Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-10-21
ORGANIZATION PLAN FOR
AGRICULTURAL CLUBS

receive more than. .......p prizes.
The committee of judges for the
annual school fair shall be selected by
the local leader.
Exhibits winning prizes at the school
fair should be sent TO the annual county
contest and even to the State contest"
HolV to Keep up the GLIB Interest
The success of the rural school club
depends largely upon the cooperation OF
the school teacher, county superintend-
ent of education, extension representa-
tive, and the club leader of the State
college of agriculture. Shortly after the
club is organized the teacher should sub
init the names of the members to the
county superintendent of education, who
can assist in furnishing the club with
literature directing them in the work.
The teacher will find it advantageous to
have the extension representative make
talks before the school, as well as visit
the contestants home projects as he
makes his rounds from time to time.
The teacher should visit the homes of
all club members and, together with the
boys and girls and other members of
their families, go to the prize acres, etc,
and have the owners tell the methods of
preparing the soil, fertilizing, and culti-
waiting the crop. Such trip will suggest
much material for discussion at club
meetings and for regular class instruc-
ton in agriculture. There should be
local committee of three men and three
women who will encourage the children,
interest influential members of the COM
munity in the club, and from time to
time inspect the work of the club
SchooI-Exhibit Day.
To close the contest work of the boys
and girls, one day of the school year
should be set apart for the display of
the club work. The small exhibit in the
local school is of most value, but two or
more schools may combine in having
the exhibit. To make it success, not
only the children but the parents must
be interested; the social element being
very important.
If possible, a speaker should be Sc
cured who can talk Interestingly on
When this is done there
should be forenoon program for the
speaker and one in the afternoon when
the children should take the prominent
place and show the results of their club
and home work The best compositions
on the more interesting phases of the
work and on related subjects should be
read. Music should also be part of
the program.
Contests in judging corn, breadmak-
ing, rope tying and seed-corn stringing
might be part of the program. A COM
petent person should be secured to judge
the exhibits prepared by the club MEM
bers, making it feature of the day, the
announcement of the winners to be a
part of the program.
Dinner should be served at the school,
the menu to contain as many products
grown by the children as possible.
Decorated place cards for the dinner or
souvenirs of the day should be made
by the pupils, this being one real way
10 teach decorative art.
The schoolroom should be appropriate
" decorated, the work and products OF
he club members being used as far as
possible for this purpose.
Prizes.
The matter of prizes is of considerable
Importance. While the various contests
If the club members have for their
primary object the assistance of the
eacher and the public schools to find
IN easy approach, educationally, to all
he interests of rural and village life
md to form a connecting link between
,arent and teacher farm and school, it
S found that prizes can be used to ad-
,antage. Many small prizes are better