The Press., 1917-05-24
BOYS WANTED FOR SERVICE ON
 CONNECTICUT FARMS
VIII Bs Enrolled as Junior Ag- rIculturaI Volunteers
 of Federal Plan.
RECOGNITION PROMISED

RECOGNITION PROMISED
 Each Win Wear Badge From National
 Government and Receive Certificate
 Signed by Governor HOleomb-sehooIs
 to Release Boys Above Fourteen Years
 Old to Aid Their Country In Produe-
 ing Food Crops.
 Announcement has just been made
 by the Connecticut Committee of Food
 Supply of the details of its plan for
 the mobilization of schOolboys for farm
 service, under which the boys of Con-
 nectieut over fourteen years of age may aid their nation in its war pro- gram by active help in the great task of feeding America, its army and navy and its allies.
 The boys of this state who enter this service will become members of the Connecticut Junior Agricultural VOlun- teers, a war emergency organization which is a part of the United States Boys Working Reserve, and will be entitled to wear an official button from the national government and when they have complied with the conditions of their enrolment by working the equivalent of thirty full days or more will receive an appropriate certificate signed by Governor Marcus H. HOl- comb.
 The plan for the employment of boys on the farms this summer has been developed by the food supply commit tee in conference with and with the approval of the principals of high and private schools in Connecticut, the sec retary of the state board of education, the school supervising agents, the Con- necticut Agricultural College Extension Service and the several farm bureaus. The plan has the cordial indOrSement of the state grange, the farm bureaus and the state board of agriculture.
 Ex-Yale Captain Interested.
 Arthur Howe of Windsor, who was captain of the Yale football team in 1911, has accepted an appointment from the Committee on Food Supply to act as enrolment officer for the boys reserve and will assist in putting the plan into operation. In this work the food supply committee will cooperate with Hon. William E. Hall, assistant secretary of labor, who is a national di- rector of the Boys Working Reserve. IT. s. A.
 Legislature Takes Action.
 Boys who volunteer for this branch of service will be allowed to retain their standing in school under an act passed by the legislature and approved by Governor Holcomb of May :. The text of this act follows:
 Section 1. Any high school pupil over fourteen years of age who shall volunteer and be accepted for agricultural work on a farm shall be permitted to re-enteT school without loss of standing by reason of absence. provided such pupil maintains the standard prescribed by the Committee of Food Supply and receives a certificate signed by the governor.
 Section 2 This act shall take effect from It's passage and shall not be opera tive after the rising of the general assem- ply at its January session. 1919.
 Following the leadership of Yale uni | yersity, number of colleges have taken | action which puts boys enrolling for | farm service on the same plane as boys | who go into military service in the mat | ter of entrance examinations. The ac- | ton by Yale exempts from examina- tions boys who enter approved agricul- | tural work satisfactory to their princi- | pal or headmaster and are able to pre- | sent satisfactory school records and ad- | equate credentials regarding their farm | work.
 Committees General Policy.
 In outlining it's general policy in the | recruiting and use of the Connecticut | Junior Agricultural Volunteers the | committee says it believes "that results | most satisfactory to both farmers and | volunteer labor will be obtained and | that more efficient conduct of farm op- | eratiOns will result'' if sons of farmers | as far as possible secure employment | in productive work at home; country | boys volunteering for agricultural sery- ice find employment as far as possible | in their home towns or with friends | and that, as far as possible. local agen- | cies be used to satisfy local needs and | county and state agencies used only | when necessary.
 Those who will cooperate in the re- cruiting and use of this schoolbOy vol | unteer agricultural force include high | and private school principals and head | masters, supervising agents, town | clerks, chambers of commerce, county | agents and other individuals and or ganiZatiOns.
 How Agencies Will Help.
 The school authorities will put the | plan before their pupils and explain | the necessity for their help. receive en- rollments, with certificates of parents | administer the oath of ale | glance to those. who enroll, serve as | local bureaus to recive farmers appli- cations for help, send lists of boys | available to county agents and act as local agents of the state food supply | committee, sending to the headquarters at Hartford duplicates of all enlist ments.
 The town clerks will cooperate with | Ill other agencies in this work, recelV- | Ing applications for help and furnish ng lists of farmers who need labor to the proper persons in their communi- lies. In cities the chambers of com | nerce or other agencies designated by he mayors will do the work taken up | n the towns by the town clerks.
 The county farm bureaus will bring .o the attention of the farmers the fact | that this labor supply is being made will receive reports from the principals of boys enrolled and not as- signed to work and will supervise the distribution of communities surplus keeping records of what Is