The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-03-18
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE
A COMMUNITY LEADER
A Man In Gallilee Suggested The Formula l9UO
Years Ago and Leila Paul of Pungo Un-
consciously Made Notable Use Of 1t

Out of 1900 girls engaged
in agricultural club work in
North Carolina, Leila Paul, IL
years old, of Pike Road, Beau
fort County, has been rated the
outstanding leader in club work
in the State and will go to
Washington, d. C., in June as
one of two girls from North
Carolina who will be entertain
ed for a week by the extension
division OF the u. S. Depart
men of Agriculture.
Pike Road Is in the Pungo section
of Beaufort County, II miles from
Belhaven, As miles from Washing
ton. TO stranger 1t would appear
only as desolate back country
neighbourhood where farmers fight
incessantly against the jungle
growth Of black lands. A stranger
passing thru The PungO country
wouldn't see much in it to make 2
life interesting or even epdurakle.
But out of Pungo comes little slip
Of girl whose reputation as
community leader has brought her
into statewide and national fame
within the. past few weeks.
! A little more than n year ago the
Department of Agriculture conceiy-
cd the idea of picking out the two
outstanding leaders in girls clubs
in every state In the union and
bringing them to Washington for
weeks encampment. Every girls
club in the State was asked to nomi-
nate its outstanding member, with
out knowing what it was all about.
Leila Paul among scores of others
in North Carolina was nominated.
Leila didn't know II, but from
that moment and for whole year
she was under the close and con.
slant observation of specialists, dis
trict agents and field experts Of the
department of agriculture and all
of its ramifications.
Under Surveillance
The little girl in Puns0 didn't
know it, but Il dozen or more spies
were OH her trail for twelve months,
checking up OH all of her activities,
and her department, in the home, in
the church, in the school, in the
neighbOurhood. When she went up
TO State College last summer to at
tend the annual girls club short
course. she was under observation
by experts of the college from the
moment of her arrival until her de-
parturc. The little girl didn't know
what they were doing to her, but
they pushed her forward into all
sorts of activities, called on her for
an imprOmptu speech, interviewed
her time after time, and studied her
like so many scientists studying Il
Door little bug under microscope.
And then when all the experts
got their heads together and with
their own notes and the reports
from county and district agents all
over the State, they had to hand it
TO Leila Paul of PuDgo that she is
the greatest little old all around
community leader among all the
1000 fine, outstanding club girls on
the farms of North Carolina.
Leaders Wanted
1t was leadership that The agri-
cultural drpartmentalists were
looking for. 1t wasn't enough that
Leila should he the best little house
keeper, the best home gardener, the
best little clothes maker, the best
food preservatiOnist, the best little
poultry raiser, the best little biscuit
maker and the best little high school
student in the State; she had to be
a community leader as well; one
who had the respect and confidence
of everybody in her neighbourhood,
TO whom people naturally turned
for leadership, and who had quail
fled as an actual community leader.
And they had TO give If to Leila
Paul. Il seventeen year, old Pungo
girl who rises at five o'clock each
morning, helps with the cooking,
house work and out door chores,
catches Il school bus at 80 and
rides ten miles over rough roads to
n country school, carries q full
schedule Of third year high school
work, helps again with the home
duties before she prepares her les
sons for the next day land with it
all takes an active part in club,
church and community life.
When Miss Violet Alexander, the.
county agent, was 45 minutes late
at club meeting one day when her
Ford broke down Oh the road, Miss
Alexander found the club meeting
under way and proceeding with
fine program under the leadership
of Leila Paul who had called the
meeting together, apologized for the
absence Of the county agent and
was staging a great meeting.
When the county agent expressed
O. regret that older women in the
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