Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-09
C0L0RED PEOPLE JOIN
PREPAREDNESS CAMPAIGN
VIII Plant Larger Crops and Seek to
Solve Nations Food
Problem.
WOMEN IN CANNING CLUBS
Rural Negroes Being "MobiIizcd"
Under Direction OF State School
Inspector Answers Propagandists
Who Seek to Sow Discord.

Who Seek to Sow Discord.
The great body or negroes living ia
in n state preparedness campaign,
according 10 State School Inspector
Arthur ID. Wright. who has general
oversight or the educational work
among colorcd people of tho State for
The department OF Public Instruction.
With ut least 100 people engaged in
non military pursuits 10 each one en-
gagged in martial work. Inspector
wright believes that there Is "a great
burden OF responsibility to be borne by
the civil population during tho present
CRISIS. ana to arouse the cnlorcd poo
pie to "A sense of their responsibility
ana to point out their opportunities
he proposes TO utilize The existing
organization OF the negro school work
OF tho state
There arc at present something over
fifty negro workers engaged in ffty
counties Of Virginia. known locally az
supervising Industrial teachers. and
IT Is through them that it is planned
10 reach the mass of the people gen
orally.
These workers during tho winter
months are engaged in introducing tile
''"NI''HS VI INDUSTRIAL WORN III the TN-
raj schools. but when the compare
lively short terms are out In the
spring. they turn their attention 10
certain forms OF club work among tho
negro women and girls known as
Home Makers Club"
These clubs enroll tho women and
Etr'a IN groups TO cultivate home gar
iens and TO preserve and can the
fruits and vegetables raised in these
gardens
may be raised on the farms on which
they live. During tho summer ~ 1916
therc were approximately 100 NO
men aud 1900 girls enrolled In thcs.
clubs and they reported that they put
up over 100000 cans OF vegetables and
fruits. besides using q large Quantity.
Of the products Of their gardens during
the summer. With the incentive OF
contributing to their country's pre-
rarcdness II is believed that during
the summer OF 1917 tho club womc r,
ana girls should save At least 100. 900
cans "f fruits and vegetables. especial
ly as tho work VIII he conducted in
summer II was only in thirty-hve
counties. Justification OF tho above
belief can be had from the popularity
OF this work among the negroes OF the
state. as indicated hy the fact that
lfenrico County in 1905 employed Vir-
industrial teacher in the cntire South,
whi.c now more than nifty workers are
employed in Virginia alone. This
work receives its financial! support
from "a number Of sources. among
those in addition 10 the local school
authorities being the extension depart
meEt oc the Virginia Polytechnic In
stitutc. the General Education Board,
the Jcanrs Fund, Mrs Charles r.
Crane and Hampton Institute. Lizzie
y. Jenkins, Negro Home dcmonstra-
ton agent for Virginia, has general
supervision OF thcsc workers.
NEGRO FARMERS RALIN
TO CALL FOH PATRIOTISM
Coordinate with the womcn's work
Is the work for men under the dircc-
ton Of John II. Fierce, district dem
ons'ration agent for Virginia, who has
charge or some twenty county farm
dcmonstration agents. These agents
have been called upon by their chief
TO rally to the call OF patriotism bv
urging their people TO raise larger
ana better crops for both man and
beast. and the cordial cooperation of
lhe farm demonstration agents with
the homc-makcrs' club workers il as
surcd.
y number OF meetings in each coun-
~ are being planned at which methods
OF cultivation, preserving and market
ing VIII be discussed and the hest
crops to be cultivated will be deter
mined.
1t is proposed that each farmer be
urged to cultivate not more than he
can cultivate well. but all that he car
properly cultivate and TO cultivate IL
IN the most intelligent and economical
manner. diversifyinE his crops so a.. to
eliminate 10 the utmost tho habit OF
raising small money crop and using,
the proceeds OF that crop TO live OUT
OF the store" the balance Of the year.
The women and girls will he espec-
'ailT urged to preserve and can in
larger measure the crops OF The farms
or OF their own gardens. ana it is
planned TO offer rewards TO those doin.,
superior work. The slogan of the cam
paiGn Will he larger crops and less
waste"
ENTER INTO PLAN WITH
ZEAL AND ENTHUSIASM
Already Il number OF the leading
negroes OF the state have expressed
10 Inspector Wright their approval o,
the proposed campaign. The reply OF
PRESIDENT John NJ. Candy, cf the Vir-
ginia Normal and Industrial institute,
at Petersburg. is typical President
Candy says. The negro should bear
his share OF the burden now upon III,
in the present crisis. The women and
children can contribute no little by
cultiVating larger acreage in gardens
and by canning and preserving fruits.
berries and other farms products I
ann sure the negro people in Virginia
will enter into the plan with zeal and
enthusiasm.
Prominent white citizens to whom
the plan has been mentioned. have ex-
pressed their approval and their
pleasure at learning OF the attitude OF
the negroes. az showing in a striking
manner the answer of the Virginia ne
groes TO the propagandlsts who have
apparently been attempting TO SOW
seeds OF discord throughout the South.
rhe opinion has also been expressed
that the patriotism displayed in this
kind OF preparedness Will be most
valuable contribution to the welfare
or the nation, as we'll as being calcu-
lated to have very direct bearing on
further efforts of the cost Of living
10 mount higs~r.
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