Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-12-31
HISTORY OF BOYS
CORN CLUBS Is
TOLD IN DETAIL
Report Of General Education Board Sum-
marizes Efforts TO Interest Boys and
Girls Of South in Intelligent Farm
Methods-Enrollment on Increase.

New York. Dee. 3l.-An interesting
chapter in the first comprehensive report
Of the work Of the general education board,
lust made public. summarizes the efforts
to interest boys and girls in intelligent,
money producing farming methods. The
history of the Boys Corn clubs Is related
in detail. The report says, in part:
"Thc farm demonstration work was de-
signed 10 reach adult farmers. Obviously,
the need for instruction Of this type would.
in the long run. disappear il. so to speak.
the farmer were caught Younger. The
Bows Corn club was designed 20 accom-
plish this end.
"Sporadic clubs had already been or
ganized bv n few county superintendent
of education. when. in 1905. DR.. Knapp APP
propriated and made the most of the idea.
As far "a possible every bov should plant
an acre Of corn on his fathers farm: in
every neighborhood there should he a To-
cal boys corn club: next. county and state
organizations: finally, n federation Of
corn clubs. including every Southern state.
local. county and state prizes should
be awarded: the topmo~t boys should b.
sent to Washington. Ia meet the secretary
Of agriculture and to shake hands with the
president. The expanded idea was an ef-
for to appeal to the boys :masination-
asSnrcdlv an effective way of Identifying
the farming profession. But the Shrcwd
old teacher knew that merely decorative
distinctions would in the long run prove
Ineffective. The hoy. therefore. was 10 sell
his crop and pocket the money.
"a club consists essentially Of n group
Of boys varying IN number from twenty
five IL one hundred. and ranging in age
from 10 t. Is. Corn and cotton are both
cultivated, hut corn j. preferred; first. be
cause the South needs more corn: second
". because corn lends itself better 10 study
and selection.
"As a rule. each member works n plot
Of one acre. The county superintendent
of education j. usually in charge. APP
pointed special agent Of the department Of
agriculture with a nominal salary Of 81 n
year. he obtains the franking privilege
which enables him to procure reports from
the BOYS and to disseminate information
and instruction among them.
But more and more other agencies
also undertake 10 cooperate. prominent
among them being state colleges of agri-
culture. of which nine were regularly con-
'nected with the work in the year 1912.
The club enrolment has increased with
- -uw.l... n..- Al -
ment Of 1898 in 1905. IL increased IL ap-
nrovimatcly 81 900 in 1913.
1.-THE growth of the club work i itself
the hest proof of the enthusiasm excited
and the substantial material results
achieved. Nor has it, influence been lin
tied to the bov>: for the crops raised have
~ new standards and opened new yistas
tor the adult farmer.
I'm 1910. for example. the bov,' clubs az
Holmes county. Mississippi. averaged TG
bushels ~ corn per acre. while their fa-
Tiers were averaging Ii. In the same sea
son. 100 hov~ IN varion> parts III the Sonth
averaged 1897 bushels. and one hoy pro-
duced over 900; the following season. Too
boys averaged l37.ls bushels. seven hov~
raised over 200; in 1911. al made over
100 bushels 10 the acre: in 1912. 4g3
I'm awarding prizes for these notable
performances. various factors are taken
into consideration and credit J. given ar-
cordinglv: 20 per cent J. allowed for Weld.
70 per cent for the showing 81 profit. 20
pcr cent for the best ten car~. 20 PER cent
for the best written report.