Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-06-30

BOYS CORN CLUB IN SUMTER
COUNTY DOING GREAT WORK

The first Boys Corn Contest held in
Georgia was in Newton county during
the year 1905. Prizes were secured
from business men of the county, and
one hundred and one boys were en-
rolled Many of these exhibited their
corn in Covington during the fall.
During the same year, Prof. Joseph
S. Stewart, of the University of Geor-
gia worked out statewide plan for
interesting the school boys in agricul-
ture through corn and cotton clubs
under the direction of the several
county school commissioners and
teachers. One OF the first official act
of Chancellor Barrow on going into
office was to approve the publication
of bulletin setting forth plans Of
county organization, directions for Sc
le ing seed, and preparing the land.
Prof Stewart secured $4,000 in priz-
es from the State Fair Association for
the best 10 ears of corn and the best
five stalks of cotton, exhibited under
the rules, at the State Fair held in
Atlanta in the fall of 1906.
About twenty counties organized
through their schools during the year
1906 and held local exhibits and sent
the prize exhibits to the State Fair.
The State Fair has continued to offer
$4,000 in prizes under the rules If
the Boys Corn Club every year since
the first contest. In 1909, President
Soule issued another bulletin of in
structions and offered prizes by the
State Coiiee Of Agriculture in addi-
ton to those offered by the State Fair.
Promotion and Maintenance of Boys
Corn Club Work.
Since 1910 the Boys Corn Clubs of
Georgia have been organized ana
maintained jointly by the State Cor
lege of Agriculture and the U. S.
Farmers Cooperative Demonstration
Work in cooperation with the county
school officials of the state. The most
promising organizations are secured
through teachers who organize local
school clubs, and a county school SUI
perintendent, who combines all local
clubs into one county club. The direc-
tor of the county club secures prem
iums from the business men of the |
county and holds county contests in
the fall of the year when complete re-
suits are secured. Local and county
clubs should be organized in the fall
and winter, taking as members all
boys between the ages of ten and !
eighteen years who agree to grow an
acre of corn, each following the meth |
DDS outlined b the Farmers Cooper |
ative Demonstration Work and the |
State College of Agriculture. This |
enrolment should be sent from local |
club organizers to county club direc- |
tors and from the directors to the |
School Extension Department of the |
State College of Agriculture. AS soon |
as names are received at the State |
College a copy is forwarded to the IT, '
S. Department of Agriculture and cir ,
culars on corn growing are sent to the |
boys from both institutions. In a coun-
ty where farm demonstration agent |
is stationed he will act as adviser and |
special agricultural instructor for the t
club.
District Organizers of Corn Clubs.
In January, 1911, a limited amount
Of money was contributed for the sup
port of a district corn club organizer
in the It'll Congressional district Most
Of this fund was raised by local CON
tribution in the district, but a small |
amount was supplied by the Farmers
Demonstration work and.
the State College of Agriculture.
DR.. William Bradford, of Cedartown,
Ga, was placed in the field in Jan
uary with the following results: A
club was organized in every one of the
counties of the district with |
a total enrolment of nearly / 900
boys. A county contest was held in
every county during the fall, and
corn show for all the contestants OF
the district was held at Gainesville,
1st to Ord. At this corn
show nearly half the boys of the dis
trict were represented. The results
of the work attracted the attention Of