Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-08
Farm Girl independence Opened
Reorganization ofCanning Clubs;
Work Destroys Lure of the City
AS Much 5000 Acre Made By Young Georgia Putting
Up Tomatoes in Single Year-Waste Is Saved and Mil
lions of Dollars Is Result.
BY CHARLES A. WHITTLE.

SS0' Sia SSSAS SoiS9e VI NSI'SuVuto'
fruits and vegetables through the
neighborhood, making more money
than he had ever thought he would
be able to make.
OF course, no iron-clad regulations
forbid a country girl from growing
and canning anything she desires
Some of the club members have
grown and canned as great a variety
as possible Just TO show their pro-
ficiency in the art. The products OF
their industry have been displayed
at the schools and county fairs with
great pride
Tomatoes, however have bean
chosen as the crop best suited to in
augurate the work. Plans, in fact
have been elaborated for various
kinds Of crop contests for girls, which,
in course of time, will be promoted
in each State as far and fast as means
win admit
Cultural Value Of Clubs.
Can anything be more educative
and cultural than to look into the
hidden things of nature. learn some
of the great laws and fundamental
principles of science, come face to
face with world wonders and feel the
call to the unexplored?
And yet some would have none OF
the tomato clubs out of a foolish
fear that raising a crop and market
ing it will somehow rub off rather
than put on refinement.
The hoe bows no one permanently
who would lift up his head
The world admires culture and re-
finement, but ii both admires and
applauds workable culture. The use
full and the beautiful are not essen
tally artagonistic. The spirit Of
service should belong to and glorify
both.
Why is it less refining TO care for
a patch of tomatoes than a pot Of
flowers? OF course, the purpose Of
canning clubs is not TO make farm
drudges Of girls. Just the opposite
is the aim. A reasonable amount
Of outdoor gardening is a source of
health, strength and perfect physical
development. Overwork is as much
decried as none. Gardening must be
interesting. may be even joyful, but
whatever ii is. the girls club work
does not stand for drudgery, enough
OF which they are bound 10 get in the
household work unless enough can be
made off the garden patches to hire
1t done.
1t is the emancipation OF the wom-
anhoOd Of the country from drudgery,
from depression of narrow circum-
stances and from the joylessness of no
spending money for the flneries and
trifles which she Graves: that the girls
clubs are attaining.
II is well for her to apply some Of
her physical strength to the garden
patches, but IL she can not do a suf-
ficieut amount to count, she knows
how to do il, which is the greatest
thing in getting results. So, with
knowing how, she can direct those
who are able to work
Centers Around Schools.
Any organized movement for the
betterment of girlhood Of the coun-
try. underts ken by public enterprises,
of course, finds its logical initiation
at the public schools. The canning
club movement, as well as the boys
corn club movement operates through
the schools, the teacher being the
local head and the county superin-
tendent a supervising official, the dis
trict organizer or State organizer next
In line and the State College Of Ag-
riCulture the head and directing force
Each county that organizes has
canning demonstration appointed By
fraT1aua 2
the Department Of Agriculture Of the
United States Districts are formed
within the county, each district hav-
ing its canning center where meet
ings Of the girls and their mothers
can be held.
An applicant for membership in
girls club must not be under 10, nor
more than is years OF age. Instruc-
tions as TO methods Of cultivating the
one-tenth Of an acre OF tomatoes
must be strictly followed and accu-