Dr. Willard Victor Longley

Nova Scotia

The farmers of Nova Scotia and, indeed, the agricultural industry in general, have every reason to be grateful for the fact that Dr. Willard Victor Longley returned to serve in the field of professional agriculture in his native province after having enjoyed a brilliant career as Instructor in Agriculture, County Agricultural Agent and Director of the Seed Department of the Potato Growers Exchange in the State of Minnesota, in which state he had laboured for 16 years.

Dr. Longley, who was born in Paradise, Annapolis County, and who was a graduate of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, the Ontario Agricultural College, and the University of Minnesota, returned to Nova Scotia in 1927 as Director of the fledgling Extension Service which had been created a year earlier, and as Professor of Agricultural Economics at the N.S.A.C. These positions this born leader filled with distinction until his retirement on superannuation in 1952.

The Provincial Extension Service which he developed, and which, during the period of his Directorship, was regarded as the outstanding extension service in Canada, was the product of his genius.

A further contribution, and a lasting achievement of no minor significance, was the leadership Dr. Longley provided in Junior Club Work. He was one of the founding fathers of the Canadian Council on Boys and Girls Club Work (now the Canadian Council on 4-H Clubs). There is no question but that the leadership he provided in this field constituted Dr. Longley's major contribution to the extension of better agricultural methods, not only in Nova Scotia, but throughout Canada, as well.