Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-10-30
TEACH YOUTH COOPERATION
Necessary Lesson Of Forgetting Self
for Time Being Taught Members
Of Boys Corn Clubs.

uoV ttmo oetu0 tau0ut WemUoSU
Of Boys Corn Clubs.
The question of cooperation II 1t
this time very much before the AmerS-
can people. The magazines and news
papers contain q great deal Of in
formation about 1t. Examples of how
the farmers of Denmark or Holland.
or some other foreign nation, have
profited by its application In produc-
ton and marketing are given. Numer-
Gus instances are cited from our own
country showing that on this side Of
the Atlantic successful cooperation IL
possible. Yet most of US have seen
some form of rural cooperative under
taking tumble before our eyes.
Just why such organizations have
failed is hard to say. but one reason
Is that those interested in them, both
oficially and otherwise, have had lit
tie or no training in this line Of hui
man endeavor.
1t Is the belief of the writer that
many of these failures could have
been avoided II those interested had
had even some elementary training In
the workings Of cooperative organiza-
tons. II the individual members had
been taught to forget self for the time
being In the interest Of the many, the
organization failure would not have
been the result. This elementary and
very necessary lesson IL being taught
the members of the boys corn clubs.
writes ]. X. Giles In Southern Guilt
vator.>
In the first place all the boys hear
the same lectures on agriculture. read
the same bulletins on corn growing.
fertilizers, seed selection, etc. This
has the happy result Of getting all boys
to study questions of this class from
the same point Of view and creates
opinions alike. and thus the boys are
drawn unconsciously toward each
other. You can see the sympathetic
smiles playing upon the faces Of these
boys whenever they meet each other.
In fact these boys 60 out after other
boys to join the club and the great
number now engaged in the work can
be partly attributed to the individ-
ual work Of the young fellows who
first became inoculated with this Co
operative or corn-club spirit.
Again, the method of distributing
premiums in Georgia has had and il
having q great influence upon these
boys and causing them to forget self
in the interest of the club. Premiums
are offered in most all counties to the
school that makes the best record; that
is, the school that enrolls the greatest
number Of boys and gets them to
come through" with their final re-
ports. The school making the highest
average yield at the lowest average
cost gets the premium. The premium
for schools IL usually an agricultural
library. Here the individual is lost
sight of and the boys efforts are made
for the good Of the community.
Then in the district contests we see
county pitted against county and the
boys taking q keen delight in aiding
their counties to win.
Last, but not least, IL the state con-
test held in Atlanta each year under
the auspices of the Atlanta chamber
of commerce. Here, again, county II
pitted against county and district
against district. OF course individual
premiums are offered at all contests.
but the greater amount Of the pre-
miums 60 to school, county and dis
trict clubs. Let 1t be repeated that
the boys take an active part in work
ing for these club premiums.
I overheard two boys discussing
their prospects. They had each gath
cred their corn and displayed an ex-
hibit at the county contest and failed
to win q premium. One boy was In the
act of taking down his exhibit and
carrying 1t home when the second boy
remarked. John. don't carry your ten
ears back home, but leave them here
and have them sent to Atlanta They
will help our county win = premium
there" This boy had learned his les
son in cooperation. Does any one
think that this young farmer will be
slow to enter into cooperative organi-
zations when he grows to be q man?
I believe that he win enter these or
ganizations readily whether they be
organizations for production. buying
or selling. Organizations composed of
such fellows - this will always be
successful.
The training in cooperative organi-
zation Is one of the most valuable
things done In corn-club work. It will
make possible THE Age Of Cooper
ton" which is just ahead Of Us.
SWEET SORGHUM FOR FORAGE
Patch viii savs Grain and Hay and