OTHER EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES 391 



women, through direct purchases of poultry, eggs, butter, fresh 

 and canned fruits and vegetables, and by cooperating with them 

 in the maintenance of rest rooms, nurseries, etc., for farm women 

 when they come to town. But what farm women need and how 

 to meet these needs are matters which must be worked out chiefly 

 by farm women themselves. The criticism sometimes heard 

 with reference to much of our Home Economics teaching is 

 that such teaching is done primarily from the standpoint of 

 the town woman. The country woman's problems are the prob- 

 lems of the country and must be approached from that stand- 

 point. 



BOYS' AND GIRLS' CONTEST CLUBS 1 



L. II. BAILEY 



AMONG the many enterprises that are at present undertaken 

 for the betterment of country life and agriculture, boys' and 

 girls' clubs are holding much public attention. These, clubs 

 are in the nature of organized contests, with emoluments, prizes 

 or public recognition standing as rewards. Contests may lie in 

 the growing of prize crops, in the feeding of animals, in the 

 making of gardens, in the organizing of prize-winning canning- 

 clubs, bread-clubs and others. The organization of these clubs 

 in recent years has undoubtedly constituted a distinct contribu- 

 tion toward the stimulation of interest in rural affairs and the 

 development of pride and incentive on the part of many of the 

 country people. 



I have watched their growth with much interest and have had 

 something to do in giving them encouragement and facilities. 

 However, there are certain perils in this kind of effort, and I 

 desire to offer some suggestions of warning, while at the same 

 time reaffirming my approval of the general idea of organizing 

 boys and girls for mutual emulation and improvement. We are 

 now coming to a new era in our agricultural work, consequent 

 on the passage by Congress of the great extension bill and the 

 beginning of the organization of many kinds of rural betterment 



i Adapted from "York State Rural Problems," 2: 71-79. J. B. Lyon Co., 



Albany. 



