The Republican journal., 1917-06-14
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS.

This is movement which ought to in
terest the people of the whole State of
Maine 1t is practical and at the same
time is educational to the club members.
1t gives the sons and daughters of farm
ers an opportunity to learn improved
methods in agriculture, to aid in the food
production Of the State, to fit themselves
in some degree for more useful citizen
ship, and to earn nice little sums of money
with their own hands.
Over forty-fve hundred patriotic Maine
boys and girls between ten and eighteen
years old have enrolled to date in the
Boys and Girls Agricultural Clubs con-
Quoted by the University of Maine, Elk
tension Service. This membership is in
cluded in 312 clubs which are distributed
all over the State from Fort Fairfield to
Kennebunk. Each member has promised
to do one of the following things: raise
an eighth acre of potatoes, quarter acre
of corn, twentieth-acre garden,
square-rod garden, two flocks of chickens,
or one pig, or can so pints of fruits and
vegetab les:
''To Make the Best Better" This is
the club motto and the club emblem is
four-leaf clover with the letter H on each
leaf, which denotes the development of
Head, Heart, Hands and Health.
In organizing the clubs the University
Extension Workers have received assist
ance from superintendent of schools,
school teachers, Oranges, Public Safety
Committees and other organizations.
In a number of cases mothers and faith
ers have joined the clubs as associate
members, and plan to receive and use the
club instructions and to attend club meet
ings.
Members Receive Instructions.
AS soon as a list of club members is re-
ceived at the College of Agriculture, the
first instruction sheets are sent to the
adult local leader, who directs the secre-
tary to call meeting of the members, at
which the instruction sheets are distrib-
uted and discussed. Additional instruc-
tons are sent to the local leader for dis
tribution during the season. The fire.
quency of meeting is left to the club
The most successful clubs are usually
those which meet often.
Club members keep accounts of all
costs and receipts on blanks furnished by
the College of Agriculture, Extension
Service and usually bring these account
sheets to meetings for discussion and
comparison. On the account sheets are
included under costs, rent of land, the
cost of seed, fertilizer, glass jars, and of
all labor, whether it be that of the mem
Der, his relatives, or hired workers. I'm
der receipts is listed the value of all pro-
ducts raised or canned, whether these are
consumed at home or sold at market.
The club may hold field meetings upon
members plots, or, upon invitation, visit
g good farmer to see him select seed corn;
spray potatoes, prune tomatoes, kill and
prepare poultry for market, or may visit a
commercial canning factory or expert
housewife who is making jelly. Harvest
ing bees and canning bees are also popu-
lar under favorable conditions
The clubs are good-time clubs as well
as work clubs; and parties, socials and
picnics are in order. Several OF the clubs
have held fairs, entertainments, sales to
raise money for club expenses, for agri-
cultural reference books or for travel ex-
penses of members to and from county
and State contests.
Many club members keep notes of the
interesting happenings connected with
their work to include in the short story
of their club experiences which is re-
quired of all members. Snapshots of
themselves at work in their plots or with
their animals, also drawings, may be used
to illustrate these stories.