The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-04-25
FARM BOYS
Prize Corn Growers Earn a Trip
to Washington.
The Grange Should Got 4 SUGGESTION
From This About Interesting the
Boys In Farm Matters and In the
Work Of the GRANGE.

" S'S S'o"5~
In the first place. there were $40 oil
them-that Is, $40 Ohio boys. These
boys had grown $40 acres of corn the
past summer-37O prize acres. Their
these $40 Buckeye boys went to Wash
ington. That is the story in a nutshell
Details may be interesting.
Last spring Secretary SandleS OF the
Obi" department OF agriculture con.
ceived Il plan to interest the BOYS Of
n a state in corn growing. He said
acre Of corn in his county should be
given a free trip to Washington. And
1900 boys entered the contest. 1t
was also agreed that while none hut
the prize winners i'm each county
should take the trip at the expense Of
the state others could 90 by paving
their w way. Result, $40 boys. clear
eyed, rnddy. happy boys. made the
eventfnl trip. The boys came from
various sections OF Ohio. but met at
Pittsburgh. where they all took a spe-
cial train for the Capital City. They
did the town. They were received in
the last Don of the White House by
President Taft. They took possession
OF the house Of representatives and
Wee addressed by Speaker Champ
Clark. They were guests Of the Ohio
in congress at an entertain
ment. They sailed down the historic
tied the National cemetery at Airing
ton. They saw everything everywhere
that was visible to the naked eye. and
yet. as one who accompanied them
said, mot q single act of rudeneSs or
impoliteness was noted gentlemen
all"
SO much for the story. 1t was much
to have grown an acre OF corn. IL
was more to ave made a trip like
1t all has a teaching for men at
the head of agricultural affairs in 9th
ar states. The moral is, interest the
They are the farmers of tomor-
Out in Iowa some one determined to
interest the boys in roadmaking. In
act, 1t was Miss Jessie Field, super
ntendent of schools OF Page county,
Who had the idea. She organized sew
n teams of boys to drag the roads.
he teams numbering from four to ten
,oys each. w. e. Brown, president OF
he New York Central railroad. who
a farm in that county, gave a
'rize Of 500 to the team of boys who
lid the best work on the roads. Some
ne else gave a valuable trophy TO the
boy who had the best half
nile road Mt the end of the season.
he results We're excellent, and an agri-
ultural paper of Iowa was led to say
hat If we are eve to have good dirt
Dads i'm Iowa it will be necessary to
Mist the boys In the matter"
Would the boys do these things with
ut the incentive of prizes or awards
f some kind? Perhaps not. Boys
Ike competition. contest. a chance to
neasure up with other boys and to
vim, if they can. But while they are
DING the things they do under com
'etent instruction they are learning
hings they will not forget and will
robably have occasion to put into flu
ure use. 1t was worth to the state
t Ohio many times the cost Of the
trip for the boys in the
are results Of corn harvested and yet
lore in that the boys gained valuable !
Experience in the growing OF the crop,
,hich cannot fail to serve them well
$ the future farmers Of their own or
other state. 1t was worth to the
tate Of Iowa and to the highways Of
he state more than can now be esti-
that several boys were taught to
lake good dirt roads and that they
len made them. Making the roads or
them better-that was the
hing. Again, interest the boys.