ILLINOIS Kiiial ^..iilli in.ml.ci- 

 and leaders arc on tlic l<n)koiil ior 

 ways of givirm ilefiiiiteiiess and 

 dirt^tion to roiinlv and slolewidc 

 ac'ti\ ities. and lo methods ol ucarinu' 

 programs to tlic needs of farm \oulli. 



In the first place. f;oals are ne(e>-ar\. 

 A study of the desires, needs, and a»ti\i 

 ties of Illinois Hiirul ^ outh in 191.T jiy 

 the ].W State (Committee of ^ oun"; 

 People revealed the necessit\ for six 

 ohjeetives in the Illinois Hiiral Youth 

 projiram: (1) C.ilizenship training. (2i 

 Leadership development. I > ) Trainini: 

 in cooperation, i I t Kural life ap|)reeia- 

 tion. (5) Hetter human relations, and 

 )f)l l^olution of vocational prohlem-. 



In many counties, programs arc 

 |ilanned around these goals. Often 

 reference is ma<le in the county organ- 

 izations lo these six goals toward which 

 memhcrs are working. They are stated 

 on the green pursc-si/e h'nial ^onlh 

 mendiership card. Definite inipha^i^ 

 has heen given to some ol these spi-cihc 

 goals in the vouth < i>rifer<'ncc- ol the 

 \\\ atmual meeting. 



In the IQU! Rural Youth ('onference 

 of the ].\A aniuial meeting, the theme 

 was citizenship training, with consider- 

 ation given especially to democratic 

 living in the local commimilv. The 



19f7 cojitereucc was planned aiound 

 the theme ol rural life appreciation. 

 The slat*' conmiiltee is con-idering hel- 

 ler human relationships for the I'M') 

 conference liieme. Of the short course- 

 in KMT and l')).". training wa< given in 

 looperalion.^ Through districi meet- 

 ings. Iciidcr.-iliip de\elopmen| ha- heen 

 the main emj'hasis foi a nnnihcr o| 

 years. 



(.ount\ and eoiuniuuity groups nia\ 

 pursue many interests uniler tin -i\ 

 goals ol liui.il ^ "Ulh ill their \aiiou- 

 activilir-. 11 the organi/alional -Iruituic 

 is -ound. Here is the -ecoiid hig item 

 to con-ider when a group divides it- 

 niemlierships into live aclixc staiuling 

 committees, in order to provide oppor- 

 tiinitx for leadership dc\elo|iment. 



Iliese ■standing committee.- arc edu( a 

 tion. rei reation. comniunitv service 

 puhlicily. and inemhership and lio-pi 

 talily. lix placing memliers on lliesi 

 \aiion- oiinmillees for a si.\ month 

 period and rotating them to other loni- 

 iiiillcc-. inemhers have Opportunitv for 

 neu experieiKcs and further develop- 

 ment. 



The l'»|<) .Slate Huial Youth - !'»,,- 

 (amp wa- planned around llii- (oiii 

 niillec -v-lein. 1 he approximalelv 17" 

 <aniper- were divided into \\ai;oii tiaih- 



or groups. Kacli train was divided into 

 these five committees and each day each 

 wagon train carried one of the activities 

 of education, recreation, conimunit) 

 service, puhlicity. or hospitality. By 

 this method, re-pousihilities were not 

 loo great and ea<-li camper cooperated 

 with his wagon train in one of these 

 activities, (iounties that have tried tlii- 

 -\stem like it. It ha< many advantages. 



Planning ahead from six months to 

 a vear is the eslahlished procedure of 

 the most acliv<- countv organizations, 

 fall activities should prove helpful in 

 huilding the local groups, (lounty talk 

 fests and skilled <lriviTs" contests, fol- 

 lowed li> state and district particijia- 

 tion. will serve as incentives to joining 

 and maintaining interest in Hiiral ^ oiith. 



Several counties have quickly taken 

 voung people from foreign countries 

 into their groups tlii- summer. These 

 voung people, visiting Irom other lands, 

 have talent and jirovide educational 

 value to the groiijis which they attended. 

 Mural Youth has in turn provided group 

 life and com|)aiiionsliip for them. 



Lach year many Hural Youth inem- 

 hers in all Illinois counties go away to 

 college. Should not the home group 



(Conrii.iuii ■ >; p.ige 26) 



Volley ball provider strenuous exercise. 



Rural Youth at 



'49 STATE CAMP 



By ELLSWORTH D. LYON, Director 



Young Peoples Activities 





20 



I. A. A. RECORD 



