RURAL YOUTH 

 ACTIVITIES 



By ELLSWORTH D. LYON, Director 



Young People's Activitio* 



Co-op Training Course 



Rural Youth, FFA, and 4-H boys 

 lost their identity as members of par- 

 ticular organizations in common fellow- 

 ship at the lAA sponsored Co-op Train- 

 ing Course held at the University of 

 Illinois during Farm and Home Week. 

 They ate together, sat in the same 

 classes, sang together, visited in the 

 barracks, and under expert leadership 

 from U. of I. and lAA and affiliated 

 cooperatives engaged in a discussion of 

 the common financial problems facing 

 young farmers. 



The 255 young farmers present from 

 94 counties together with the earnest 

 participation on the part of all en- 

 rolled, stand as positive witness to the 

 popularity of the Co-op Training 

 Course. Of the 255 present, 51 took 

 part in the talk fest. A number of 

 young men who did not speak said that 

 if they ever had another opportunity 

 like that again they would surely take 

 part. Talkfesting among Rural Youth 

 groups has been a great factor for many 

 years in personality and leadership de- 

 velopment. Top-notchers in the talk 

 fest were: Robert Builta, McLean 

 county; Harold Holz, Will; Clyde 

 Miller, Whiteside; Charles Thornton, 

 Sangamon; Dale Espel, Bureau; Russell 

 Scheeler, Peoria; and Charles Van 

 Bogaert, Kane. Top-flyte speakers 

 were: Robert Walker, Johnson; Don- 

 ald Hand, Whiteside; David Stoiz. 

 Tazewell; Glen Renken, Mason; and 

 Robert Ripplemeyer, Monroe. 



An outstanding feature of the Co-op 

 Training Course was the formation of 

 the lUini County Service Company 

 under the direction of W. B. Peterson, 

 Director of Distribution, Illinois Farm 

 Supply Company. The oflFicers and di- 

 rectors of this imaginary service com- 

 pany were made up of the top-notch 

 speakers in the talk fest. Charles 

 Thornton was elected president, Clyde 

 Miller secretary, and Harold Holz treas- 

 urer. For the position of manager a 

 number of top-nyte talkers were inter- 

 viewed by Peterson and the board. Don 

 Hand was chosen manager. Awards in 



f. D. Lyon giv each of th» winmr* In tin lAA Co-op Training 

 Course talks fest Unah envelopes containing new dollar bill*, 

 left to right: (tooted) Don Hand, Robert Walker, David Stoix, 

 and Olen Renken; ittanding) Charlet Van Bogaert, Clyde Miller, 

 Charles Tkornton, Robert Builta, Dale Itpel and Russell Scheeler. 

 Absent when picture was made were: Harold Holz and Robert 

 Ripplemeyer. 



addition to the places on the co-op 

 board were crisp one dollar bills, three 

 each for top-notchers and one for top- 

 flytes. 



Cooperation of the counties through- 

 out Illinois in preparing for the Co-op 

 Training Course was of the best. First 

 of all there was universal acceptance of 

 the idea of a Co-op Training Course. 

 Then came cooperation between FFA, 

 4-H and Rural Youth leaders in select- 

 ing the members from each of the 

 three organizations. This cooperation 

 really is not surprising, but it is ap- 



Ereciated. For some time there had 

 een a demand that the lAA engage in 

 some special activity for the training of 

 farm youth to enable them to carry on 

 the various agricultural activities de- 

 veloped by their parents. The response 

 by the county leaders and by the youths 

 themselves is an indication that a need 

 is being met in the Co-op Training 

 Course. From a questionnaire filled out 

 by the students enrolled in the course it 

 was found that there was a whole- 

 hearted request for the continuance of 

 the Co-op Training Course. About one- 

 fourth of the answers recommended 

 continuance on the county level only. 

 The majority of the remainder thought 

 that instruction should continue on both 

 the county and the state levels. 



Community Service Program 



On Feb. 8, 9, and 10, district meet- 

 ings were held in Belleville, Jackson- 

 ville, and Pontiac to point up the Com- 

 munity Service Achievement Program 

 sponsored by the GM&O Railroad 

 through the University of Illinois. The 

 features of this program are of such 

 fine quality that all of the counties 

 of Illinois will be helped in community 

 activity projects when the details are 

 finally outlined. 



County News 



Rural Youth played important roles 

 in the music and drama festival at Farm 

 and Home Week. Perry county's Rural 

 Youth trio sang "Oh, Dear, What Can 

 the Matter Be" and "Make Believe," 

 and received an "A" rating. 



Will's one-act play "Hugo in a 

 Hurry" placed with an "A-". 



Washington's duet sang "Pagan Love 

 Song" and "Rose Marie" and rated "A". 



Madison's one-act play, "High Win- 

 dows," received a "B-(-" rating. 



The Belleville Exchange Club was 

 host to St. Clair in January showing the 

 group through the Federal Reserve 

 Bank at St. Louis, and the St. Louis 

 Star Times. A system of visiting ^ack 

 and forth was begun three years ago 

 between the Rural Youth and the Ex- 

 change Club so that there might be 

 mutual understanding between them 

 about country and city problems. Good 

 reports indicate that the relationship 

 has been pleasant. 



Brown had the privilege recently of 

 listening to local talent at a Rural 

 Youth meeting where Mayor Leonard 

 Robins of Mount Sterling, manager of 

 the local Honey Producers' Cooperative 

 spoke on "Bees and their Value to 

 Farmers." 



Whiteside's big invitational basket- 

 bail tournament is scheduled for March 

 12. Team participation was determined 

 by intra-county plays among the four 

 Rural Youth groups. A number of the 

 surrounding counties will participate 

 in this annual event. Play will begin 

 at 10 a.m. 



Stephenson cooperated with the 

 county and state health program in 

 January by visiting the X-ray unit for 

 chest examinations. This program pro- 

 vides a good opportunity for real com- 

 {Conlinued on page 26) 



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L A. A. RECORD 



