THE DEMONSTRATION WORK 



to that time. The same thing is true with reference to meet- 

 ings in gardens, orchards, barnyards, lawns and kitchens. 



The evolution of group meetings, among the club mem- 

 bers, for inspiration and training has been similar to that of 

 the adults. In the very beginning of the corn clubs, the boys 

 had their round-ups and rallies on the best acres of corn. 

 It is true that they had clubs and were supposed to have 

 meetings at the schools and other public places, but as a 

 matter of fact, there were many individuals who joined the 

 county club, not for the sake of any club features, but rather 

 for the instruction and the competition. Most of them started 

 their activities as individuals and grew into the idea of com- 

 munity meetings. 



The poultry and pig clubs operated the same way. On 

 account of the technical and mechanical instruction neces- 

 sary in the canning work, the girls had canning parties in 

 the beginning. They co-operated in learning the work which 

 they had to do. However, these girls started as individual 

 demonstrators in their gardening work. 



When a considerable number of individuals in any of 

 these phases of work began to advance, they soon manifested 

 a desire for more information than could be given by the 

 agents on occasional visits. Of course the small group meet- 

 ings enabled them to exchange ideas and they gave the 

 county agents a chance to give them more general and ex- 

 tended instructions. In a big county with constantly in- 

 creasing interest, the demand for instruction, advice and help 

 is so great that the agents try to meet it by holding county 

 conferences, campaigns, short courses and general rallies. 

 In this way agents from neighboring counties, district agents, 

 specialists and workers in related lines, generally, can be 

 called upon for their contributions. When the growth of the 



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