The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-03-06
STUDY
OF Agriculture For Year
Urged As A Prize
Instead OF The Usual Trip
To Washington

washington, March 4~-It Is recon-
mended by the department of agricuI-
ture that instead of trip to Wash
ington, the prize winners of the corn,
canning, poultry, and other clubs that
have become SO popular over the coun-
try during the past few years, be Civ.
en- years course in an agricultural
college. In case the academic train
ing of the prize winner would not en-
title him to enter an agricultural col
lege, the department recommends q
more elementary course in school
where agriculture is taught, or a
course in an agricultural high school.
Such courses, 1t is said, will prob
ably have considerably more lasting
value for the prize winners and for
agriculture in their sections than fiy-
ing trips to the national capital. Last
autumn scores of young men and wo-
men came to Washington because they
had stood at the head of the lists of
corn growers, Gamers, ETC., in their
several localities hey saw the sights
Of the city, shook hands with President
Wilson and after a few days returned
to their homes. The cost of such trips,
particularly when the prize winners
come from the South and middle West,
is rather great, and the same money,
expended in short courses in agricul-
ture, would, in the opinion of the de-
partment experts, result in a greater
amount Of permanent good.
One of the first persons to raise the
question was Willie P. Brown, an Ar
kansas corn club prize winner. Given
his choice of all the prizes offered. by
the state, including the trip to Wash
ington he selected scholarship giving
him years tuition in an agricultural
school. This gave impetus to the idea
in Arkansas, and now the biggest an
nual prize offered the corn club boys
is scholarship given by the Bankers
Association. The same association
gives a similar scholarship TO the girl
champions Of the canning clubs.
While year course with all expens-
es paid is the proposal of officials OF
the agricultural department, less ex-
tensiye courses, it is pointed out,
might be offered county winners. Large
cash prizes are not to be encouraged,
! according to those who have worked
with the young contestants.
It is also believed that it is better
to offer many small prizes than few
large ones. If 20 boys try for a prize
and only one can win some of the 10
unsuccessful ones will not try again,
but if there could be half dozen first
prizes, more merit would be recogniz-
ed, and the remaining IA would see
more possible opportunities of success
the following year.
In some states boards of trade and
chambers of commerce have recogn-
d lied the efforts of the clubs by giving
dinners for the young people and en-
tertaining them with street car and
| OL OtilCi OSSuoiOAAo
clubs have been honored by an invi-
tation to march in parades, where they
have attracted much attention.
From Memphis, Tenn, comes an in
teresting story which is sample OF
what has been done in other states for
prize winners. In Arkansas, Tennes-
see and Mississippi, which are annu-
ally represented at the Memphis tri-
state fair, it was decided to send GER
tain boy prize winners to the fair. At
the fair the young men were housed
in tents, and in charge OF men employ
ed by the state to look after their in
terests and help them see and under
stand the important features of the
fair. The trip was a success.
The understanding here is that the
corn and other clubs are to increase in
number the present year The depart
ment of agriculture is doing all that 1t
can to encourage them in all parts of
the country.
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