The La Jara chronicle., 1910-04-08
BOYS AND GIRLS
AGRICULTURAL CLUBS.

There are over 10000 boys and
girls in rural schools in Colorado.
and a greater number in towns de
pending upon farming communities
for support. In April the Colorado
Agricultural Co lege will begin the
organization of Boys and Cir s. Agri-
cultural clubs with the object of in
teresting them in studying plant and
animal life. and in competing in
school district. county and state con-
tests for exhibits of farm crops.
The Agricultural College will take
mp this work in each county, where
the county superintendent is willing
to help. Potatoes and sugar beets will
be studied this year. in irrigated sec
tons. and mi in dry land sections
on the plains. Next year it is
planned TO add study of grains,
alfalfa and fruit. and the third year.
the feeding and judging of stock.
For the girls.we plan next year to
add bread making and sewing. and
the third year. fruit canning. jelly
making and needle work This year
we want both boys and girls to help
us study the growth of potatoes. SUI
gar beets. and milo, and to compete
for prizes for the best exhibits of
these crops.
Our pan is to organize a Boys
and Girls club in any school dis
trict where the farmers and the busi-
ness men will offer $40 in prizes
for any one of these crops; a first
prize of 81. a second prize of 81, and
five prizes of 81 each. making seven
prizes for each crop in school dis
trict
The College furnishes plans for
the work and a constitution for the
club. The children elect their own
officers and conduct their own meet
ings. The teacher acts as Librarian,
securing bulletins fer each pupil,
free. from the Colorado Experiment
Station. and from the T. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture. The club
elects some successful farmer in the
ncighborhood, preferably member
Of the school board. as counsel to
advise with the children, particular y
during the summer vacation.
The Agricultural College furnishes
free to club members illustrated
pamphlets, showing ideal potatoes,
sugar beets. and milo heads. and in.
formation in regard to the prepara-
tion of the soil, selection cf seed.
testing of seed. p anting, cultivation,
harvesting and selection of samples
for exhibition. About once month
the College will send que ry that
can be answered only by investiga-
tion of the growing crop.
In the fall a harvest meeting is to
be held in each school house. attend
ed by all the men. women and chill
dren in the district. with basket
dinner at noon. The boys and girls
will exhibit their crops and the seven
prizes will be awarded.
The County Superintendent should
Institute at the county seat. The
Agricultural College will send two
or more speakers to this county
meeting, who will speak and also
Judge the exhibits. which should
consist Of the best products from
all the prize winners of the school
districts.
Mrs. Katherine NJ Cook, state
superintendent of public instruction.
in cooperation with the Agricu tural
College, will hold great State Boys
and Girls Institute in Denver during
the State Teachers meeting.
over 1000 teachers will study the
exhibit at this state meeting in which
all the prize winners from al the
counties will contest Business men
of Denver will be asked to contrib
ute prizes for this state meeting.
These Boys and Girls clubs will
create an intense interest among the
wonderful factors in plant and ami
NAL life. 1t will be found that the
interest in studying and handling
the regular school studies, and the
teachers will find that greater inter
est in all studies will be shown by
club members.
The interest of the children in
the study of growing things. and in
their school work, will create an in
terest in the school on the part of
parents such as they have never
shown before.
With this army of bright, enthus-
iastic young people studying to pro-