Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-11
DAILY HINTS ON
FARM TOPICS
~ X A K;.ko,ks;-y
FARNiENS' CLUBS.
By K. A. Kirkpatrick

FARMENS' CLUbS
A farmers club Is an informal
group OF people in farming com
munity who meet from time to time
to better themselves. their homes,
and their neighborhood. The group
may be small comprising less than
a half dozen families, or 1t may be
large. occasionally comprising sew
eral hundred individuals. While the
meetings are informal, officers are
elected in the club, certain lines Of
effort are followed. and definite
work Is accomplished.
What Are the Club Advantages?
The clubs are not organized for
any one purpose, therefore their
work can properly be of more d.
versifled character than that OF any
other organization in community.
They help community or an indi-
vidual in three ways. socially, edu-
cationally and financially.
! Social advantages are found in
that the club gets neighbor folks to-
gether. With our autos and tele-
phones, actual social contact Ia
largely disappearing from out farm
ing neighborhoods. When A meets
tB or C it may be in Davenport. Mus
catine. Keokuk. Burlington, or even
a farther city where each has happen
Jed to cross the others path in the
course OF a jaunt in their touring
cars This condition bodies little
good for a community. Folks need
to mix with folks and foster the
'get together" and community spirit
The educational features Of tho
ub meetings is the strongest argu-
nent in favor of the lubs. Families
meet at some home, school house or
shurch. Men, women, and children
nave a place on the program. All
get training in public speaking. They
earn to think and speak while stand
.ng on their feet. The bashfulness
If growing children and boys dis
appears. Sometime the boys and
girls have separate clubs which take
ID their own topics apart from the
grown folks. Sometimes the club
spends = part Of the meeting period
Is q reading circle. Farm bulletins
Or thought provoking articles from
arm books or magazines are read
md all are asked to join in the dis
ussion. All these things are dis
inctly educational.
Out Of the social and educational
atmosphere fostered, sameness Of
new and the cooperative spirit
,merges. Then come the financial
advantages. Farmers drop their dis
rust of one another and begin club
>ing in buying. in selling, and in 9th
II farm operations. Marketing as
iociations. breeders associations,
ICED buying and selliAg, cooperative
owned machinery and host OF
,ther money and labor saving pro-
ects soon develop. The club is the
orerunner of practical cooperation.
specific Lines of Help and Service.
1 Practice In telling that which
me knows.
q Exchange Of good ideas. promot~
ng breadth and depth of view.
8 Arranging for and securing
meetings, Institutes, demonstrations,
mort courses In a neighborhood.
4 Secure the help and advice of
professional men and specialists,
loctors, lawyers, dentists, teachers,
preachers, nurses. business men and
college and university experts are
Usually glad to meet with and pre-
,ent topics to the clubs.
Secure a splendid library for
The club or community use. The
state Library Commission Is anxious
% place Libraries Of agricultural and
general reading in farming commun-
ties over the state. A farmers club
an secure one free.
Entertainment Of superior
character can be had. Persons with
musical, dramatic, or literary tai
mt are eager to appear before such
groups.
United action can be gotten on
matters Of general interest. Good
.oads, weed control, live stock sani-
alton, rural schools, are some of the
peciac matters that have been TAX
N up. -
8 Securing prompt and efficient
'ervice from public servants. farm
YRS should study proposed laws and
become power in controlling agri-
cultural legislation.
Exhibits, contest and fairs, can
oe held. Alfalfa, corn vegetable.
'ruit. cooking, and art work exhib.
It's have been held by clubs.
10 Cooperate with the U. s. De.
,artment through It's regularly ap-
pointed agent in this county. II
must be realized that it Is impossi-
dc for the county agent to directly
lelp each farmer individually in the
'ounty--he can best accomplish his
service through clubs or similar or.
Plantations. !
How To Organize.
Talk the matter over with some OF
'our neighbors. Suggest that we
Use the winter evenings and stormy
lays this winter for club activity,
general reading and farm study. Ar
'ange for a preliminary meeting at
schoolhouse, church, or home. In
lite the county agricultural advi-
'or to come out to help you in or
,anizinE.
Model Constitution For q Club,
ARTICLE NAME.
Section THE name OF this AS
ISOLATION shall be the Farmers Club
"
ARTITI n TI--OPTECT