The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-11
To MAKE THE BEST
BETTER, THE MOTTO
OF. THE MOVEMENT
Work Started in the Summer
of 1910 by Two Women
Has Had Marvellous
Growth
THE GOOD SEED SOWN
WITH TOMATO CLUBS
This Year Over Six Hundred
Virginia Girls Are at Work,
Leading Others With
Their Enthusiasm
BY MISS ELLA G. AGNEW.
State Agent for Girls Demonstration
Work.

Work.
In the summer OF 1910 two women.
one In South Carolina and one In
Virginia undertook to organize the
girls In three counties into Tomato
Clubs" The first OF the summer tho
mentioning the vegetable brought
smiles to the faces Of many-it was
huge joke--even though people
knew the United States department OF
agriculture was behind the work ana
the women we're government en-
ployes BY the end OF August. how
ever. the attitude OF the people as "A
whole had changed. In Aiken county,
South Carolina, it was no longer
Miss Cromer's Club" but our club.
In Halifax and Sottoway counties,
Virginia, many people were Interest,"
cd though the work was started so
late great results were not visible.
The seed had been sown.
In June, 1911. three women from
Virginia crossed the border into North
Carolina and Joined with three work
ers from that State, In a short course
summer school. learning how 10 go out
and conduct the canning club work
In the four counties OF virginia tneH
worked, and in North Carolina That
summer three thousand girls were
working In the several States. ana
producing astonishing results The
four counties In Virginia making
fine exhibit OF canned goods at the
State Fair last fall.
on June 30, 1912, twelve young
women met at BurkeNille. Va. TO al
tend the first annual meeting OF VII
Kinia workers held in Virginia This
meant ten women working In ten
counties OF Virginia. from two TO hVe
months each. and one young woman
from West Virginia who will take up
the work IN her State next year.
These young women representing Not
toway. Halifax, Clarke, rinwtddies
Hsprico Nansemond. Cumberland.
Chesterfield, Rockingham and Prince
William counties, spent two days To-
xether studying methods and doing
the actual work OF canning under sa-
pervision of Mr.. q. B- Martin, OF
Washington. and the Virginia state
Agent for Girls Work. This crowd
felt very definitely that they were
mart Of n tremendous movement, that
IL growing by heaps and bounds. when
they were told that during this. which
IL IRA cticaliy the second year OF work,
one hundred and fifty women are en-
gagged In teaching $4,000 girls in four
teen Southern States.
The Tomato club Is now known as
r,,r,s, f.arninr and Poultry club. and
Is a hpIJSfNotd NOfh hfit'Nrs'~ -
south and many girls and whole
families are being vitality reused &c
possibilities right at their doors wn.ch
al, now have been overlooked. New
doors are opening for country girls
through which they are rapidly pass
tnr IN take their places IN the line OIL
a. the real work eTs OF today the ecu
Gated workers who recognize oppof
tunities around them. and are Qulch
10 take advantage of them. IN th1s
way they are paving the way Cor the
Girls of tomorrow that they may WIN
efficiency and dignity take their places
beside their brothers In the develop
,nent Of country life. and by thes'
example lead many others to see tht
beauty and advantage OF home life In
the country.
The origin of the Canning clubs
Is difficult to trace. as is all begin
ntngs. The demonstration work wal
q God given thought to Or. ;. A
Knapp. that meant Mt irst work foi
bows and men---the girls work IL
logical outcome. DIR. Knapp neyel
ga Id a truer thing than "the best way
to development Of home Is through
the garden gate" ana so he started
his workers in Girls clubs In tn
garden. This does not mean that the
girls WOTk VIII iSH'ahi III Wig $50 49,.
The girl takes lilo or an acre In he'
garden and cultivates 1t. but just al
soon as the vegetables are ripe, sh'
passes at once through the gate int
the real home for the rest Of he
work The canning is done first 70
home use and then for market. WheI
mother Is well provided for winter
the tin cans and attractive labels arr
brought in and the pantry soon look
like a small grocery store even though
the tomato can is far In excess Of an,
ether kind. DIR. Knapps motto in al
his work has BEEN This one thinl
do" SO the girls for the first yea
are restricted to tomatoes, later the,
NAV do other canning az they find ;
market, and the poultry work IL l<fk
ed upon as advanced work, or worl
for counties in which tomatoes do no
gov well.
This year about 900 Virginia girl
are at work growing tomatoes, snap
and cucumbers. Last years girls, wh'
are I'm again this time. are Leading TN
others in enthusiasm. 1t is interest
ing TO hear them prophesy what VII
come and to see their wise looks a.
they examine the plats OF the new
girls.
These girls will average four nun
dred cans OF tomatoes each~ 1t IS ou
hope that these cans viii go broad
cast over our State and that thes
may live up to their motto To max
the best. better and so introduce
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