The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-12

progress favoraby or the tomatoes ma ture properly, she must know what is wrong and be able to tell the girl how to remedy 1t.
 She must show each one how to keep
 her accounts regarding time and money spent on her plot, in order that neces-
 sary reports may be made. She must
 give canning demonstrations in different parts of the county. and she must see
 that the girls understand this process and
 that they keep their canned tomatoes up to the standard quality. She Is required to report to the extension department at Auburn the work she does each day, and
 on the few days she is not doing field
 work she must write the girls and send
 them directions and leaflets regarding the work.
 It is easy to see that not just anybody
 could fill the place of one of these county demonstrators. that it requires really ! ca pablo person to conduct this work, con
 tinuing throughout an entire season and
 maintaining a high standard at every
 stage. The personality of the demonstra- tor largely decides the success or the In-
 dividual girls venture. Quite frequently this is the girls first attempt at having anything of their own and dung any thing on their own responsibility Nat
 urally the person who is directing them plays an important part ,n their under- l taking. To them she is Burbank in their gardens, a Heinz in canning. and Wanamaker in selling, an expert account
 ant when they are puzzled over their | timekeepns and expense account
 Mrs. Hodges Director in St. Clair
 To fill this place in St. Clair county Mrs B. S. Hodges Of Odenville was ap- pointed She is doing the work required to the complete satisfaction of every one concerned. and she is going farther than
 that. In the first place. she is sincerely
 interested in school activities. She was a
 schoolgirl when the St. Clair county high l school was located at Odcuville six years l ago. She Is one of it's graduates and she 1 is particularly devoted to that school. 1 She is president of the St Clair County School Improvement association, and she l has been visiting the schools of the county l in the interest of that work and the l tomato club.
 1 Original School Improvement Work l One bit of her work With the former
 was out of the ordinary and is worthy ol following in every county. Near the l Ashville road, the principal thoroughfare
 through the county, a little, old, 1 dilapidated schoohouse known as the 1 Pine Forest school. The patrons are 1 farmers, with no corporation or public 1 fund to depend upon in improving their | school. Except that the teacher salary l is paid by the state, the patrons bear l | was needed. but the expense had been a 1 drawback and a damper to the willing
 ness that might have caused them to | build one. Mrs. Hodges saw, in the loca- 1 ton, an opportunity to arouse interest | to secure a better school. She pointed
 out to the people that their school was I in a conspicuous place and that an at | tractive building and grounds would be | a credit to the community. and she pro- | posed to work that school up into the model school of the county. The result was a new building. Instead of rebuild , ing on the low spot on which the old house stood. the new one was built on an elevated lot beside the Ashville road. It Is a neat two-roomed building. com fortably furnished. The yard is well cared for by the children, and flowers have been planted It is winning a repu- tation for its neatness and travellers on the road note the trim little place. The work is not complete: for, better than ready-made perfection. this is to grow
 and develop into the model school. It
 is yet to be painted. and Mrs. Hodges hopes that the adjoining ground may be
 secured for a playground and for other
 school uses. such as an experiment and
 demonstration garden. This work was
 Mrs. Hodges Introduction into school ex-
 tension. and it Is indicative of the earn
 estness she shows and the cooperation
 she inspires
 Deeply Interested in Tomato Clubs
 Her management of the St. Clair county
 tomato clubs is equally as capable
 girl from that county, Erin Westbrook of Odenville, won the state prize last
 year. and Mrs. Hodges is doing work that compares favoraby with that Ut
 would hardly be possible for a girl to work under her direction without being influenced by her strong fine, sweet na- ture. for she is truly beautiful woman