The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1925-04-02
extension and Club Work
By Miss Gertrude Gage

erintendent who saw the necessity
of correlating the farm home and the
school, and clarifying in measure
the mental tasks Of the farm. This
was partially done to prevent bows
and girls from leaving the farm. This
movement grew in connection with
the school and spread both east and
west, until it was finally recognized
as vital factor in the education of
children. The Smith-Lever Act fin
ally stabilized it and took it out of
school by giving enough money to
carry it on separately thru coopera-
tive extension work. It has since
spread in influence and grown in vol
ume till it is now in every state in the
Union and our national president is
the honorary leader. So interested is
he that he made special trip to the
Chicago International to attend the
Annual National Congress of All
clubs.
Practically all Of our fairs todav
recognize the great influence of club
work. In fact they know that one of
the great points of interest will be
the All exhibition, contests and DEM
onstrations. Thousands of dollars are
offered annually for premiums, prize
trips, and scholarships. Railroads,
mail order houses, and packing plants
via with each other in offering in
ducements for good cub work.
Who can belong to All club? ANY
wide awake boy Or girl between the
ages of ten and twenty-one. Farm
boys and girls are preferred but in
counties such as Benton where all of
the population are located in the coun-
try or in towns of less than five
thousand any child who will abide
by the rules may join. The four II
symbol as exemplified in the four
leaf clover, stands for Head, Heart,
Hand and Health, all of which the
club member pledges to his club.
The benefits to be derived from
club work are many. In the first
place they make a child's home or
farm work more interesting by add
ing the competitive factor. When you
make anything interesting for an in
dividual you are helping him to want
to stick to it until it is completed.
This stick-to-it-iveness is character
building. It gives him q determination
of purpose which is a great factor in
building success in later life. Club
work brings together boys and girls
and their parents, because it is nee
essary for the members to rely more
Or less on the help of their parents.
The parents will frequently be more
interested in seeing that their boys
and girls are helped if they have this
outside incentive pushing them.
1t draws community closer to-
gether thru competition with other
communities. Each community is an
xious to have their boys and girls
state champions.
1t raises the standards of farm and
home practice. When possible, the
best informed person in the comniun-
ity is secured for the local leader.
This leader instructs the boys or girls
in the most improved methods. Spe-
cialists in the different lines are call
ed in to instruct, also. Frequently
the boys and girls can show their
parents the benefits to be derived
from the new method and they will
adopt it. In this way an influence is
spread.
The members are held rigidly to
records. In order to complete years
work they are required to keep def
mite and accurate account of all the
costs and profits. This in itself should
be enough to make it worth while be-
cause it means that the farmer of to-