The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-08-19
BOYS AND GIRLS. CLUBS.

DOIS f@t5s NaA[S S-0S
One of the most encouraging and in
terestlng methods which have recent
ly been employed to MD in the good
work of spreading agricultural educa-
ton has been through the organization
of boys and girls agricultural clubs in
many states of the Union. These usu-
ally trace their beginning to competi-
tive contests Of one Kind or another Ia
which special awards have been o.
fered The WoH.. ha5 a7read and BE-
come more coa1nret e until thc:a
are today clubs fef growing, cot
ton growing. fosa.5 I'd fralt Srowno.
poultry raising. liz sock study r. II
study, domestic science and art strl
and high school Improvement. Tia
work of these clubs seems 10 have first
been given state vide aid and recogni
ton in New York IN 1898 through til.
work of the College Of Agriculture Of
Cornell university IN the publication o.
its nature study bulletins. Since thSt
time the work has taken n great vnrie-
ty OF forms md has been developed In
a number of other states. In number
of instances the same work has been
inauguraled through the farsightcdness
and enterprise Of some city or COUNT
superintendent. IN the state Of Ne
brasiSa, whore the work has been ve:.
thoroughly organized. 1t has been ,Gr-
ried on under he leadership OF t.
state superintendent Of public instr"
ton in cooperation With r. state ..
ricultural college. Pre-. s. prey
county in the staIe Il noE In lrd"d ~
the plans. The bo5s gro# their IA r
corn and vegetables undsr directions
sent out from headquarters. while the
girls practice baking In accordance
with recipes Sent from the domestic"
science department Of the state univer
sity.
Early in the fnlI Il local contest Is
held In each school. the three prize
winning exhibits md the three best
essays being tnIsen IN the township
show. then 10 county eShibit and
finally 10 Tie ataie corn growing nnl
corn cooling eaffest IT Lincoln. Dur.
ing this session Grand corn banquet
is held. attended b from 1000 to
5000 of the brightest boys and girls
from all over the state. In New York
n similar plan / followed. the best OK
hiblts from the loeal and country clubs
being taken 10 the gtate exhibit held
at the state college Of agriculture dur.
ing Farmers week. In Ohio. Illinois.
Iowa. Texas. Georgia and few 9th
or states similar work has been adopt
ed, II on somewhat smaller scale
In number of members the boys and
girls clubs Of Now York lead with
1900: Nebraska hns 5000: Missis-
sippi, G.000: Indiana. Ohio and North
Dakota. each 300 members. The
work of these clubs has vast posi-.
bilitles for expansion aud usefulness.
and should be given generous support
by local. stnte md federal agricultural
and educational agencies. The work
of the clubs - faT Ia not only meant
moro cotton. corn. potatoes. and small
grain per acre. helter bread aud pas.
try. but II has aroused an interest In
civic and sofinl improvement and bet
ter home conditions most of all en-
rching and making useful and help.
ful tha lives af MI Innan WIN have had
n hand in H. Farmers' bulletin No.
385. recentlyissusd takesup the origin,
scope and present work Of the clubs
Gbevc referred + and should he In the
hands of every public school teacher
and school oaleIaI In The land