THE ORGANIZATION OF RURAL INTERESTS 541 



FARMERS' CLUBS 1 



A. D. WILSON 



WHAT A FARMERS' CLUB is 



A FARMERS' CLUB is an organization of the people in any com- 

 munity for the improvement of themselves, their homes, and their 

 community. It should include in its membership the whole fam- 

 ily, men, women, and children. Two or more families may 

 constitute a successful farmers' club, but it is best, where possible, 

 to include all of the people in the community. A rural school 

 district is a suitable territory to be covered by a farmers' club. 

 Meetings are held in the homes of the members, in town halls, 

 or schoolhouses. There are many advantages in having the 

 meetings at the homes of the members wherever it is practical to 

 do so. The territory should be small enough so that all of its 

 members can conveniently get together. 



A good, active farmers' club will do for a rural community 

 just what a good, active commercial club will do for a village 

 or city, namely, it will tend to secure the united influence of 

 the community to bring about any desired improvement, and 

 further, it will unite the community to oppose anything that 

 is not for its best interests. We can conceive of no way in which 

 a farmers' club can be detrimental to a community, while we 

 believe that there are at least three ways in which it may be 

 helpful, (1) socially, (2) educationally, and (3) financially. 



Social Advantages 



People are essentially social beings. They are not usually 

 happy when isolated, and do not develop properly except in 

 groups. Life on the farm tends to keep people too much to 

 themselves. A farmers' club that will bring the people together 

 monthly or semi-monthly furnishes a very desirable change from 



i Adapted from Minnesota Farmers' Library, Vol. IV, No. 10, Extension 

 Div., Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, October, 1913. 



