The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-04-13
COLORED CITIZENS
CALLED TO MEETING.
Necessity of Food Production Ad-
vanced by a Number of Local Citi-
zcns, Both White and Colored-
Garden Seed Distributed.

a meeting for the purpose of in
~.eresting the colored people of Gre
NADIA in the necessity of raising gar
dens on all available plots was called
at the court house at Grenada Tues
day night. =.
The idea of this meeting originated
! in the minds of two of Grenada's
most patriotic women, the names of
whom. by their request. are not Civ
en-. These ladies as a preparation
for this meeting had secured from
Congressman 7. u. Sisson fifty pack
ages of assorted garden seed.
The meeting was presided over by
Mr.. W. B. Hoffa, Chairman. After
calling the meeting to order and ex-
planning that it was called for the
purpose of explaining the necessity
of food production of all possible
magnitude in each community, intro
duced in turn, the following speak
ers: Messrs. J. R. Countiss. W. M.
Dubard. V. R. Patterson and C. c.
Bell; also several colored citizens, as
follows: Joe Phillips. Jerry Wealth
ers. E. f. Pettibone, Rev. B. F. Wool
folk. 1t was demonstrated by the
speakers that the country now at wal
must so organize its agricultural &C
Invites that each section must raise
the food necessary for the mainten-
ance of it's OWL civilian population
and leave the transportation facilities
of the nation free for governmental
requirements, that in pursuit of this
general policy, each man must raise
the food necessary for the use of his
own family and also a surplus for the
maintenance of those who are other
wise occupied in the promotion of the
nations victory. 1t was shown that
every available bit of ground should
be utilized for the production Of food.
Every man, however, arduous is his
usual occupation, has sufficient time
to work a small garden.
The seed are to be distributed to
the colored citizens who have already
prepared their ground, and to those
who are known to be reliable. The
seed being limited in volume, will not
be given to those who bear reputa-
tons for shiftlessness. Wednesday
morning. the ladies secured twenty
five or thirty dollars to be used in the
purchase of additional seed for the
use of the home gardeners. as the
fifty packages secured from the gov
eminent proved to be inadequate for
the demand.
The colored speakers took occas-
ion to say hat this is their country,
and that they and the people whom
they represent are ready and willing
to serve their country in any way
that they IAN. They do not wish to
be classed by any one as aliens. and
they assured the white people that
the colored people would follow
where the whites lead. The meet
ing really evolved into one of pa
triotic nature, and it was very graft
flying to all that so much patriotic
fervor and zeal was exhibited.
A good suggestion was made by
one Of the ladies who promoted the
meeting. The suggestion was that
each person who has a surplus of
cabbage, tomato, pepper and other
plants, give the surplus to some per-
son who has none of these things,
and by doing so. do a "bit" for the
nation and its people. Usually quite
1 large per cen of the plants are not
utilized.