/?«W Youth 



Ellsworth D. Lyen 



The Red Cross program is growing 

 in popularity with Rural Youth as 

 groups find ways to cooperate with 

 the county Red Cross organizations. 

 Reports from 17 counties show cash 

 contributions of the amount of $978- 

 76. These counties are Lee, Frank- 

 lin, Whiteside, Marshall-Putnam, Clay, 

 " Knox, McLean, Clark, Brown, St. 

 Clair, Washington, Macoupin, Mc- 

 Henry, Adams, Randolph, Ogle and 

 Kane. Livingston, McLean and Bureau 

 counties are assisting at Red Cross Can- 

 teens. Clark helped in the annual 

 financial canvass for the county organ- 

 izations, some young people teaming 

 up with county Red Cross workers, 

 others forming teams among the Rur- 

 al Youth. Rural Youthers in Clark 

 also cooperated with a local movie 

 in selling tickets for a Red Cross ben- 

 efit. Macoupin staged a big carnival 

 and netted $475 for the Red Cross. 

 Blood Donor groups have been 

 formed in 12 counties. Each month 

 additional county groups are invit- 

 ing Red Cross representatives to 

 meetings to explain the Red Cross 

 program and to indicate ways in 

 which Rural Youth may take part in 

 this program of service. 



Montgomery Rural Youth has been 

 visited by a Red Cross representative 

 who is an area director under the 

 St. Louis office. The county chair- 

 man was present also to explain the 

 Red Cross program. Representatives 

 were sent to the Red Cross Camp and 

 Hospital Council meeting at Scott 

 Field. They plan to participate in the 

 work of the Council to serve the sol- 

 diers at Scott Field. More definite 

 plans will be made later. 



In April St. Clair county joined the list 

 of counties having a county newsletter. The 

 new publication has not been named, but 

 members are on the alert trying to think of 

 a suitable "handle". This young group is 

 moving right along in many good activities. 



Woodford has published the first of its 

 quarterly county paper "The Woodford 

 Gang Reports". Copies of the first issue 

 appeared early in April and were sent to 

 service men. 



Under date of April 2, Fulton county sent 



a three page letter to soldiers who have 

 gone from Rural Youth. It contained much 

 information of the group and of various 

 Rural Youthers now in service. 



Franklin county's April meeting consisted 



of a pot-luck dinner, mixers, games and 

 dancing. This county has an adult com- 

 mittee on Rural Youth, two of whom were 

 present at this meeting. Attending, also, 

 were members of the Mt. Zion 4-H club. 



Schuyler gave a barn dance on April 19 

 as a farewell party to its president, Frank- 

 lin Kotter, who is entering the Army. Sec- 

 retary Rosalee Hess says that not only 

 Uncle Sam but Dan Cupid, as well, has been 

 calling the Rural Youth officers. 



McHenry County Rural Youth learn about 

 putting in tile under the direction oi 

 Farm Adviser W. H. Tammeus, and R. C. 

 Hay. extension engineer. U. of L College oi 



Agriculture, extreme right Members, left 

 to right are: Myron Richardt Charles Dar- 

 fler. William Paterson, Don Anthony. Or- 

 eille Pagles. and Robert Gerloit 



Macoupin's benefit carnival really was a 



big event. More than 75 young people 

 serving on various committees worked to- 

 gether to make this Rural Youth under- 

 taking one to be remembered. Maxine 

 Denby was crowned queen. A bouquet of 

 roses was presented to her by Evelyn Bur- 

 ger, queen of last year. Ross Gates was 

 master of ceremonies. 



LaSalle county comes up with another big 



annual banquet. This year the theme "April 

 Showers" seems quite appropriate, as was 

 May Flowers of last year. Do they con- 

 tact the weather bureau? The date — April 

 25. 



Hamilton county, our youngest count>' 

 group, came into existence March 28 when 

 12 young people met at the Farm Bureau 

 office and effected the organization. This 

 group proceeded on April 5 with their first 

 monthly meeting. Twenty-four additional 

 members came to this meeting. Keep going, 

 Hamilton, we're all behind you in spirit. 



Peoria county, at its April meeting, studied 

 a subject in Applied Psychology. The theme 

 "Overcoming Inferiority" brought forth 

 much audience participation. 



Parents' nights were held recently by- 

 Wayne and Edwards county Rural Youthers. 

 Wayne displayed souvenirs sent by members 

 from various countries and war fronts. Ed- 

 wards held a panel discussion which was led 

 by parents on the theme, "The Work of 

 the Farm and Home Bureaus and Their 

 Connection with Rural Youth." 



Double-header meetings were held in two 



counties in April. The Prophetstown-Tam- 

 pico Warrior boys discussed farm accounts, 

 while the girls studied home beautification, 

 drawing pictures of their dream homes. 

 Kane (South) boys studied soil conservation, 

 during which time the girls considered the 

 topic of window treatment. 



St. Clair county and Twin City Ripples of 



Whiteside have presented the skit, "The 

 Banquet," which deals with dining in pub- 

 lic. This skit provided many suggestions 

 for discussion in both groups. 



The Crystal Lake Wildcats of McHenry 



county were very much ort the beam in their 

 consideration of race relationships. Many 

 adult thinkers believe this topic should re- 

 ceive much consideration. 



Popular among Rural Youth groups is 

 the theme "What Do You Want Out of 

 Life," which was discussed recently by Wa- 

 bash, the Hebron group of McHenry, and by 

 Randolph. 



Edgar county adds another activity to its 

 community service program. At stated times 

 members of Rural Youth lead games for 

 the children's home in Paris. "This club 

 formed a blood donor group from its mem- 

 bership in April. "What Rural Youth Is 

 and Does" was the topic for discussion in 

 April. 



McDonough county had as guests repre- 

 sentatives from the Rural Club of Western 

 State Teacher's College for a social evening 

 of recent date held in Macomb. The pro- 

 gram consisted of roller skating, social danc- 

 ing and square dancing. 



Wedding bells rang for two of Randolph 



County Rural Youthers, Ray Kattenbracker 

 and Marjorie Siemers. They were married 

 March 4. 



The eight McHenry County Rural Youth 

 Clubs studied their county constitution in 

 detail during March and April meetings. 

 Various amendments were made and the 

 new Constitution was adopted by a called 

 meeting of representatives on April 24. 



Jackson-Perry got on the air March 22 

 when eight Rural Youthers gave a history 

 of Rural Youth and sang the Rural Youth 

 march over WJPF, Herrin. 



Pfc. Dale Strohm of '^est Union, died 



from pneumonia in the Mediterranean area 

 around the first of March according to re- 

 cent word received from the Rural Youth 

 group. Pfc. Strohm was the son of Mr. 

 and Mrs. Perry Strohm. He had received 

 the Purple Heart after being wounded Nov. 

 27, 1944. 



Sgt. Ramon O. Bomgardner, Edgar coun- 

 ty, a member of the Gliders division, has 

 been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds 

 received at Bastogne, Belgium, on Christ- 

 mas Day. 



A member of Rural Youth from DuPage 

 county, Pvt. Henry Hoffman, United States 

 Marine, was wounded in the battle of Iwo 

 Jima. Pvt. Hoffman has written his parents 

 since receiving wounds, according to word 

 from members of the DuPage group. 



L A. A. RECORD 



■-vd;. 



