The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-10-23
Meeting Held i'm Chamber of Com-
mcrcc Hall Saturday Afternoon i'm
Interest of Girls Tomato Club Work
I'm This COunty-NIiss ParrOtt Told
of Work Elsewhere i'm State.

Al JOINT meeting OF members of
the Board of Directors of the Cham
Der of Commerce, the Sumter County
Delegation in the General Assembly
with agricultural experts working in
this State, officers of the Sumter
County Farmers Union and Miss Par
rott' the head of the Girls Tomato
club department, with headquarters
at Winthrop College, held Saturday
afternoon in the Chamber of Com
merce hall, it was decided to have
someone come to this county to be-
gin the work Of organizing tomato
clubs as soon as certain preliminary
steps could be taken by the Chamber
Of Commerce and the County Farm
ers Union.
The meeting was attended by many
OF the members Of the board of di-
rectors Of the Chamber of Commerce.
by all of the members Of the Legisla-
tive delegation in the House of Repre-
sentatives. by President j. Frank Will
lisms Of the Sumter County Farmers
Union and by Profs. Haddon, and En-
glish Of the Clemson extension work
department Messrs l.. l.. Baker and
c: +. McFadden of the Department of
Agriculture engaged in the farm CO.
operation movement in this State,
and by Miss Parrott, head of the
Girls Tomato club work in this State,
and number OF others interested in
the subject and in the formation of
girls tomato clubs in this county.
Talks were made by Miss PARROT,
Mr.. l.. l.. Baker and Prof. English.
The proposition as outlined by them
was to have Sumter, Lee and Dar-
lington counties join in the work, the
government being ready to extend
their supervision over three more
counties in this State at the time for
the work Of another year. Mr.. Baker
suggested these three counties and
the proposition was put to them that
they should raise 1915 each before
the work should commence, the gov
ernment paying SIS in each county
to carry on the work, this being all
given here for this purpose at this time.
AS soon as this money is promised an
organizer will be sent to the coun-
ties and she will organize the clubs,
tell the girls who join Of the work and
show them what to do in planting,
growing and canning the tomatoes.
She will be actively engaged at work
In the field for six months Of the year.
1t was decided to ask the Legisla-
ture to appropriate this amount, 1878
for this work and members of the
Legislature present stated that they
did not think they would have any
trouble in passing the bill, IL they
were sure it had the endorsement Of
the business men of the city and
county. Members of the Chamber of
business men of the city, stated that
they did not think there would be any
trouble in getting the Endorsement Of
that body and Mr.. j. r. Williams,
president of the Farmers Union,
stated that he thought tho appropri-
alton for this purpose would meet the
hearty endorsement Of the Farmers
Union. AS soon as these two bodies
can meet and endorse the scheme
Miss PARROT will be notified and this
county will be placed on the list and
an organizer will be sent here to be-
gin work. The Chamber of Com
merce will decide on the matter at
its semi-annual meeting to be held on
the 18th of November.
Miss Parrott's talk was listened to
with the greatest attention. She told
of the work in other counties where
1t had been taken up and where
Sood results were secured by it. Flor
ence. Spartanburg and Aiken coun-
ties, she stated, were especially pleas
ed with the work. In Spartanburg
the girls Tomato Club brands were
very popular and it was impossible for
the dealers to keep them in stock.
The girls entering the clubs are Civ
en- labels by the United States govern
ment each girl having her own num-
ber, which are placed .on the cans.
BY means of the number on the labels
bad cans can be tr8ced to the girl
putting them up.