The first advance work is done by the committee or individual who directs the whole enterprise from some central point, notifying local persons of the purpose and the date of the agent’s visit. If there is already a local representative of the movement in the community, arrangements may be made which will save the agent much time in seeing the editor, minister, school superintendent, and others on his list whose co-operation he must secure. If there is no local representative, letters should be sent directly to the persons upon whom he expects to call. The agent’s visit should be timed long enough in advance of the coming of the train to allow for carrying out the publicity plans, and near enough so that there will be no chance for interest to wane in the interval. A ten-day start has been found satisfactory, especially when the way has been paved for his visit and publicity and advertising materials are ready for use. If an agent travels in an automobile, he is better able to adapt his time to local needs and still keep ahead of the train, than if he is dependent upon railroad schedules. The Child Welfare Special of the Children’s Bureau was preceded by an advance agent and the method is described in the bureau’s report of the tour as follows: The advance agent, who travels two weeks in advance of the car arranges the itinerary, attends to the publicity, and organizes local communities to take charge of the work. Her first step is to call together a county child welfare committee. With their aid an itinerary is mapped out, and then local committees are organized in the communities to be visited. So far as possible, the agents work through the local child welfare committees formed during Children’s Year. These committees are asked to provide a suitable location for the parking of the Special--a spot that is centrally located, well shaded, and near a public room that can be used both as an exhibit and waiting room. They are also asked to make a canvass of their districts before the Special arrives, so that everyone may understand the purpose of the conference. Each committee member has her field of work clearly defined. A number of women are asked to serve as hostesses during the conference, receiving mothers and babies, giving them numbers for examination, and explaining the exhibit material. The agent then distributes her cuts and other publicity material for the newspapers, printed instructions for the child welfare committee, copies of announcements that ministers are asked to make from their pulpits, and posters advertising the coming of the Special. She visits city and county officials, social agencies, editors, physicians, clergymen, farm advisers, county demonstrators, business men, and other representative citizens to explain the purpose of the visit of the car. As a result of this work of the advance agent, the staff finds everything is in readiness on the arrival of the Special.