Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-06
FARM BOYS CAMP.
Winchester, H., the Scene of
Unique School of Instruc-
ton for Young Men.
INSTITUTE HELD IN A TENT
University of Illinois instructors De-
liver Lectures and Much Ben
eft Results.


school was held last week at Xeillor
Park stock farm, near Winchester,
Scott county. Thirty-one young men
of the Twentieth district camped five
days and received daily instruction
from picked men of the Illinois college
of agriculture, the public schools, and
the farm. This was a unique gather
ing, a movement of statewide import
ance, and representing the very latest
idea in bringing a taste of agricultural
education to the boys on the farm and
starting them upon such an education.
4 Pattern for Each District.
The encampment was originated by
A. P. Grout of Winchester, for the boys
| who had been in the cOrn-judging con-
tests of the county institutes of that
district, and to serve as a pattern of
what should be done by some benevG-
| lent leaders in each of the % districts
| of the state 1t was thorough sue
cess both years, but this seasons pecu-
| liar delay of threshing and other farm
work kept many away. The first year
Mr.. Grout, at large personal expense,
provided tents, excellent board, and
transportation from town to the camp
and return free of charge. This year
he did the same, with the exception OF
a charge of 20 cents per meal. The
tenants wife, with six or eight helpers
managed the cooking, serving plenty OF
wholesome food. in large machine
shed, for So 10 60 people each day. The
20 cents did not even pay for the help;
the meals were better than many so
cent meals served at hotels. The boys
blankets .--.
i First Summer Institute.
The school was held in a 42x64-foo
tent, with raised seats, pitched in {
beautiful, shaded pasture. There wa
also a sleeping tent, with plenty o
! straw provided, and several of tn,
boys spread their beds in the larg
: tent People from the neighborhoo,
were invited to attend any and all ses
sions. A few of them came to the da,
sessions and many more for the nigh
meetings The Scott county farmers
institute, which has always been he'll
in the winter. was held this year il
connection with the encampment, OF
cupying two days. The interest in tn
institute and its success was double
, the program being far richer than coul
, be provided for county institute
About 500 persons attended the frs
institute night and 400 the SECOND
They came largely by families, a
many women as men. and the youn
people were largely in evidence.
Electric Light Plant Installed.
: 1t is of the very essence of thi
6 movement that the education shall ,
+ practical and teach the boy to do vall
was to install 3-horse power gasolin
4 engine, dynamo and electric light plan
of % 16-candle power incandescent
!. This plant lighted the tent and pai
of the grounds and furnished the Gu
| trent for a stereopticon that was use
!. to fine advantage every evening.
# Fred R. Crane, instructor in far
# machinery at the University of Illinoi
II conducted class two or three periot
each day. The separate parts of IL
gasoline engine were pictured on tt
blackboard and its working principle
= fully described, showing the prop,
,t management and how to remedy IL
IS common difficulties. Mr.. Crane an
d wered many questions and also gay
object lessons in stopping and startir
the engine and all the processes
: operation, the boys themselves han
\ ling this machine. This same sort
\ an analysis was made of self binde
= revealing the fact that every cha
had been put on wrong and some
g the wheels misplaced. Another d;
- the gang plow was brought before Il
audience, it's principles explained al
the plow readjusted where it was
e. fault. Then the whole school follow
)u this plow to the field and saw demo
ut stration of its proper adjustment.
r. The instruction given made it We
ne plain to all present that much of t
i'll machinery on the farm is not proper
Is. adjusted to do it's best work, with ligl
u est draft, and that an enormous amou
IT, of machinery is ruined outright,
is costly and continuous repairs made M
nd essary by the ignorance of the peoI
fl who try to run it. These few da!
en- instruction was worth hundreds of d
SO lars to the farmers present.
'ly At another session Mr.. Crane to
all about the mixing and using &C
crete, and gave demonstration, p
is ting in the foundation of dam acre
at la ditch in this pasture. An intense
ad lterest was taken in all of this work
ag young and old alike. Nothing cot
a better fit such an encampment.
hel Clean Living; Right Rura; Educatio
chi Superintendent Fl. G.. Russell of I
lar Greenfield public schools was prese
he throughout the encampment and ga
nd eight or ten talks that were uniq
ie- popular and of the greatest value. .
ihas had large success in keep