Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1918-04-17
PLAN FOR FARM HELP.
Recruits for Farm Training Camp
Wanted. No Idlers This Summer.

The commissioner of agriculture is
making extraordinary efforts to fur
/ nish Vermont farmers farm labor the
coming season.
There are in the cities and large
towns of Vermont many boys between
the ages of 16 and 20 years who
should be available for work on Yer
mont farms. The department Of ag-
riculture, through its labor agent, f.
H. Bickford, proposes to cooperate
with the state department of education
in locating, training, sorting and dis
tributing these boys. The commits
sioner Of education has placed at the
disposal of the department Of agri-
culture, the Theo. N. Vail agricultur-
al school and farms, at Lyndon Cen
ter. This is to be known as Camp
Vail, AID is to be. a training camp for
boys a1listing in the service of Yer
mont.
Through the principals Of the local
high schools, the need of farm labor
is to be put before the boys and a
representative of the Vail school is to
speak before the students of every
large high school of the state. When
the boys of Vermont learn Of the vi
tai need, it is believed that large
number will offer their services to the
state and to the country.
Those in charge of this proposition
realize that not all boys can be ell
cient at farm work. It is therefore
proposed TO take those boys VINO of
fer their services to the Vail school
at Lyndon Center for period Of two
weeks. Here the boys will be tried
out, sorted and in q small measure
trained for farm work. They Will be
under the eyes of the instructors fer
TWO weeks. During this time they
viii be carefully studied and tested
~ actual farm work. A certain
amount Of instruction viii be given
them, and most Of all, the need for
their best and most conscientious eff
fort this summer viii be put before
them.
It is not expected that these boys
Will be skilled farm laborers, but it
is believed that boys who show signs
handiness at farm operations can be
selected and made available for Yer
mont farms.
Upon the completion of their trial
period at Camp Vail they Will be plac-
ed IN service among farmers of the
state by the state labor agent
the county agents or will be
held at their homes in reserve for
farm services later on.
If the boys Of Vermont will prove
equal to their opportunity for ser
vice, and if the farmers of the state
viii take these boys upon their merits
and will try to help in the project, it
will be possible to utilize in the pro-
dUction OF food a labor force that
would otherwise be Idle.
There are to be three camps with
2 maximum Of SO boys to each camp.
The dates are as follows:
First Camp, May 20 to June 1.
Second Camp, June to June IS.
Third Camp, June II to June 20.
The only expense to the boy is his
carfare to- Lyndonville. All other
expenses will be borne by the state.
Every effort will be made to place
the boys in the most desirable farm
homes and their welfare will be look
ed after during the summer months.
Parents have in this scheme an OPP
portunity of giving their sons a
chance to be of useful service, to do
their share in the most important op-
Grafton of the war; and to get the ex-
perience of q summer on a farm, with
its health giving, outdoor life.
Full particulars can be obtained by
writing F. II. Bickford, State Labor
Agent, Bradford, Vermont, or r. C.
director, Theo. N. Vail Ag-
ricultural school and farms, Lyndon
vile, Vermont.