The first period in its relation to agricultural education is an important one, particularly in its historical significance. The influence of these early societies on agricultural education is perhaps greater than that of any other single factor contributing to its development. The idea of such an education is regarded by some as originating in these societies. That it was much exploited by them is certainly true. The idea persisted and grew, and may be followed from this early period to the establishment of land-grant colleges. The idea persists today, but modified to include elementary and secondary education. In 1785 the Philadelphia Society for the Promotion of Agriculture was organized, and later in the same year a similar society was formed at Charleston, S.C. Within that decade a number of other societies were organized. Among the members of these societies were many prominent men such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Timothy Pickering. These men were also interested in education. It is not strange that the two interests should be combined in their minds into the idea of agricultural education. Benjamin Franklin had given expression to this idea many years before the founding of the first agricultural society. Referring to the education of the youth of Pennsylvania he says: 1 The references are to the bibliography at the end of this article or to bibliographies in other articles of this series.