West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-06-17
MANY BOYS AND GIRLS
CLUBS BEING ORGANIZED
Objects and Methods of the Move
ment to Make Rural Life Fuller
and More Appealing-Excrts
Great Influence Upon Parents
Agriculture and Home Economies


The primary object OF the boys and
girls clubs, which are being organized
throughout the country with the as.
sistance OF the agricultural depart-
ment but i'm cooperation with the
state colleges OF agriculture. Is to aid
young people to become more efficient
and more contented farmers and home
builders. BY cultivating i'm bows and
girls habits OF industry and thrift. the
possibilities of farm and country life
are revealed not only TO them but to
their elders. The best methods of
handling farm products and prevent
ing waste are demonstrated. the spirit
OF cooperation I'm family and commun-
ity is developed. and the dignity of the
i2rmer's vocation enhanced by pre-
senting it as skilled occupation. cap
able OF returning adequate rewards TO
the competent Finally. the school
life and the home life of bows and
girls are brought into closer relation
ship, and the rural school teacher aid
ed in the task of making agricultural
instruction vital thing.
The clubs may be organized under
the leadership OF the county superin
tendent OF schools or any OF the teach
ers under him. II the educational an
thorities of the county are not vet
alive to the possibilities of these clubs
the county demonstration agent may
take charge OF the movement. or II
| thcre is no demonstration agent I'm
the county such organizations as local
chambers of commerce. the Grange
women's clubs. etc, may assume the
leadership. The names and addresses
OF the boys and girls included i'm the
cl IBIS are collected and sent 10 the
state agent, who will furnish organiza-
ton and cultural instructions upon re-
| quest
| Experience has shown however. that
the difficulty is not in organizing n
| club with a large enrolment of NOM
bers' but in inducing these members
to complete their work and report on
the results. The test OF efficiency Is
| not SO much the organization of new
clubs as continuing interest In those
| already formed. The leaders, dutv
| therefore is to keep in touch with
| the members of the club, encourage
| those who need encouragement, and to
see that once project has been start
ed II Is carried on TO completion.
TO assure this continuity of interest
various schemes have been evolved to
make the club work progressive Thus
in the case of the boys clubs a num-
| Der OF rotation systems have been de-
| Vised. In the South. for example.
there is two-year rotation. i'm which
corn Is followed by a winter cover
| crop or oats or rye with clover or
vetch TO be turned under The second
| year cowpeas or soy beans or peanuts
are grown, followed by a winter cover
| crop which is turned under and fol-
| lowed by corn the third year. In Ala
bama and Georgia there is a three
year rotation which consists of seed
cotton. corn and oats, and cowpeas.
In the North. corn is followed by for
age crops, alfalfa, and clover, and a
club project in poultry, pigs, or baby
beef is added
Such systems as these. however. arc
not practicable in every locality. and
state agents sometimes have to resort
TO unusual methods to interest the
Youngsters i'm useful work. The state
club agent in Washington. for exam
pie, was confronted with a rather diff
hcult problem in the vicinity Of Bell
ingham. north OF Puget Sound. Much
of that country Is owned by the Fed
eral government and by large land
holders. and is mostly covered with
large forests. Here the problem of
giving the boys interesting and edu-
cational work was solved by means OF
the angora goat. The large estate
owners arc pleased to have goats for
age in the forests, as they clean IN
the underground and the state agent
contends that this kind of club is the
most practical for that part of the
country
Another example Of agents adapting
their plans to circumstances Is the
canning Of salmon in Washington and
Oregon, mainly along the Columbia
river. There thousands OF tons OF sal
mon have gone to waste annually. At
present 25 clubs OF about 20 members
each are canning salmon. turning
what has heretofore been wasted into
a well preserved article Of food.
In the girls clubs new members
grow tomatoes only. During the sec
ond year they divide their gardens I'm
half and grow tomatoes and few
other crops The third year they
have more crops. Some OF the com
binations are tomatoes, beans. and
beets; and tomatoes, peppers and ok
ra. After these have been mastered
the girls begin to FIJI their gardens
with perennial vegetables and fruits.
In this way by the time club girl
is ready for the high school or college
she will have started a permanent gar
den or orchard
The effect Of this club work is by
no means confined to the members
+. themselves. Many OF the county
agents have found that It is the best
d possible introduction to the home OF
d the members parents In practically
3 | every cIub A has beop rcttcoa a.,