Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-04-23
Agricultural Scholarship Instead
of Washington Trips.
U. s. Department Of Agriculture Rec.
ommends Former as the More Val.
liable Prize for Youthful Men,
bers of the Farming Clubs.

Washington, d. C.-The department
Of agriculture recommends that In
place of a trip to Washington the
young prize-winners of the Corn, Can
ming and Poultry and other agricul-
tural clubs be given a years course
in practical training at some agricul-
tural college. In case the young cham
pion's academic training would not
enable him to enter the agricultural
college Of his state, a more elementary
course in a school where agriculture
is taught or a course in an agrlcul-
tural high school is recommended.
The department considers that such
courses have considerably more last
ing value for p~rize-winners and for the
agriculture of their sections than n.y.
ing trips to the capital. The state and
local organizations which have been
paying for these trips have been sin
cerely interested in developing a true
appreciation of farming as a business
among the boy and girl farmers.
Some OF these ave already consid-
cred this question and have decided
on the agricultural course as the more
desirable prize.
One of the first persons to raise the
question as to whether the practical
training or the more spectacular trip
was preferable, was Willie P. Brown,
an Arkansas Corn club prize winner.
Given his choice of all the prizes Of
fered by the state. including the trip
to Washington, he selected a scholar
ship giving him a years tuition In an
agricultural school. This gave i'm
L.tus to the idea in Arkansas, and now
the biggest annual prize offered the
Corn club boys Is a scholarship given
by the Bankers association. The
same association gives a similar schol-
arship to the girl champion OF the
canning clubs.
Other suggestions regarding prizes
have been made from time to time
by those who have been most inter
ested in these clubs and understand
the needs of the boy and girl farmers.
Some of the suggestions are offered
herewith for the consideration of 9TH
ers who might care to profit by them.
While a years course with all ex.
penses paid is the suggestion of the
department for the biggest prize for
state winners, less extensive courses
might be offered to county winners.
1t has been suggested that such coun.
ties as care to give prizes. give n
or more short courses in the state
agricultural and mechanical colleges
to the fortunate county champions.
These courses are usually only W
weeks long and are held in winter or
in summer. The training given is of
the most practical sort, and the
amount of time spent is no gauge of
the amount of benefit to be obtained.
These short courses have already
been given as prizes by certain coun-
ties, and have proved most valuable
to the young people.
Large cash prizes are not to be en-
couraged according to those who have
worked with the young contestants.
Better suggestions are % follows: A
pair Of registered pigs, a pair of full
blooded chickens, a fine colt, a regis.
tered calf. an up-to-date corn planter,
a two-horse wagon, a gold watch.
books on agriculture, a double-bar-
shotgun. a f1rst-class bicycle. a
ton Of good fertilizer, a SIS hat, a fire.
less cooker (for girl %winners).
In general 1t is better to offer many
small prizes than a few large one
II twenty boys try for a prize and only
one is fortunate. some Of the nineteen
unsuccessful contestants will probably
be too discouraged to try again. But
II five Of the boys are rewarded for
their efforts. more merit will have re-
recognition and the remaining
fifteen will see more possible oppor-
tunities of success the following year.
Some boards OF trade and chambers
Of commerce have also recognized the
efforts Of the clubs, by giving ban
quets for the young people and enter