The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-27


 Gertrude Warrenwere first organ ized 2 years ago, she says part of her job is to dramatic democracy" and thinks it's the best job there is.
 The All clubs-the IFS stand for Head, Heart, Hand and Health--are sponsored by state and federal gov- ernments, but do not resemble even faintly the totalitarian youth or garizations in Germany, Russia or Italy.
 Healthier and Happier
 Instead they try to develop young people as individuals who will be happier and more useful members of the rural communities in which they live.
 Miss Warren likes young people and likes the country, and sees a lot of both. She regards todays younger generation as "a grand bunch of people"
 "They're so responsive" she says. 'They have so many ideas. I'm not one of those who think today's adolescents are the lost generation don't know anything about the lost generation as matter of fact.
 My boys and girls are forward looking. They know it's a wonder ful thing to live in this country They know that even if they be- long to limited income group, they can improve themselves and become leaders in their communi- ties"
 Its next to impossible to get Miss Warren to talk about herself. She starts off obligingly enough, T was brought up on a farm myself. It irks me to have to live in the city for convenience. But I have an automobile and get outside Wash ington every hour can spare"
 Then she gets back to her favorite subject. To-day young people in rural areas have the radio, libraries, the cinema, travelling art exhibits, good schools.
 "Youth has never had more op- portunities than it has here and now. can sell this country and rural life in it to young people, be- cause l am SOlQ on It.
 Miss Warren loves to tell stories of All boys and girls who have confirmed her faith in American youth. There's one boy, for example who was the son of a tenant farmer in 8 western state. Definitely in the underprivileged class. His father was ShiftleSS and no account. The boy didn't realize that he could amount to something.
 We got him interested in All work. He was so enthusiastic that when his father picked up and moved on, the boy organized All club if he didn't find one in the new community to which he moved. To-day he is one of the All club directors. He graduated from a state agricultural college, and is one of the most respected members of his community"
 Useful Training
 Miss Warren has dozens of stor- ies about boys and girls who through the All clubs have been trained in home economies, animal husbandry, gardening, canning, farm and in- dividual accounting, dressmaking, forestry, music.
 In the course of her administra- tion, the All movement has spread to northern Europe-Finland, Lat via, the Scandinavian countries Though there are no All clubs in the totalitarian states, Miss Warren recalls that several years ago Italy manifested interest in them.
 On the subject of world youth, Miss Warren is of the opinion that "The best solution for the problems of youth is for young people and adults to work together, harnessing older experience with young initi- ative.
 Tn the dictator states, the young people are related directly to the state and their relation with adult leaders is an impersonal military kind of subordination."