Interview with John Conrad Feltner, October 15, 1984

Interview Summary

John Conrad Feltner was born in London, Kentucky on April 23, 1913. He came to the University of Kentucky and received his B.S. in Agriculture in May, 1935, and his M.S. in Extension Education from the University of Wisconsin. After he left U.K., he went to Whitley County, Kentucky as a Soil Improvement Assistant for the Rural Rehabilitation Corporation, a forerunner of the Farm Security Administration (FSA). After five months, he became an Extension Assistant, working with the 4-H programs in Rockcastle and Madison Counties in Kentucky. After five months, Feltner left to work as a County Agent in Rockcastle and Madison Counties, and reminisces about working with Robert Spence, who began his career on horseback and was a "pioneer in extension work". He talks at length about his work as County Agent in McCreary County, Breathitt County, and Owen Counties.

In 1953, Feltner moved to Lexington to work with the Kentucky State 4-H office as a 4-H Field Agent in the Purchase and Pennyrile area of the state. In 1970, he was appointed Assistant 4-H Extension Director for UK. He emphasizes that Dean Charles H. Barnhart gave his full support to Feltner's request for quality staff as a prerequisite to accepting this position. Feltner talks about his responsibilities and accomplishments with this appointment and recalls the problems he inherited and improvements he helped make with programs such as the 4-H Camp. He feels that one of his main achievements was in making the position of 4-H Agent the same level as County Agent and Home Economics Agent. He discusses the efforts of one of his committees to convince executives from large corporations to form a corporation that would receive money from individuals and groups to support 4-H programs. This committee also convinced these business executives to get involved by developing programs and presenting ideas to 4-H groups to encourage them to broaden their horizons. Feltner talks at great length about various individuals who supported 4-H and Extension programs during his career. He retired from U.K. in 1978. He mentions his wife and family.

Interview Keyword

Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service

Interview LC Subject

Feltner, John Conrad, 1913- Feltner, John Conrad, 1913- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky. Cooperative Extension Service Agriculture

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Interview Usage

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