The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
GIRLS ORGANIZE FIFTEEN CLUBS FOR HOME WORK Success Attends Efforts Of Mrs. Pearl Crawford Demonstration Agent CLOTHING FAVORITE AMONG SELECTIONS Free Course At Auburn
 As Incentive For
 Excellence

Fifteen girls clubs have organized in the various public schools of Jefferson county, with a total membership ot 29O under the direction of Mrs. Pearl Crawford, county home demonstration agent. Each club is allowed to select the project it wishes to undertake for the year, clothing, poultry, garden ing and food preservation, and home management being the four from which the selections are made. During the past year, according to Mrs. Crawford, clothing has been the most popular project.
 After completing their instruction, the girls are able to make a complete outfit of clothing, besides studying the kinds of materials used in their manu- facture. Upon completion of prof. ect, each girl is presented a certificate to show what she has accomplished.
 Many of the gihls who specilaize in clothing, have also chosen gardening as home project. Clothing projects have been selected at Center, Garden. dale, Hueytown, Kimberly, Mineral Springs, Mt. Olive, New Merkel, Oak Grove, Trussville, and Upper Coalburg. The girls at Concord, Pinson, Snow Rogers and Pleasant Hill have shown a preference for poultry projects, while those at Cottage Hill have selected gardening. ...-
 May Complete In Year
 The projects are so arranged that one may be completed in a year; and at the end of four years work, 1t IS planned to have each girl complete all four projects, in that way round- ing out her school work with practical training.
 Club work has many advantages to offer the girls taking it, Mrs. Craw- ford pointed out few days ago. Spe- cial mention was made of its part in' developing leaders by training them when young in community organlza- tion and educating them for the solu- tion of rural problems, it's tendency to increase personal efficiency and gen. eral thoroughness in doing their aca- diemic and other work, the stimulus it offers to obtain higher education through attendance at colleges and uni versailles, and the training club work affords for better citizenship through closer cooperation between parents and children and between them and the community as a whole.
 Incentives are offered for excellence in club work, the most coveted prize being a free course at the Alabama Polytechnic institute given annually to the two girls who have done the best work during the preceding year. The effect of these free scholarships is seen among all of the 280 girls in the vari- ous clubs, as each. hopes to win one of them and increases her industry and interest in the projects accordingly. The two who are selected as lief ferson county's representatives natural ly are greatly benefited by the in- struction they receive, which is passed on to the non-winners at the club meetings. This years winners, an- nounced several days ago by Mrs. Craw- ford, are Irma Russell and Julia Mar tin of Trussville.
 Women's Clubs
 Demonstration clubs have also been organized among the women, such clubs having been formed at New Merkel, Irondale, McElwaine, Gardendale, Snow Rogers and Center with a total mem- bership of 75. During the past year considerable freedom of choice has been the subjects, in which they would specialize. There has been a decided preference for nutrition and clothing, Mrs. Crawford says and considerable interest has been shown in the making of dress forms and hats, the former ~~-g of great assistance to the many women in various parts of the county who, do their own sewing. Handicraft, especially the making of baskets and trays, is also proving popular among the club members. In basket and tray making, the women are taught to use native material, the honeysuckle vine being found especially useful.
 Home demonstration work was made possible by the Smith-Dever act of 1914, which provided for full instruction in home economics to the girls and wom- en on the farm who are unable to take a full college course. This work is carried on by county agents and state specialists, who have headquarters at the agricultural schools of the state. Full information along any line that will help farm women in her home problems is given.
 Since taking charge of the work in Jefferson county, Mrs. Crawford has brought the full advantages of the fed eral appropriation to the thousands of women and children in every commu- nifty. In, addition to organizing clubs, she has carried out much personal work and has made her office at the court house a clearing house for the innumer- able problems that are constantly arls- ing, from the construction of a suit able chicken house to the best way to cut out a new dress. Through her own enthusiasm for the work and her un- usual educational advantages, she has become one of the most popular cOun- ty officials.
 There are 36 county home demonstra- tion agents in Alabama, and it is a significant fact that Jefferson county ranks fourth in the total membership in girls clubs. Mrs. Crawford is mak- ing a special effort to keep up inter- est in the work during the summer and with that purpose in mind has ar ranged Rally day for June 27s at the Methodist church and several camps for girls during the month of August.
 ---o-S----