Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-03-23
Bows Agricultural Clubs.

Boys Agricultural Clubs.
Estate Leader Boys Agricultural Club Work a
Farmers Week. Orono)
No movement in recent years has beer
OF more value or more permanent bene
fit than the formation of agriculture
clubs for boys in the rural districts
Starting in New York in 1898 and spread
ing to nearly every state in the Unior
with an enrolment at present Of more
than 100000, places the club project
among the foremost educational move
ments in recent years.
Clubs were irst formed In Maine in
1918 under the auspices Of the Extension
Department of the College of Agricul
ture. During the year 1914, thirty pota
to and poultry clubs were organized in
ten counties and tweuty-seven towns,
with total enrolment Of nearly 800.
Forty-two percent of those enrolled re-
ported at the close of the season.
The average yield per acre of potatoes
by those reporting was 343.5 bushels.
The average cost per bushel was 81
cents. The yield was excellent but the
cost per bushsl was little high, due no
doubt to lack of proper business meth
DDS in handling the crop.
Two projects are carried on In the
clubs, Potatoes, and Poultry. The plan
OF organization is simple and Is made up
of local, general, county and state clubs.
A local club is formed in any town or
community in the state where six boys
between the ages of ten and eighteen
years are interested and Local Leader
can be secured to supervise the club.
The members meet and elect their
officers, President, Vice President, Sec
retsry, and Treasurer, and the same
form is followed in their meeting as 10
used In any business or social organiza-
ton.
The general club is made up OF boys
who live away from the centers and are
unable to join local club but wish to
grow the potatoes or poultry: Ihese
boys enroll directly with the state leader
who is in charge. This affords the "ione
boy" chance to do something.
Contests each year are held for each
local club, at which essays are read Oh
How | Made and Marketed My Crop,
and records presented showing in detail
the total cost Of production, and an ex-
hibit of potatoes or poultry.
Prizes are usually offered for the best
records, essays and exhibits. The con-
test for the General Club is held in con-
uection with the county association OF
clubs, that is held each year on or before
December lst. The county association
is made up in membership of the win
ners at the Local Contests and the Cen
eral Contests. Prizes are usually offer'
ed. This contest is directly in charge
of the state leader.
The State Association Of Agricultural
Clubs is made up in membership of the
winners from the County Contests and Is
held each year during the Christmas re-
cess at the University OF Maine. Prizes
are offered and competed for ss at the
local and county contests.
At the contest held at the University
last December, seventy-six boys and
girls and ten local leaders were present.
$3.50 in prizes were awarded to thirty-si1
different boys and girls. 1t was the
greatest event of their lives.
That is only beginning. 1t has open
ed an avenue Of approach to the country
boy that heretofore had been undreamed
of. Through the club work, We hope 10
give every boy chance to earn more
money, get better education, to be
better citizen, be of more service to his
community and state, make homes
brighter, schools better and opportuni-
ties broader.