St. Tammany farmer., 1911-01-28
GIRLS CLUB
FOR GROWING
TOMATOES
interesting History of Prof
liable Work of Some South
Carolina Girls.

The following report on .sTom at
Club" work in Aiken county sout
Carolina, which was made to Dr 6
"A: hnapp, OF the Department of Agrj
cuiIure, Washington, D. c., by M
". q. Martin, assistant in Boys Dem
onstration Work, which we have re
celved from Capt. G. E. Millar. i
Wen worth reading:
In January, 1910, a Boys Cor,
CluD was organized in Aiken County
south Carolina, with so members
me question soon arose there, which
arises everywhere, viz: what ar,
you going to do for the girls?"
was decided to undertake a Girls
tomato Club. Miss Marie S. Cromer
one or the teachers in the county
LOOK an active lead in organizin.
this club. She devoted her evening,
10 writing letters to girls in yariou,
parts OF the county, and her Satur.
DAYS to visiting them to urge the
Importance of the work and to 90
cure members. 1t required consider
aoie persuasion in many instances tc
get the consent of the mothers as
wen as the girls, although some Of
these girls have very little to do
especially after the close of the
scnoo!s. County Superintendent c.
II. Seigler, who believes strongly in
such work, gave active aid and sup.
port. Our State Agent, Mr.. Ira w,
Williams, OF Columbia, South Caro-
INA, also co-operated and made valu-
able suggestions. This office gave all
possible aid from the beginning. The
club was organized with a member
ship of 46. A list of valuable prizes
was secured, the leading prize being
free scholarship to Winthrop Nor
NAL and Industrial College.
AS soon as the names of the men,
bers OF the club, with their addresses,
We're sent in, special letters and leaf
lets were sent to them. A selection
OF Farmers Bulletins bearing upon
their work was also sent. Each girl
has been instructed to plant 1-1O
of an acre in tomatoes. On May
25, letter was sent suggesting that
the members of the Club plant few
hills of cucumber seed, to be used
for the picking at the time the can
ming of the tomatoes was to be done
in the summer and fall. A circular
was also sent to them suggesting
that any new members, taking up
the work, should begin with about
twenty-five hills of tomatoes. Copies
OF this letter and leaflet are hereto
attached.
After the gardens had been plant
ed and were growing, Miss Cromer,
Supt. c. H. Seigler, and Mr.. Will
liams made a tour of the county in
order to inspect this work. They
reported that the girls take a great
deal of pride and interest in their
plants. They also found that the
circulars were carefully studied. A
greal deal was being learned about
the soil and plants, by growing and
studying one plant 1t was also their
observation that they could make
many valuable suggestions in regard
to sanitations, hygiene and general
home improvement, after having Sc
cured the confidence and good will
of the girls and their mothers
through the club.
From the beginning this work at
tracted a great deal of favorable
comment in Aiken County and else
where. Some OF the leading papers
in the State have written very favor
able editorials in regard to it. Miss
Cromer has been given free trip
to New York and New England, COW
ering the entire summer. She visit
ed various industrial and domestic
science schools and Is now taking a
short course in Maine in order to
be more thoroughly prepared for the
continuation of the work during the
ensuing school year. The expenses
of this trip were generously provid-
ed by Mrs. Moore, of Maine, who
was wintering in Aiken.
On July 18th a meeting of the
Tomato Club was called at Aiken.
This Office had a canning outfit ship
ped there in advance of the meet
ing Arrangements were made also
to have Miss Carrie Hyde, who has
charge of the Practice Home at
College, to take charge of
the work and give lessons in can
ming, picking, preserves, etc. About
twenty-five girls were present. They
brought in quite a variety of very
fine tomatoes. Artistic labels had
been provided containing the picture
of a nice tomato, and this inscrip-
ton, South Carolina Tomatoes"
On the other side of the can the
following words appeared in an ap-
propriate setting, Grown and Pack
ey by The Aiken County Girls To-
mato Club" The label attracted
much attention. 1t emphasizes the
cooperation, and demonstrated that
40 or SO girls working together can
accomplish a great deal more in
making a market for their surplus
products than the individual girl
working alone. In fact this is one
of the main advantages of the club
idea. The club is not so much for
the purpose of holding meetings. as
1t Is for the cooperative and stimu-
lative efforts for study, for exhibit,
and for marketing. On the first day
all the tomatoes brought in We're
canned and returned to their own
ers, about 1875 cans in all. Arrange
ment was made to give some special
in making ketchup,
pickles, preserves and chow chow, on
July 10th. A goodly number of
girls and also quite number of
prominent ladies in Aiken were
present, but unfortunately, Miss
uyda uoc taken seriously ill and was