across the border. The entire group 

 was entertained for the night in the 

 homes of Rural Youthers of Mercer 

 county. 



Thursday afternoon we visited tlie 

 home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Ropp. 

 Ropp is a successful farmer and past 

 president of the McLean County Farm 

 Bureau. The executive committee of 

 the McLean County Rural Youth group 

 planned a dinner tor the touring group 

 of Illinois Rural Youth representatives 

 and the young Canadians, following 

 which slides were shown by George 

 Matthews covering events and scenes 

 in connection with the annual meeting 

 of the Junior Farmers' Association 

 which Illinois young people attended 

 early this year. On Saturday Prairie 

 Farms Creamery at Bloomington was 

 visited as was the Funk Farms south 

 of Bloomington. At noon a luncheon 



(Continued on page 48) 



The five fop speakers in the Illinois Rural Youlh Talk fat pose together after (earning 

 of the results. Left to right: Merle Miller, DeWitt county; Mary Alice ftoser. White; 

 Udell Wehling, Madison; Norma Allen, Williamson; and fremond Settles, McDonough. 

 Selected to represent Illinois in the national Talk fest, Miller was disqualified by the 

 AfBf rule which sets the minimum age at 18. Miller is 16. Illinois will be represented 

 at Atlantic City by Miss Roser. She is 18. 



Robert Roselius Wins 

 Safe Driving Contest 



DRIVING a new car through the 

 wind and rain Robert Roselius, 21, 

 Iroquois county, was adjudged best 

 driver in the State Skilled Drivers' 

 Contest sponsored for Rural Youth 

 by the Illinois Agricultural Association 

 safety department. 



The final contest, in which nine dis- 

 trict winners took part, was held at 

 Soldier Field on Chicago's windswept 

 lake front in November during the lAA 

 annual convention. Mahlon Lindgren, 

 Mercer county, placed second. 



Judging was done by three members 

 of the traffic safety section of the divi- 

 sion of state police. Points were awarded 

 for safe, sensible driving under var}'ing 

 circumstances. Out of a possible score 

 of 100, Roselius scored 89. His nearest 

 rival scored 59. He lost seven points 

 on skills and four on city driving. 



W. W. Whitlock, former lAA director 

 of safety and now head of the Illinois 

 Farm Supply Company safety depart- 

 ment, was in charge of the contest. Curt 

 Kenyon, University of Illinois extension 

 specialist in Rural Youth, was official 

 scorekeeper. 



Commenting on the excellent response 

 of Rural Youth in participating in the 

 contests from the district to the state, 

 lAA Youth Activities Director Ellsworth 

 D. Lyon said: "It is hoped that each 

 county in the state carrying a Rural 

 Youth program will engage in the study 

 of safety on the highway in 1949 and 

 will hold actual driving contests for their 

 members. Rural Youth will want to do 

 their part to make our highways safe. 

 Support the Skilled Driving Contest in 

 1949." 



Robert Roseiius, 31, Iroquois county, receives trophy from W. W. Whitlock (center) of 



the Illinois farm Supply safety department after the young farmer won the lAA-Rurol 



Youth safe driving contest. State safety section policemen are Sgt. f. t. Piper (left) 



and Sgt. T. O. Coughlin, and Sgt. B. J. Behler (right). 



Members of the Illinois Rural Youth state committee are shown together shortly after 

 their election at the Rural Youth conference held In conjunction with the lAA conven- 

 tion. Left to right: Robert Sleveri, Rock island county; Dorene Marti, Bond; Ray 

 BIchelberger, Champaign; Janet Jacobsen, Bureau; and George Johnson, Mercer. 



JANUARY, 1949 



39 



