Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-02-10
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS.


Mr.. ingalls,, organizer of Boys and
Girls Club work in the extension
service Of the department of agricult-
ure, lectured at the school one evening
last week, on the development and
nature of the work throughout the
country. AS the lecture was iIustrat-
ed, those present were impressed with
the practlcality of starting club work
in a community like Barton. AS a
result of the efforts of boys and girls
IN many of our southern states, many
acres of land which had been formerly
considered almost worthless, have been
placed under profitable cultivation.
This feature of the work illustrates
the principle of intensive as against
that of extension farming. In this
way 80, 600 acres have been reclaimed
by almost as many boys and girls.
The best that Vermont can do in corn
raising is forty bushels to the acre.
Vermont is not corn raising state
But under trying conditions the boys
and girls clubs of the South have
been able to beat out Vermont in the
| production of this cereal. The depart
ment aims to stimulate interest, not
by an offer of cash prizes but by offer
ing medals, banners or pennants for
club achievements. AS a matter of
fact the idea of giving cash prizes is
everywhere discouraged. The aim is
to offer utility prizes which will stimu-
late the most interest. These prizes run
ali the way from different colored rib
bons to college courses in agriculture.
The emblem of club work is the four
leaf clover. upon each leaf of which
there is an "H''. These stand for
Head, Heart, Hand and Health Club
work should be done with the head, i.
e., intelligently our heart should be in
all our efforts; the hand should be
ever ready to take hold and help we
should observe the principles Of health
| in canning, preserving and wherever
| else necessary.
At first very elementary processes
are studied. Seeds are studied so as
to ascertain the proper depths different
| seeds may best be sown This is done
by planting seeds at different depths
in a bottle so that the process Of
development may be observed Vari
Gus soils are examined and tes' e1 so a.
to determine what may be most profit
ably cultivated. The department i.
anxious to keep in close touch with
these thousands of organizations 81
that the very best results may bt
secured by the boys and girls
Clubs often specialize in one thing
as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, poultry
etc
Quite often the streets or bare publ
plots are beautified by flower garden
here and there while in suitable loca
tions hedges are encouraged to grow
heretofore, much of this latter worl
has fallen to the lot of improvement
associations until of late years
demand has been made for more help
ers.
In this way workers are able to be
come more efficient in their specis
endeavors than they otherwise would
Today we believe that by specaliZin
one is more certain of ultimate success
We are told that ones culture begin
when one takes real interest in som
one thing and makes a special stud
of it. The whole scheme of club wor
is cooperative. The department ha
placed county agents or advisors in al
the states where the extension servic
has taken root. Each agent keeps i
touch with the work done in his parti,
Ular county. advising, when requisite
! to do so, the leaders of the sever;
, clubs. At the close of the lecture
an after meeting was held for thos
who feel thai some definite wor
, should be begun in Barton. Th
r interest in this meeting was so marke
! that it was decided to organize loc:
5 association. Though no particuls
name was chosen for the local organic:
ton, the following officers were electe
t for one year: Local supervisor, Mis-
Clemma Seaver; president. Waite
Buckley; secretary, Alice Wakemar
vice-president, Rawson CaIkins.