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RURAL YOUTH 



By ELLSWORTH D. LYON, Director 



Young People's Activities 



The Grange gave to the PULASKI-ALEX- 



ANDER Farm Bureau the Grange 

 grounds at Villa Ridge with the provision 

 that it be used principally for 4-H and 

 Rural Youth work. 



The building as it stood on the grounds 

 was not in good condition or adequate for 

 these purposes. Therefore, it was decided 

 that the old building be razed and a new 

 one built. This new structure will be built 

 entirely from contributions made by the 

 people of the two counties. 



The PULASKI-ALEXANDER Rural 

 Youth group gave three performances of the 

 play, "That Watkins Girl," to help raise 

 funds. The three-act comedy was presented 

 at Olive Branch, Ullin, and Mound City, 

 Jan. 29, Feb. 4 and Feb. 12. The proceeds 

 from the play totaled $438.78. 



Educational Meetings 



Educational meetings over the state are 

 adding much information to Rural Youthers' 

 fund of knowledge. 



KANE heard E. E. McCoy of the County 

 School Survey Committee in February speak 

 on "Proposals of the Survey Committee." 

 He emphasized the proposal to equalize 

 taxes for educational purposes in the public 

 schools. A roller skating party was planned 

 for March with guests from COOK and 

 DuPAGE. Avery Stevens and Harry Buch- 

 holz served as the committee. 



Using agree-disagree statements on "How 

 to Find and Win a Mate" EDGAR had fun 

 in January discussing matrimony. In Feb- 

 ruary Ralph Pantle chose five "quiz kids ' 

 and staged a program on "Highway Safety." 

 An informal dance was held March 10. 



KANKAKEE sponsored a county-wide 

 meeting for people of all ages on farm and 

 home grounds planning under leadership of 

 Prof. Keith Hinchcliffe, U. of L The Feb- 

 ruary meeting featured a debate on the 

 subject, "The New Look in Women's Fash- 

 ions." 



LA SALLE heard Richard Hornbeck in 

 January on the "Advantages of Insurance." 

 The "Rail Splittin' " party in "Abe's Cabin," 

 Farm Bureau auditorium, was cast in the 

 form of the annual banquet, Feb. 4. Dr. W. 

 G. Kammlade, U. of I., was guest speaker. 

 "The cabin was decorated with a brown 

 false ceiling, a large fire place at one end, 

 brown paper on the walls representing logs, 

 and a rail fence built across the front of the 

 stage." 



EDWARDS heard a talk on "Early His- 

 tory" of the county by Mrs. 'Virginia Skin- 

 ner. In the March meeting the group visited 

 the Edwards County Historical Society. 



"Lincoln's Life Decisions" was the edu- 

 cational feature of WA'YT^E county Rural 

 Youth at the February meeting held at Fair- 

 field. 



Home Recreation 



"Home Recreation" was the January topic 

 for TAZEWELL and was led by Velma 

 Ackerman. Prof. Hinchcliffe, U. of I., pre- 

 sented "What's New in an Old House " in 

 February. 



Farm Adviser C. A. Hughes showed his 

 North COOK group interesting pictures tak- 

 en last fall on "The Oregon Trail," and "In 

 the Black Hills." 



The Prophetstown-Tampico Warriors and 

 Newton Notions of WHITESIDE held a 



joint meeting in January at Erie and heard 

 a talk on the operation of the casein factory 

 there. The county-wide "George Washing- 

 ton Ball" at Gait Grange, was the big event 

 of the year. Frances Bauer headed ticket 

 sales. 



SCOTT heard a temperance address given 

 by the Rev. Kenneth Douglas at Bluffs high 

 school, Feb. 17. LOGAN went en masse to 

 Lincoln high school to hear Pres. George 

 D. Stoddard, U. of I., on Feb. 26. The 

 group was represented by a member on the 

 platform with Dr. Stoddard. 



SHELBY had social dancing instruction 

 under the leadership of Miss Harriet Elliott, 

 U. of I., Feb. 26, at the Westervelt high 

 school. 



MADISON says in a recent issue of the 



where they looked squarely at the values 

 and purposes of Rural Youth. 



Reporter Viola Ewald writes: "Activities 

 of EFFINGHAM'S Rural Youth have been 

 on an upward trend. Rural Youth Day at 

 Farm and Home Week was attended by Pres. 

 Fred Laugerhausen, Warren Soltwedel and 

 Norman Kirchoffer. 



"A special feature of the February meet- 

 ing was a recording made of 25 of the mem- 

 bers by the manager of station WCRA and 

 played on the radio station a few days later. 

 Skating parties are held the last Thursday of 

 each month and have proved to be very 

 popular with the Rural Youthers. Other 

 activities of our monthly meetings have been 

 short skits and plays, quizzes, ensemble mu- 

 sic, and the old-time folk and square dances." 



Many Raising Funds 



Groups throughout the state are holding 

 box socials and sponsoring plays and ban- 

 quets to raise funds for various activities, to 

 make entertainment, and to provide an op- 

 portunity to work together. 



BOND'S January meeting was a movie en- 

 titled "Pop Rings the Doorbell." A box 

 social was held at Smithboro, Feb. 24, a 

 play was presented in connection with the 

 event. CHRISTIAN, holding its banquet at 



Warren Bull, Ste- 

 plienson county, 

 asks for a higher 

 bid as he auction- 

 eers at o recent 

 Rural Youth box 

 social. 



^ 



Tattler, "Nope we didn't forget all about 

 the membership drive. There's just not too 

 much to report except more dues are com- 

 ing in right along and there have been sev- 

 eral new names added to the mailing list of 

 the Tattler." 



The Pleasant Valley group of McHENRY 

 presented "Travel Etiquette" as the educa- 

 tional feature for the January meeting. 

 Leader was Don Perkins. 



Bureau Holds Parents Night 



BUREAU held parents' night Feb. 19 with 

 a panel discussion. The theme was "Exten- 

 sion Service Speaks. " MERCER staged a 

 big musical show Feb. 3. Surrounding coun- 

 ties contributed talent for this event. 



MACON'S members held an "End of the 

 Year" banquet on March 6 in Warrensbure. 



Taylorville, March 27, scheduled Ray Farris 

 of CLARK to serve as toastmaster. OGLE 

 banqueted at Polo March 6, saw Insurance 

 Director Clare Bradford's colored slides of 

 his western travels, and then closed the 

 evening with dancing. Committee members 

 were Fred LaBudde, Helen Baker, Ed Dew, 

 and Ed Schnulle. Another big venture was 

 the presentation of the annual Rural Youth 

 plays at Mt. Morris and Polo. KNOX built 

 its banquet around the theme of "Down on 

 the Farm." Twelve counties were repre- 

 sented by 230 guests. 



RICHLAND planned its 7th annual ban- 

 quet around the theme — "Don't Wait, Its 

 '48." Miss Marion Simon, Jasper county 

 home adviser, spoke on the theme, "Devel- 

 oping a Better Personality." 



La Salle county Rural 

 Youth officers recent- 

 ly elected: back, 

 Wayne Elliott, Don 

 Freebairn, vice pres.; 

 Bob Ashley; and Stan- 

 ley Wright. Seated: 

 Mae Pitstick; Betty 

 Barr, sec'y treas.; and 

 Marlam McConvliie, 

 president. 



APRIL, 1948 



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