The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-06-04
BANKS HELP BOYS.
Southern Business Men Help
Club Members to Buy
Pure-Bred Pigs-1he
"Schoolhouse Pig"
A New Wrin-
kle.

A number of banks in the South
which have found it profitable to help
farmers introduce better stock have
found that it is good investment to
lend money to the boy and girl mem
bers of the pig clubs with which to
buy good young sows. This new
movement to encourage children to
take an interest in agriculture seems
to have started in Arkansas and has
spread to other States. 1t is very ac-
tive in Georgia, where in 10 of the
Ia counties in which the pig-club work
is now being carried on the banks
have offered to lend money TO junior
members for the purchase of pure
bred pigs. In other counties wealthy
residents, seeing the advantage of the
plan, are also assisting the children
with loans.
In some instances the Endorsement
of the members parent or guardian is
required when a loan is made, in 9TH
ers no security is asked. In all of
the counties, however, each boy who
borrows is required to grow one acre
of corn so as to have abundant feed,
have some corn to sell, and pay off
his obligations. A bank in BROOKS
County, Ga, last year loaned as high
as $40 each to boys over their own
signature without security, and in on
ly few instances did the borrowers
ask for an extension of time.
This movement by the banks instills
thrift into the boys and often starts
them with bank accounts. One bank
in Macon has set aside $500 this year
to loan to boys who wish to pur
chase pure-bred pigs. Recently a
well-to-do farmer came into the bank
and indorsed his sons note for $40.
The cashier asked him why he did it
when he had a substantial checking
account of his own in the bank. "Oh,
| | just wanted to see how the boy
handles this obligation. If he does
not pay it, | will, but it will be worth
$40 to me to know what kind of boy
| have" replied the farmer.
An Endless Chain of Pigs.
In one county wealthy man want
ed to do something for the worthy
poor boys. so he bought rure-bred
gifts and leaned them to 20 boys
These boys must join the pig club and
do all that is required bv its rules.
This fall their hogs must he bred ard
next spring two gifts must be deliver
ed to the owner by each bov At wean-
ing time. When the bows hpve COM
piled with all the requirements tn"
mother and remainder If the litter
become the property of the boy. The
two gifts delivered by the bows are
in turn loaned to two boys in the
county who are REQUIRED to do as the
first boys did. This plan is now in
operation in two counties.
| "The schoolhouse pig" is a new and
popular phase of extension of pig pro-
duction in Georgia. A patron of the
school gives shoat or pig to the pu-
pills. The big boys build pen under
the shade of some trees on the school
house grounds. The little boys go
into the woods and collect pine needles
and make the bed. Others build a
shelter over the corner of the pen and
construct a feed trough. The girls,
for surely the girls are interested.
collect all the scraps from the lunch
baskets at noon and feed them to the
pig. The pupils also bring to school,
occasionally, an ear of corn for their
pet pig. On Saturdays and Sundays
a boy living near the school does tie
feeding. Some of the schools barbe
cue the pig at the end of the year,
others hold an auction. and with the
money buy library books or some
thing for the schoolroom.
Care must be exercised that the p;g
is not overfed At one place in Geor-
gia he was foundered twice in one
week. At another school the patrons
wondered what was wrong. The chill
dren came home at night hollow to
their heels and tcted awav in thew
dinner baskets each morning enough
rood food IN gore a hungry harvest
lI