482 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



result of boys' and girls' club work. This was due in a large measure 

 to the intensive work of an increasing number of full-time county 

 club agents. The greatest benefit, of course, has accrued to the boys 

 and girls who conducted the demonstrations. In 1919, 310,115 

 boys and girls^ as members of organized clubs, were afforded con- 

 structive farming, home making, and business experience that will 

 be valuable in any vocation. Many also were established through 

 club work in farming and related business on a profitable basis. 

 The public team demonstrations given by club members have proved 

 valuable to the community not only in spreading still further the 

 influence of good farming and home making practices, but in 

 developing the boj^s and girls themselves. During the year club 

 demonstration teams gave 27,965 demonstrations to the public with 

 an attendance of 534,973. It has been the aim to have the club 

 demonstration teams use the farm costs secured through the farm- 

 management investigations when discussing the variovis phases of 

 crop and live-stock production. By this means sound farming prac- 

 tices and principles are early inculcated. The demonstrations con- 

 ducted included work in feeding, management of farm animals, seed 

 corn selection, poultry culling, bread making, home canning, garment 

 making, and laundering, as well as other agricultural and home- 

 making activities which were being promoted through the county 

 extension organization. 



ORGANIZATION, 



In the very early development of extension work the relation of 

 boys' and girls' club work to the county and community program 

 of extension work as a whole was rather indefinite. In some cases 

 county committeemen were appointed to advise with the club leaders. 

 The next advance came in several States where the tj^pe of demon- 

 strations conducted by the young people was determined by the 

 needs of the community as expressed in the programs of work of the 

 county organizations. The third step was taken when boys and 

 girls received leadership from the same committeemen as did the 

 adults. With this has come membership for the young people in 

 many of the county organizations. There is a general feeling among 

 members of farm bureaus and other county organizations that by the 

 inclusion of the boys and girls the future permanency and efficiency 

 of these organizations are assured and their present possibilities 

 enlarged. 



In 1919-20 the organized club, especially the standard club, played 

 an important part in the county and community program of work 

 and did much toward awakening community consi-iousness, first in the 

 boj^s and girls, then in the community as a whole. There were 

 10,064 community leaders who took charge of these clubs volun- 

 tarily — that is, for each 30 boys and girls there was a local adult to 

 direct their demonstrational activities. More of these clubs were 

 established on a permanent rather than a seasonal basis than in any 

 preceding year. Community, county, and State club leaders took 

 an active and effective part in developing the community programs, 

 coordinating all of the extension forces and promoting the various 

 club activities. 



