The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-07-21
Farmers Clubs in Wisconsin

last year:
During the last year Manitowoc
county wisconsin, had total of seven
farmers clubs. The average number
OF members was about thirty, al
though one club had Jas many as
tifty-three and another even eighty
five members. With visitors the
average number of people attending
such meetings was about fifty. Posi-
bly, as high as 215 people were mem
bers of some farmers club and over
400 people attended these meetings
every session.
These clubs are largely due to the
activity of our county superintendent
of schools who have been greatly in
terested in agricultural education and
from them the teachers became en-
thusiastic and carried on the work in
few cases the organization and main
tenance Of these clubs rested with the
teachers, but the farmers and their
sons soon saw the benefits derived
from such clubs and entered heartily
into the work. All the clubs report
that the prospects for next year are
excellent and the outlook is splendid
for the formation of new groups dur
ing the coming winter.
Tho naptinpS in npnct
held every two weeks. The people
gathered at the schoolhouse and there
organized, provided for constitution
and elected their officers, who in many
cases were elected for the whole win
ter. A program committee generally
draws up the programs for the future
meetings.
Not only were the men interested
but the women and children as well.
In about half of the clubs women be-
came members and took active part
on the programs and the discussions.
Wherever this was the case they had
topics relating to the household, such
as conveniences in the home, curing
of meats, the farmers table and the
identifying of the home grounds.
Children as a rule did not become
members, except the older ones, but
were given songs, recitations, charad-
grams.
The usual order of business was to
have an opening song by the school
children or the society, after which
there were three or four talks by the
members. "Soils," "Care of Milk"
Rotation of Crops" "Alfalfa, " "Tu-
berculosis in Cattle" were some of
the topics presented. After that they
were opened for discussion. Questions
were asked of the speaker and of
others and woe unto the speaker who
has only read up a few things in some
book or paper for the questions will
surely bring out the full extent of his
knowledge. After these topics there
was usually a recess followed by par
liamentary drill and the business meet
ing. In the parliamentary drill differ
ent persons were appointed to the
chair and the audience then made
motions, amended them or laid them
on the table SO as to become familiar
with the running of a meeting accord
IN ~ m no liomaptaIv laws
But the programs were not confined
to topics presented by the members
alone. Farmers and short course men
from other clubs were frequently in
vited to appear before neighboring
clubs. One farmer who made sue
cess raising potatoes spoke on this sub
iect before several clubs. Another
talked on poultry, another on silos.
The manager of our county farm, a
"full course graduate" in agriculture,
talked before several clubs. These
speakers were listened to with great
interest because their knowledge was
gained by experience and that is the
best of teachers. Short course men
who brought the newest in agricul-
ture from Madison, too were in de-
mand as speakers.
The county superintendent, the
principal of our training school for
teachers, frequently talked at these
meetings on educational subjects, par
ticularly the county high school. Some
of the teachers were well read on
tuberculosis, forestry, conservation
and other things and talked on these
subjects.
Other speakers were men entirely
outside of the agriculture line. Mem
bers of the assembly, of the county
board, judges of the county and NUM-
cipal courts frequently spoke at these
meetings, telling of the workings of
these departments of government.
Bankers have described how a bank is
conducted, and lawyers on how the
law affects the farmer. In this way
varied and interesting program is
secured.
What benefits do these people de-
rive from such clubs? First of all,
there is a practical value. People
may learn things that they can turn
into dollars and cents right in their
work. 70 ascertain this the writer
has asked for reports from the differ
ent clubs asking particularly whether