■nt 



The Things We 

 ' Need 



(Continued) 



choice in the animal world. The stronger eats 

 the weaker. The great majority of human 

 beings today look at life as if it were a busi- 

 ness. 



The third approach to life is that of the 

 artist. What can 1 put into it.' The basic 

 relation of the individual to his fellowmen 

 is one of cooperation and common sense. His- 

 tory remembers best those who have con- 

 tributed richly to the welfare of their fellow- 

 men. The artist's attitude is the only one 

 that is consistent with human happiness. 



At the Land Grant College meeting a year 

 ago, Secretary Wallace reminded us that we 

 are licked before we start unless farmers and 

 the rest of us can be made to think and 

 to feel an interest in things and people beyond 

 our own live fences. We must learn to see 

 beyond the temporarily practical to the perma- 

 nently practical. 



The next step is a step in cooperation, a 

 step that should be taken by all. It is my 

 conviction that men as well as women and 

 men quite as much as women are interested 

 in happy and satisfying home life. Men are 

 sincerely interested in family welfare and 

 creating family happiness. So it seems to me 

 maybe our next step might be a step together 

 in the direction of education, and it will take 

 education just as we have had to be educated 

 about growing more corn and keeping our- 

 selves physically fit. We will have to study 

 and be educated for keeping ourselves mentally 

 and nervously and emotionally fit. Coopera- 

 tion, if you want to call it that, in education 

 for greater human happiness. 



I feel we are faced with this tremendous 

 problem in education and I think a great deal 

 of it will be solved in family life on the 

 farm where human life is intimate, where we 

 have a chance for family life. So I say: 



"Though the summit be far, there is noth- 

 ing to do but to climb it." 



Excerpts from a talk at the I.A.A. annual meeting 

 by Lita Banc, head ot the department of home 

 economics. University of Illinois. 



BREAKFAST 



Sounding the call for 5,000 new Farm Bu- 

 reau members in the month of February, more 

 than 900 solicitors, agents and friends gathered 

 in the Merchandise Mart, Chicago at seven 

 Thursday morning, January 28, for a bit of 

 breakfast. The 900 were served grape fruit 

 juice, bacon and eggs, hard rolls and coffee 

 and were ready for business in 30 minutes. 



In furtherance of the membership drive 

 started January 1, and which in the first 26 

 days netted 2311 members, the group was ad- 

 dressed by E. Stodel, organization director for 

 the Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau; Loren 

 Johnson, Knox County; L. W. Braham, Will 

 County; Ray Barr, LaSalle County; Bill Linker, 

 Whiteside Countj'; Andy Brown, Randolph 

 County, and L. A. Williams, manager of 

 Country Life Insurance Company. George E. 

 Metzger, organization director for the Illinois 

 Agricultural Association, presided. 



20 



SPORTS FESTIVAL 



About 35 to 40 chairs were set in the South 

 Club Room of the LaSalle Hotel, Jan. 27, for 

 the Sports Festival and Baseball conference. 

 Actually nearly 300 came to the meeting. Part 

 of the lively two-hour period was spent haul- 

 ing in chairs for the constantly-growing audi- 

 ence. 



The session, like the '36 Sports Festival, 

 exceeded all expectations. It was another dem- 

 onstration of the interest of Farm Bureau 

 members in the rural sports program. From 

 the moment Alvin O. Eckert of St. Clair coun- 

 ty, presiding for Eb Harris, opened the confer- 

 ence there was someone on the floor every 

 minute suggesting, commenting and outlining 

 plans for another big affair this year. 



George Thiem, chairman of the '36 Sports 

 Festival, outlined the purpose of the meeting 

 and the topics of discussion to start the ball 

 rolling. A delegate from Ogle county im- 

 mediately jumped to his feet and announced 

 that his county was out to win the champion- 

 ships in both baseball and Softball in '37. 



"Well take care of Ogle county. They're 

 next to us," retorted Farm Adviser C. E. Vale 

 of Lee county. Sentiment unanimously favored 

 continuation of the Sports Festival as a perma- 

 nent event. 



A realignment of Softball divisions was sug- 

 gested for 1937 as follows: (1) a state tourna- 

 ment for county all-star Softball teams; (2) a 

 state tournament for adult community or town- 

 ship teams which have won in a county league 

 of four to six or more teams; (3) tourna- 

 ment for 4-H Club Softball teams; (4) tourna- 

 ment for girls' teams. 



"There should be a distinction made between 

 Softball teams selected from a township or 

 community and playing in a League of six or 

 more teams, and an all-star county-wide team," 

 said Mr. Eckert. "In my opinion there should 

 be at least six teams in a League before the 

 winner is eligible to play in this division at 

 the Sports Festival. I think we should allow 

 counties not having county leagues to enter an 

 all-star team and keep the two divisions sepa- 

 rate. The winning county team should use the 

 same players at the state tournament and 

 should not have the privilege of selecting ad- 

 ditional all-star players." 



J. C. Spitler of the University of Illinois 

 said: "The Sports Festival was popular with 

 everyone. All the comment we heard at the 

 University was favorable. I am sure the Uni- 

 versity authorities will be glad to have you 

 back again. I suggest that the all-star and 

 county league divisions be created and that 

 no county be allowed to enter both divisions." 



"I personally prefer four divisions in soft- 

 ball," said C. E. Yale of Lee county. "It 

 will bring more counties to the Sports Festival, 

 and that's what we want. It will also be 

 easier to play off for the state title." 



E. C. Secor of Randolph said he favored 

 having all the play-offs at the Sports Festival 

 rather than having district tournaments to 

 pick entries for the state contest. 



C. V. Gregory, editor, Prairie Farmer, said 

 recreation and entertainment is an important 

 part of farm life and the Farm Sports Festival 

 answers a need. It makes for a happier life. 

 It appeals especially to our young folks, he 

 asserted. Cap Mast and Merrill Gregory also 

 represented Prairie Farmer. 



Professor George H. Dungan, chairman of 

 the horseshoe pitching tournament, suggested 

 creation of two divisions in this sport without 

 dual entries. Thus a player would enter 



either the singles or doubles event. He sug- 

 gested that some of the players be put on the 

 committee to draw up rules for the '37 

 tournament. 



Miss Cleo Fitzsimmons said she was much 

 impressed with the girls' Softball tournament 

 and thought it a fine thing to continue. H. K. 

 Danforth, Henry county, urged that more 

 baseball teams be organized in the coming year. 



D. E. Lindstrom of the University of Il- 

 linois suggested a band contest for the Sports 

 Festival with two divisions: class A and class 

 B. He said the University could supply an 

 experienced band director to assist in working 

 out such a contest. I. E. Parett, Vermilion 

 county, recommended that an entry fee be 

 required to guarantee the appearance of teams 

 so as to avoid confusion arising from teams 

 entered but not showing up for the state 

 tournament. 



Lois Schenck, home editor of Prairie Farmer 

 suggested a hobby exhibit and handiwork con- 

 test under a division of "Indoor Sports." 



Eugene Curtis of Champaign county urged 

 that the high award be made for participation 

 in the Sports Festival to encourage more en- 

 tries. ' "This is in line with the purpose and 

 spirit of this project," he said, "to develop 

 wider participation by communities and coun- 

 ties in a recreational program." 



George C. Biggar of WLS said his staff 

 would be delighted to co-operate again in the 

 Sports Festival; that this was a project in 

 which all agricultural groups in the state could 

 work together. 



It was moved by H. C Gilkerson of Lake 

 county that a committee be appointed to draw 

 up a program to the Sports Festival to be sub- 

 mitted at the annual meeting of the Illinois 

 Farm Bureau Baseball League in March. The 

 motion was seconded and carried. Mr. Eckert 

 annoimced that the appointment would be made 

 by E. Harris, president of the League, in whose 

 place he was presiding. 



A delegate from LaSalle county suggested 

 that a trap shooting contest be held at the '37 

 Sports Festival, a sport which appeals to old 

 as well as young persons. 



Joe Lyons, Veteran 



I.A.A. Solicitor, Dies 



Joseph P. Lyons, pioneer membership so- 

 licitor for the Illinois Agricultural Associa- 

 tion and former charter member of the Living- 

 ston County Farm Bureau, died at his home 

 at Pontiac, Illinois, January 6. He was 73 

 years old. 



Well-known for his service in the "good 

 old days" when he helped organize the 

 Alabama Farm Bureau Federation, Mr. Lyons 

 was also famous for his interest in agriculture 

 and promotion of the Farm Bureau through- 

 out the country. He is reported to have signed 

 Edward A. O'Neal, president of the Amer- 

 ican Farm Bureau Federation, in the Alabama 

 Farm Bureau. 



From 1919-1923, Lyons worked as a full- 

 time solicitor for the lAA. His farming 

 activities then demanded most of his time. 

 He continued as a solicitor only in the slack 

 season. On days when he sought membership, 

 a poor day was under 10. His average, on 

 days when farm to farm canvassing was the 

 vogue, ran 10 to 15 members and more a 

 day, according to George E. Metzger, organ- 

 ization director. 



Mr. Lyons is survived by his son, Philip 

 of Joliet, and three daughters, Francis Moeser 

 of Los Angeles, Mary Barker of Pontiac and 

 Sister Mary Engelbert of St. Mary's convent 

 in Indiana. ^ I' 



I. A. A. RECORD 



A 



