MatMi county rapresentativas davalop plant for rwrol yo«ng marrtod group. Tho initial 



committeo hold a dinner mooting in Mason City and consisted of (loft to riglit) iNorris 



Boll, Homo Advbor IMrs. John Fisiior, Mrs. Morris Boll, Dick Stone, Mrs. Dicic Stono, Alfred 



Mangold, Mrs. Alfred Mangold, and Farm Advisor Ray Watson. 



RURAL YOUTH 



tin UILDING and maintaining membership 



Ij has long been a problem in our group, ' 

 were the frank, opening words of Bob 

 Kuhn, DuPage, in answer to a question sent 

 out to Rural Youth presidents on how to 

 build and maintain membership. Such honest 

 facing-up of membership problems is character- 

 istic of successful Rural Youth groups. 



Bob continues, "We are making some prog- 

 ress from knowledge gained through past ex- 

 periences and some new experiments. People 

 usually attend their first meeting through the 

 invitation of a friend. A planned prograr.i is 

 the first factor in holding the member's inter- 

 est." 



Youth Assistant, Edith Rose Ellias, Pulaski- 

 Alexander, says, "One of the most successful 

 means we have used in building membership 

 was the visiting of seven high schools by 

 president Kenneth Taake and myself. An 

 invitation was extended to all eligible students. 

 The principals were most cooperative." 



Mariam McConville says La Salle has good 

 results in getting members from rural high 

 school graduates. Her follow-up publicity is 

 good: "Recently we have been allowed a 

 15 minute program on radio station WLPO 

 and through their kindness we can tell all in 

 our county about our organization." 



Joe Schneider, St. Clair, writes, "Planning 

 our entire regular meeting ahead of time has 

 contributed most in building and maintaining 

 membership. Different individuals lead dis- 

 cussions and recreation at each meeting." He 

 lists bowling, educational tours, square danc- 

 ing, publicity, leading recreation for teen-age 

 groups, and personal invitations as helpful. 

 "By this plan we have about doubled our 

 membership in six months." 



Harold Schroeder's cheery note reads: 

 "Here in our grand county of McLean we 

 have a membership drive once a year." He 

 advises, "Have a definite program with plenty 

 of recreation." But he ends gloomily, "Our 

 worst trouble in maintaining membership is 

 that members continually get married." 



"Over half of our group was married," ac- 

 cording to Donald Duncan, Stark. "Reor- 

 ganization in January and a new member 

 campaign has resulted in a fair membership. 

 We try to have an educational feature for 

 each meeting, such as the study of farm 

 safety." 



Jackson almost completely changed its 

 membership during the last year due in part 

 to marriages. Clifford Seibel says, "We are 

 trying to fit the programs to the needs and 

 wishes of the younger group." Membership 



is gained largely through letters and by en- 

 couraging members to bring their friends. 



Marian Rueter, Scott, writes that "Enthusi- 

 asm flared and a good many members were 

 gained in our last membership drive." Charles 

 Thornton, Sangamon, points out, "We seldom 

 lose a member for any reason other than 

 marriage. Rural Youth is stimulated by extra 

 entertainment in addition to the regular meet- 

 ing." 



Odell Hensen, Marion, had around 20 new 

 faces recently. Three weeks before the meet- 

 ing a letter was sent to rural teachers asking 

 for names and addresses of children whom 

 they had taught who would now be of Rural 

 Youth age. Letters were sent to many of 

 them inviting them to attend the next meeting. 

 More letters will now be sent out. 



Recently organized JoDaviess, Wilfred 

 Wolfram, first president, is sponsoring its' 

 first six-month series of programs. New com- 

 mittees coming from different parts of the 

 county plan activities for each month. Each 

 member is encouraged to bring a prospective 

 member. Variety is stressed. 



Dale Bauer leads Christian in a pre-meeting 

 discussion of plans one week previous to the 

 scheduled meeting. Ten people help make 

 these monthly plans. Five of this 10 hold 

 over from the previous meeting and five are 

 new members, providing participation and in- 

 terest. Bob Benton, Richland, uses a variety 

 of equipment games to attract and hold new- 

 members. 



Arden Chappie, Livingston, increases mem- 

 bership through hayrides and dances in dif- 



Theso are the officers 

 of the recently-organ- 

 ized Rural Youth 

 group at Cisne for 

 farm youth in the 

 north end of Wayne 

 county. Standing: 

 Noai Auvll, Luctlio 

 Burton, Annamae Mc- 

 Cracken, Warren Sim- 

 mons, Joy A u V i I . 

 Secrtod: Don Hlliiard, 

 Alice Gechenour, vice- 

 president; Genevieve 

 Hufhines, president; 

 and Catherine Simp- 

 son, secretary-treas- 

 urer. 



fetent ptfts of the county, "conducts short 

 business meetings, and provides good recrea- 

 tion." Harold Harms, Iriquois, thinks box 

 socials and guest speakers are helpful. He 

 refers to Miss Fannie Brooks' address on un- 

 dulant fever as creating high interest. 



Bill Schorfheide of Washington lists sug- 

 gestions for building and maintaining Rural 

 Youth membership: "(1) Well-planned and 

 balanced programs, (2) Active standing mem- 



By ELLSWORTH D. LYON 



Director Young People's Activities 



bership, reception, and rotating committees, 

 (3) Community service activities, (4) Meeting 

 place in center of county, (5) Publicity, (6) 

 Individual cooperation, (7) Use friendliness 

 as your motto." 



Eunice Lind, Bureau, is working for variety 

 in the entire program with representatives par- 

 ticipating in many different recreational, ath- 

 letic, and educational activities. 



Your answers to the problem of building 

 and maintaining Rural Youth membership are 

 appreciated and will be welcomed by others. 

 Space permits only excerpts from all the 

 letters received, but the various items in the 

 letters are included on this page. Space 

 does not permit a summary. Your reactions 

 will be most welcome. 



Assistant Farm Adviser George Kemp 

 (right) congratulates Herbert Schick of 

 Edelstein on winning Peoria county's Rural 

 Youth skilled driver's test May 22 at Pe- 

 oria. Sgt. F. E. Piper, state police safety 

 section, looks on. it was the first skilled 

 driver test of the year. Sgt. Piper assisted 

 in conducting it. 



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