324 AXNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Results. 



During the calendar year ending December 31, 1915, 209,178 boys 

 and girls were enrolled; 127,882 of this number actually undertook 

 work outlined by the leaders ; 62,264 completed all work required for 

 the season or year, which was 40 per cent of the total enrollment, and 

 64 per cent of those Avho actually undertook work. 



Twenty-four thousand two hundred and ninty-nine boys and girls 

 were engaged in profit-making projects, producing $509,325 worth of 

 food products, or $20.96 per club member. The total cost from all 

 sources, local, State, and Federal was $95,000, or a per capita cost of 

 45 per cent. Basing the per capita cost of the work upon those only 

 who completed their projects, it would be $1.52. 



The State leaders secured 11.478 volunteer local leaders during the 

 year, who assumed leadership of club groups, helped in the local fol- 

 low-up work, such as holding group meetings, visiting club plats, and 

 keeping up active interest during the entire club period. 



The 27 cooperative leaders conducted 1,670 canning demonstrations 

 for the training of club members, with a total attendance of 156.580. 

 They also held 3,829 field meetings, and personalty visited 27.733 club 

 plats. The}' prepared and distributed 2,108,456 pieces of follow-up 

 instruction, the United States Department of Agriculture supple- 

 menting this with 1,140,146 circulars. 



During the 12 months, 26,534 adults wrote to the Department of 

 Agriculture, requesting that they be furnished the canning instruc- 

 tions used in the boys' and girls' club work. Reports were received 

 from 3,156 of these adults at the close of the season, showing that 

 they had canned 275,836 quarts of fruit and 270,659 quarts of vege- 

 tables, or a total of 546,495 quarts during the year, an average per 

 person of over 109 quarts. 



In the garden and canning club work 6 members produced over 

 5,000 pounds of vegetables, 9, 6,000 pounds, 10, 3,000 pounds, and 26, 

 1.000 pounds. 



Important results were also secured in poultry clubs, pig clubs, 

 sewing clubs, sugar-beet clubs, etc. 



In order to maintain the interest of club members from year to year 

 and keep them in the work, State champions and those who have made 

 unusual records become members of the National All-Star Achieve- 

 ment Club. Eeports from 42 of these champions were received, show- 

 ing that the average time spent in the work is 2^ years, the longest 

 time for any club member being 6 years. 



Boys' and girls' club work is now recognized as a definite exten- 

 sion agency in every northern and western State. More permanent 

 plans for its future development are apparent eveiywhere. Boys and 

 girls are now enrolling not as a temporary endeavor but with the 

 thought of pursuing the work for a series of years. Club work has 

 been shown to be a most effective way to interest boys and girls in 

 farm life; to establish desirable agricultural practices; to arouse a 

 better community spirit ; to increase interest in school work and close 

 the gap between the school and home; to teach thrift and habits of 

 industry; to encourage organized effort and team work; to promote 

 better health among boys and girls. 



