING VS. SHORT COURSE INSTRUCTION
Scope and Content Note: Academic instructor has captive audience, students need grade to help get degree; students in farm short course must be stimulated or they walk out.

WORLD WAR II RURAL CIVILIAN DEFENSE PROGRAM IN WISCONSIN
Scope and Content Note: Soon after Pearl Harbor, U.S. government set up rural and urban civilian defense programs. Focused on neighborhood leadership system plan. For Wisconsin rural areas, Extension Director Warren Clark asked county extension agents to submit names of two individuals from each “neighborhood” (e.g. one-room school district).

JULIUS P. HEIL SETS UP VOLUNTEER WAR SERVICE COMMITTEE
Scope and Content Note: Set up five-member volunteer war service committee for every Wisconsin community. Outdid federal government; issued to volunteers red, white, and blue badges which read, “I am a War Service Committee Member.”

“GRAND CONFUSION” IN RURAL CIVILIAN DEFENSE PROGRAM
Scope and Content Note: Dual programs created great confusion; “tons of instructions” issued for such duties as rationing meat, collecting scrap iron, selling government bonds, teaching nutrition. Several months of confusion led Warren Clark to ask Wileden to become state director of Rural Civilian Defense Program. County extension agents disgusted with the confusion over two “unreconcilable systems.” Wileden tried to reconcile regional and state meetings with local volunteers; also devised a guide. Confusion worsened when county agents selected representatives instead of setting up election mechanism; resulted in inexperienced representatives.

EVALUATION OF RURAL CIVILIAN DEFENSE PROGRAM
Scope and Content Note: “The redeeming factor was that the fighting went so well on the military front that we never needed really to mobilize our volunteer resources.” Milkweed pod collecting among the projects. Wileden remained until war ended; job pre-empted other duties.

ANECDOTE ABOUT MARTIN ANDERSON TRANSPORTING HAMS TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
Scope and Content Note: Commander of liberty ships that took hams to the Philippines.

BACKGROUND OF COMMUNITY STUDIES
Scope and Content Note: Community studies provided “classroom laboratory” for urban and foreign students to experience rural life at first hand. Students studied different aspects of a selected, close-by community and “really felt that they were a part of America; the real Midwest America.” [The State Historical Society of Wisconsin has in its collections seventeen of the eighteen community studies; the exception is New Glarus.]

SYNCHRONIZED SLIDES AND RECORDINGS
Scope and Content Note: Developed synchronized colored slides and voice recordings [also at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin] to loan to organizations throughout state. Five programs developed; distributed by rural sociology office. Several copied by USDA, AID, and the UN. Bought own equipment and supplies to prepare pilot and demonstrate effectiveness in order to get additional resources. Project discontinued when Wileden retired.

BACKGROUND OF FRENCH ISLAND PROJECT
Scope and Content Note: Wileden looking for community development pilot project; saw French Island as unique opportunity because it was a rural suburb, near La Crosse.

DESCRIPTION OF FRENCH ISLAND ABOUT
Scope and Content Note: Very old settlement where many residents had “squatter's rights.” La Crosse residents disinterested; a “red light” district and the city dump. Low land flooded in each spring; packs of dogs and plentiful rats; ramshackle school. La Crosse population growing; French Island needed for expansion.^[1]

JACK JENNINGS REQUESTS HELP TO IMPROVE FRENCH ISLAND
Scope and Content Note: Jennings retired from Army Corps of Engineers, owned marina, and envisioned better future for French Island. Requested help from University of Wisconsin. French island school principal shared Jennings vision.

MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS RESIST CHANGE
Scope and Content Note: Town chairman led French Island residents who opposed any changes.