The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-27
CHILDREN TO AID
Kansas Youngsters in Bigger
Crop Campaign.
Governor Capper Asks 100000
Volunteers at Once.

Kansas youngsters in the public
schools have been urged by Governor
Capper to aid IN the battle for bigger
crops. In a special proclamation the
governor has asked 100000 boys and
girls to volunteer their services in
statewide crop growing campaign.
The governors proclamation asks
the school children of the state 10
raise corn. potatoes, tomatoes and
other crops. SUpcrintendents and
principals in schools turnout the state
have been asked to read the governors
proclamation.
The Proclamation.
The proclamation reads:
To the School Boys and Girls of Kansas.
MY dear friends:
Our nation is going to need you. not
as soldiers or seamen or army officers,
but as producers of food and clothing.
viii you not honor yourselves. your state.
and your country by offering your serv-
ices to the nation with the same Willingness
and feeling of patriotism if you were
Uncle Sans soldiers? In the true sense
you can be his real soldiers and the battle
"vhich you are to help win has already be
gun, namely. the battle for food products.
The whole country must be fed Our own
hoys-yes, our own brothers. fathers. cou-
sins and uncles-may need the additional
food that You boys and girls can pro-
duce. to keep them from hunger.
There are something like 400 900 school
boys and girls in Kansas. and I want
100000 of you to volunteer at once to grow
such garden crops sweet corn toma-
toes and string beans; to help can the sur
plus from all the gardens and orchards
of your neighborhood: to raise a pen of
chickens; to feed a pig or to help increas Sc
our dairy products. If 100000 of you
would produce just half as much on a
square rod did the 12-year-old girl in
Jewell county last year, who won the state
garden club prize. you could feed for nearly
seven months. the 10000 soldiers called
from Kansas.
There are 10000 boys in the state who
are old enough to raise a square rod OF
garden, keep a pen of chickens. and feed a
pig, as did 14-year-oId Everett Read. OF
Rice county. last year, and who could thus
feed the half-million soldiers asked for by
President Wilson, ninety days.
There is another thing that boys and
girls can do. They can test seed for the
/ farmers. great deal of corn and sorghum
/ seed in Kansas did not ripen last wear
Much of it. If planted will not grow. II
j only half the seed that your father plant.
Will grow. he cannot hope to harvest a full
| crop. The only way to find out whether
seed will grow is to test IT. Your teacher
| will show you how to test corn and sor
! join together and make plans to test seec
for every farmer in your neighborhood
! who wants you to do It?
Kansas can perform the greatest seryfc,
TO our country thru agriculture. For thi
reason. | appeal to you boys and girls I,
| rally to your call Just as patriotically al
| are the brave young men who are goin,
| to the front as soldiers. 1t is lust a
| important for you to do your part as pro
ducers as it is for these young men to d
| their part in the battles in which they ms,
| be placed Sincerely yours. ~
ARTHUR CAPPER
i Governor.