I4IO 



Rural School Leaflet 



intendents. The children getting seventy-five per cent or above on their 

 papers, were given a setting of white leghorn eggs, four Rural New-Yorker 

 potatoes, or a bread tin, according to the contest chosen. Each school 

 chose a group leader, on whom fell the responsibility for the summer work, 



for each member was expected 

 to fill out on a printed report 

 what he was doing each month. 

 These reports were signed by 

 the leader, and sent to the 

 farni bureau, where they were 

 put on file as definite records 

 of each boy's and girl's ad- 

 vancement. 



In October, at various cen- 

 ters, harv^est festivals were 

 held, some lasting all day. At 

 this time each contestant who 

 exhibited one pair of white 

 leghorn chickens, one hill of 



Raising vegetables for the school festival 



potatoes, or "one loaf of bread, and who had sent in reports during the 

 summer, was given a bronze button. Silver buttons were given to the 

 contestants making the best exhibits of poultry, potatoes, or bread at each 

 festival. Gold buttons were awarded to the contestants making the best 

 exhibit in each supervisory district. Finally gold star buttons were given 

 to the three contestants making the best exhibits of poultry, potatoes, 

 and bread in the entire county. 



To the contestants who made out some of their reports, and also made 

 exhibits, blue ribbons were awarded. Besides making exhibits of the 

 three things mentioned, the children were encouraged to bring other vege- 

 tables raised by themselves, other baked stuffs, and sewing, to the festivals. 

 Niimerous pets w^ere put on exhibition. To all these children red rib- 

 bons were awarded. 



In the county the total number enrolled in contest work was 1049, of 

 whom 527 exhibited the results of their labors. 



EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER 



February i, 19 15 



Early last spring I held a conference with the masters of the several 

 granges in this supervisory district and with the farm bureau agent, 

 W. L. Markham, to talk over and arrange tentative plans for agricultural 

 contest work among the boys and girls in the district. We concluded 

 to promote a peck-potato-growing contest and selected the plan as out- 



