Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-17

SWFVFWSTUSVTeoT oTDFD%SoS<DTs0TeoTJ
was to start? Where was the money
for the prizes to come from? ! knew
the girls would not want to do the
work without some inspiring object.
"The county superintendent, how
ever, was encouraging. He suggested
begin with q tenth Of an acre near
the schoolhouse where I was teaching
and then reach out in the county and
organize the girls. I started, but I did
not seem to be able to get the in
terest. Some Of the girls were scorn-
full about working with tomatoes
some of their parents thought the
teacher ought to stick to her Job Of
teaching school; and I saw I must
have money for prizes, so one day I
just put on my best clothes and went
over to Aiken to see Mr.. John D.
Rockefeller to ask him for the money.
He was out riding once; busy anoth-
er time (they said). and after a sec
ond fruitless visit, I began to write
him notes. don't think he ever got
any Of them, because he never sent
me any money. The secretary wrote
polite notes for him.
Then wrote Mr.. Thomas Hitch
cock Of New York, who lives at AK
en-. I failed there, at first; but, God
bless Mr.. Hitchcock-but have not
come to that part yet.
Ashamed at Thought Of Failure.
"And 1t looked to me for a while
as IL was losing out in my plan. But
shamed myself at the thought Of
failure and determined to make one
grand effort. called mass meeting
at the court house one night; sen,
word to everybody women ami
children--to come; that I had some
thing important to tell them; and
determined to offer prize myself,
and that nothing less than scholar
ship to Winthrop college.
"'You are crazy said the county
superintendent, for he knew had al
ready spent my money saved in the
school improvement work. Where
are you going to get the money!
II did not know when offered the
prize, but made the kind Of speech
that got them all; I offered the
scholarship, and the result was the
girls got interested and the first club
was organized January, 1910.
Then to every schoolhouse In the
county planned to go; the clubs be-
gan organizing, the one-tenth acres
everywhere doing their work, but
that prize money was not comingl
II went home one night feeling aw-
full sad and down-hearted. I was
boarding then with the mother Of the
superintendent, and after I had my
supper felt ! could not sit with the
others without signing, and was about
to go. when the superintendent hand
ed me letter. remember every in
cident Of that night because 1t broaght
me to the realization Of my scheme,
the success Of the tomato club.
81 opened It and good. people, what
do you think 1t contained? The prize
money from Mr.. Thomas Hitchcock!
Well, could not tell them what had
I threw up my hands; I
cried out with Joy; I just danced
around the table, and I cried and
and said I am SO happy!" and
as Miss Cromer rehearsed her joys
with childish realism she stirred all
that was tender and sympathetic in
the group hearing her story.
when the story Of my tomato club
was told by DR.. Seaman Knapp to Mr.
Secretary Wilson the latter said: II
will give 800 for prizes out Of my
own pocket But there was no need
for that, for very soon afterwards
there was the movement OF the to-
mato clubs started everywhere, and
in August, Mr.. o. B. Martin, who Is
the director of the farm demonstra-
ton work for the department Of ag-
riculture in Carolina, announced that
for the merit and feasibility Of my
plan was appointed director in South
Carolina Of the Girls Tomato clubs,
called now the Canning and Poultry
clubs. Twenty-Five thousand dollars
has been given by the general educa-
ton board for the work among girls"
explained Miss Cromer.
Rockefeller Did Give Money.
so, after all, Mr.. Rockefeller did
give the money" somebody suggested
to Miss Cromer.
What Mr.. Rockefeller gives to
that board-it is his money and Miss
Cromer reproached herself bitterly.
"I will write him a note at once and
thank him." she said. II have really
had very hard feelings toward him
for not sending me the money, for
that first prize I wanted.
YES the girl who won the prize for
the first clubs I organized went to
college and is doing splen-
did work there.
"Yes, 1t Is true have been asked
to 90 and tell the story Of the work
1 have tried to do in the country in
the church Of which DR.. Brown Of
the Union Theological seminary Is
pastor in New York. I met him in
the conference for education in the
south. You know those people there
are working 1t out. They have got
the church worked up now, and IL the
church gets into this work to wake
up interest, and the school and the
home, then the boys and the girls and
the fathers and mothers can be made
to be interested in the same things,
and the vital things which they have
not been walked about. 1t will be a
new-a blessed-life in the country.
All DR.. Walter Fage said could hap
pen in the country was true when he
addressed the conference. 1t was good
and true, and wish I could remem-
Der 1t all to take back home"