Show BOYS' BOYS CLUBS TEACH THRIFT AND INDUSTRY AND HELP TO MAKE PROGRESSIVE FARMERS 1 r S t l S Club Members Learn More Than Principles of Agriculture Prepared by the United States Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture Agricultural production Is not the sum sum total of achievement b by members of bo boys boys' s clubs in the South Those Mason Dixon line Une youngsters oun below the raise good crops also they raise fine bah baby beeves and standard pigs Their sheep are of accredited breeds their poultry Is of the better t types pes and the gardens ns they the cultivate are model gardens gardens gardens gar gar- dens many of them yielding very worth-while worth produce In dollars and cents the result of those boys' boys efforts annually mounts up to many man thousands thousands thousands thou thou- sands In food supply It Is of Incalculable incalculable incalculable value to the 15 Southern sta states es 5 But this is only part of the story story story-a a abare bare enumeration of sonic some of the activities activities activities ac ac- of those Southern lads The Th Theother Theother other part is or should be more Interesting Interesting interesting in In- for it deals with intangible character commodities commodities character high Ideals Ideals educational aspirations civic pride pride pride- evolved from and developed through the training received In boys' boys clubs In Its effort to strengthen the agricultural tural extension organization the United United United Unit Unit- ed States department of agriculture cites some instances to show the benefits benefits benefits bene bene- fits of the boys boys' club work In the South Bonds and Bank Accounts In Texas there are 1000 boys receivIng receiving ing higher education the educatIon the direct result result result re re- sult of club membership There are OOOO club boys in that state who bought Liberty bonds War Savings and Thrift stamps The rhe same number belong to the Red ned Cross and 2000 have bank accounts Members of the bo boys boys' s clubs in Oklahoma over own war securities amounting to Their Theil bank deposits total Also West Vest Virginia has 1500 1500 1 GOO club members who have bank ac ac- counts Many Man own lands and Lind several hundred are in colleges Arkansas has hasa a record of hundreds of former boys boys' club members who are arc In college and what is more to their credit paying their tuition with money earned from the s sale le of of their agricultural products products products prod prod- and prizes won in agricultural contests A number of the Southern clubs have developed college professors Instructors Instructors instructors In In- in agricultural schools schools men men who learned the scientific method of farming and gained their experience In boys' boys clubs Many lany club members are in the military service We have hundreds of club members that are officers In the United States army writes a Mississippi state agent gent Nor have modern business methods been overlooked b by those young oung husbandmen husband husband- men In some of the states cooperative co opera tine tive bu buying ing sellin selling and marketing Is the regular practice of boys boys' club members members members mem mem- bers and the use of banking facilities facilities ties tics a common custom the custom the 1 kind of banking by the way where the character character char char- acter and Industry of the borrowers form the major part of the security In this connection the testimony of the president of a bank in Mississippi is corroborative Says he So far as my m. information goes there Is not a single piece of bad paper In the state as a re re- suIt sult of loans to club boys These Instances in instances instances In- In stances are taken at random The The influence club boys exert up upon upon their fathers and upon the farmers in their neighborhoods Is very marked markell state and county agents say It Is the kind of Influence that through practical practical demonstration turns skeptics Into Into into In In- to converts that makes progressive farmers out of way the me for types Influence of the Clubs But extension agents are arc not th the only ones one who note these transformation tion tione Men of affairs have observed them and right ready are they to tellof tell tellof tellof of civic improvements better schools more active churches marked Increase In the demand for better merchandise new business enterprises pride In the appearance of their buildings home grounds the family acres and a higher high high- er type of community morale morale all all brought about b by boys' boys clubs and community community community com com- co Increased production stimulation In ever every line of agricultural endeavor for forthe forthe forthe the Immediate and continued prosperity prosper prosper- It ity of their section Is one of the Important important important im Im- im- im functions of boys' boys club work in the South This is being accomplished accomplished ed by Instruction and demonstration tion In correct a agricultural methods by bythe bythe bythe the extension service of the United States department of agriculture and the state agricultural colleges And it is being done In the only way possible pos pos- sible through sible-through through the organized efforts of the very boys who are to develop Into progressive farmers and become the substantial producers of the future However quite as Important u tl function function function tion of this work worl Is the round all-round development development development de de- of the boys themselves Great stress Is laid upon this Through the agency of thes these boys' boys clubs the members are taught habits of thrift and industry They are shown the thereal thereal thereal real value of high character the advantages advantages advantages ad ad- vantages of education the possibilities of lea leadership the dignity of labor the importance of operation co-operation In civic affairs affairs affairs af af- af- af fairs and aUlI respect for others' others rights The creditable desire for Independence ence for land ownership and beauty and orderliness in land possessed Is inculcated In them that they may have havethe havethe havethe the privilege of remaining upon the very soil that nurtured them and become become become be be- come Important factors in their countr country's country's coun coun- tr try's s development |