The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-11-07

This work has for its aims and
purposes:
>First-The improvement of
agriculture and home life through
the boys and girls.
Second-To help Logs and
girls of America to become ac-
quainted with Americas most
basic industries, agriculture and
home making.
Third-To create within the
boys and girls a desire to be-
come farmers and home makers.
Fourth--To show to boys and
girls the possibilities and op-
portunities in farming and home
making.
Fifth-To tie boys and girls to
the farm by means of ownership
Sixth-To teach better farm
ing and business methods to
Toys and girls.
Seventh-To administer to
lonesomeness of boys and girls /.
by means of clubs.
Boys and Girls Work.
Since the ending of the war the
productive phase of boys and girls
work has not been emphasized as
greatly as the educational side. How
ever, to show what boys and girls
can do, It was found from reports Of
boys and girls during last year in
Blue Earth county that a total Of
$4,000 worth of products was rails
ed by the boys and girls of Blu.
Earth county. Reports are not COM
plete for 1919 but it is safe to say
that Toys and girls have produced
more this year than last.
Over 1900 boys and girls engag-
eC in club work in Blue Earth coun-
ty this year. The different projects
taken up this year include, dairy
calf raising, beef calf raising, pig
raising, gardening, canning, bread
making, poultry raising, corn rails
ing. In addition a dairy judging
contest was put on at the time of the
Mankato fair. This proved one of
the most interesting and instructive
features of the fair. The winning
boys were sent as Blue Earth coun-
ty judging team to the state judging
contest. While they did not win in
this letter contest yet the educational
benefits coming to these boys can
net be estimated
Several Demonstrations.
Similarly demonstration teams are
organized in all these various pro-
jects. Nearly 100 different teams
composed of boys and girls engaged
in the different lines of endeavor
have been organized at different
times in this county by the county
club leader. These teams have at
tracted state and many times nation
al attention. Blue Earth county boys
and girls have won the following
state championships: Pig project,
bread project, dairy calf project.
Thus state championships in four
projects out of the ten carried on in
this state have been won by Blue
Earth county boys and girls. This
speaks well for the character of
work done in this county.
Thus far during the past year the
county club leader has met with $50
club meetings throughout the coun-
ty and has put on ia demonstrations
with boys and girls. Over 500 per-
sonal visits to boys and girls have
Teen made. No record was made O.
office calls, phone calls, or letters
written.
The county club leader has also
worked up and supervised the junior
departments at both the Garden City
and Mankato fairs.
Because of it's educational nature
the farm bureau is closely correlat-
ing it's junior work with the schools
of the county where splendid coop
Grafton is being received.
The whole trend of rural educa
tion in the past has been away from
the farm and the Toys and girls have
never had adequate educational fac
ilities. They have never been made
10 feel that they are a vital factor
in the rural community.
The farm bureau through its boys
and girls work is trying to correct
some of these evils. Our pig, poul
try. and calf club boys and girls are
being led to realize the possibilities
Of and pleasures in better livestock
And similarly with all the other
lines of this work. AS result a
class of future well to do and con
,tented farmers and farmers wives
are being educated to assume re-
sponsibilities and progress of to-
norrow