Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-20

In the fall OF the year a SdAA Sho~A~
De sent out asking the county school
superintendents 10 arrange for con-
ference OF teachers and pupils at some
central point in the county on a given
date A representative OF the indus
trial clubs should be present az TINS
meeting and should make an address
outlining the nature and character OF
the work to be undertaken by the boys
and girls list Of members should
then be enrolled and hled with the
county superintendent who in turn for
wards the list 10 the college or agrl-
culture. When IL is received the
names are entered on mailing list
and the members supplied with the lit
erature needed to keep them fully post
ed and informed relative 70 the work
they are expected TO do. Each member
Of the boys clubs in Georgia is sup
posed to grow an acre OF corn and
each girl a tenth acre devoted 20 to-
ratoes. A single crop has been Sc
Iected in each instance so that the en-
tire effort and attention of the child
may be focused on one problem
Moreover. all realize the necessity OF
increasing the culture Of corn in the
south and adding 10 the dietary OF the
home and teaching the principles In
volved in canning and preserving fruits
and vegetables. Literature is sent out
with reference TO the selection OF corn,
its cultivation. fertilization, harvesting
and storing. school fairs are held In
every county where clubs are organ
ixed at the close Of the season and the
products OF the boys and girls display
ed Prizes are secured through the
county board OF education and through
the phflanthropic action OF merchants
and friends OF industrial education.
The county fair is a red letter day
in the lives Of the boys and girls Of the
community whose efforts have en-
abIed them to demonstrate the eff
cheney and value Of the methods they
have employed. Thus a new purpose
is brought into the homes of the COM
munfty. The children are familiarized
with some OF the more important and
essential facts relating to modern farm
practice. The fathers and mothers be-
come interested and attached to this
work because Of the child's interest
therein The work Of the school room
Is brought into the home indirectly and
the two related in a closer bond OF
union than has hitherto existed. The
boys and girls have learned that
through their own initiative and power
they may accomplish results heretofore
undreamed of. and thus the work be-
comes one OF the most important con-
structive factors In the life OF the COM
munfty.
In Georgia there are 13s counties or
CANNED az the present time and the
work has left a marvellous impress on
the agricultural progress OF the state
yet IL was established only few years
ago and is zen tocay inadequately
supported has now taken such a
firm hold on tile people. however. that
i. is believed the next legislature will
literally endow this class OF work
Z From this 1t viii be gathered that the
organization OF industrial clubs is not
a difficult matter provided the right
type OF leaders are selected. men and
women who can harmonic the local
agencies and inaugurate cooperative
action throughout the entire community
Where this is done results of the high
est economic importance win certainly
be secured
In this connection it may be proper
10 give some Of the results
secured in Georgia which prob
ably has more efficiently or
ganixed system Of boys and
girls Industrial clubs that any other
southern state. II is impossible to
give a complete summary at this time
as school fairs are stiH in progress in
various parts OF the state while all the
district and state contests have not
been held One boy has. however. in
this very unfavorable season produced
l10 bushels Of corn on an acre Of land.
This Is more than ten times the aver
age yield Of the state. and also greater
than the crop raised BY most farmers
on from ten TO twenty acres of land
What a cumulative effect t.iis work has
mad. How IL illustrates and empha-
sizes 10 that particular community the
power Of cspitalizing a few ideas as
they pertain 20 the cultivation and fer
tilization Of the soil and the selection
u seed The boys reporting from all
parts OF the state the present year
have made an average yield of SAT
bushels. orr more than four times the
average OF the state. and this corn has
0een produced at an average of about
s. cents per busheL The ruling mark
e price is nearly S1.00. Thus far
every bushel OF corn these boys have
produced they have saved from so to
50 cents.
Each boy and girl is required to keep
4 very accurate record Of the crop pro-
duced. and To submit this certified
20 by number Of dfsinterestsd parties
AZ the time the contests are held. In
fact. the boys record is much more
complete and sxacting than that kept
BY ninety-nine out Of every hundred
farmers. Thus business principles are
InstiIled into his life during this most
plastic period When IL is stated there
fore. that the average profit made by
the boys reporting up to the present
time is s4172. this figure may be re-
garded as fairly accurate. A few years
ago IL was believed that not over ten
bushels OF corn per acre could be raised
In Georgia As a matter OF fact. many
farmers thought this an Improbable
crop. but there are hundreds OF boys in
Georgia who have proven that they
can make much profit per acre and a