CHAPTER XXXVII 

 BOYS' AND GIRLS' LIVE-STOCK CLUBS 



For many years an important subject of discussion in 

 the agricultural papers, and in farmers' institutes was, 

 "How can we keep our boys and girls on the farm?" Vari- 

 ous answers were given to the question, but naturally the 

 most logical one was to give them an interest in the business. 

 The real movement in this direction began about 1905 in 

 the South, in the organization of boys' and girls' clubs for 

 growing corn under conditions of competition. Dr. S. A. 

 Knapp at this time was engaged in promoting co-operative 

 work among southern farmers, especially in the gulf states, 

 and he did much to interest the boys and girls in production. 

 This work was championed by the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and, in his annual report for 1913, Secre- 

 ary of Agriculture Houston wrote as follows. 



"The present enrollment in this work amounts to 60,000 boys and 

 girls, who are systematically organized into boys' corn clubs, girls' 

 canning clubs, potato clubs, sugar beet clubs, vegetable garden clubs, 

 etc. The average yield per acre of all the corn-club members report- 

 ing this year was 74.5 bushels, with a net profit of $25.55 per acre; 

 426 made 100 bushels or more, and 1,078 made over 60 bushels per 

 acre." 



The origin of boys' and girls' live-stock clubs may be 

 said to date with the year 1910, when 59 boys in Caddo 

 Parish, Louisiana, organized a pig club,* with the help of 

 Mr. E. W. Jones, the superintendent of the rural schools of 

 the county. This club was organized to do its work after 

 the manner of the corn club, of which it was an outgrowth. 

 The college of agriculture of the Louisiana State University 

 took an active interest in the work, and promoted the organ- 

 ization of other clubs in the state. From this initial effort 



*The boys' pig club work. W. F. Ward, U. S. Dept. of Agr. Report, 1915. 



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