352 COUNTRY LIFE CONVENIENCES 



ment by the formation of cooking clubs and sewing clubs. The 

 school children can be brought into line and interested in agri- 

 culture through the organization of boys' and girls' experiment 

 clubs. Mr. John Hamilton, Farmers' Institute Specialist of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture, says: 



" I now think that the farmers' institute movement must take 

 hold of the country boy and the country girl. We have been deal- 

 ing with the fathers and mothers thus far, which was a necessity 

 until the value of the institute was demonstrated; but we have 

 come now, in my opinion, to a time in which it will be possible for 

 us, in many States, to go a step farther and take hold of the young 

 people who are living on the farm." 



There is no better way to reach the country boy and country girl 

 than through the organization of experiment or contest clubs. The 

 contests for the boys may include work in manual training, grain 

 growing, gardening and stock raising; while tho work for the girls 

 may include light gardening, raising of poultry, domestic science, 

 and sewing. The interest in this part of the work can be greatly 

 increased by offering suitable prizes at the State and county fairs 

 for the best exhibits made by the members of the respective con- 

 test clubs. Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Wis- 

 consin, and several other States have organized boys' and girls' 

 experiment clubs and have demonstrated beyond question their 

 popularity and general worth. 



The farmers' institute movement in some form has now extended 

 to every State, and the general interest in the work is increasing. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What seems to be responsible for the tendency of our young people 

 to migrate from the farm to the city ? 



2. Discuss the arrangement of the kitchen in a farm home. 



3. Discuss the arrangement of the cistern and the water supply. 



4. What means of illumination are at the farmers' disposal ? 



5. What would you recommend in the way of furniture and home 

 furnishings ? 



6. Discuss the need of better schools in the country. 



7. Discuss the formation of consolidated school districts and graded 

 schools. 



8. Enumerate the advantages consolidated schools have over the 

 average school. 



