BuBEAu OF Agkicultube. 129 



I desire here to express the appreciation of the en- 

 tire demonstration force for the impetus given their work 

 by this new method of selecting the personnel of the 

 farmer boy encampment. 



Respectfully submitted, 



B. G. Nelson, 

 Agent in Charge Boys' Club Work. 



BABY HEALTH CONTEST. 



A Baby Health Contest is not an advertisement or 

 a fad, but a serious effort on the part of its directors to 

 help mothers find out the standing of the baby, as com- 

 pared to that of other children of his age. For a long 

 time baby shows have been features of fairs where good 

 looks and good clothes took the prize. 



The score card used is that prepared by the Ameri- 

 can Medical Association, and it is endorsed by physi- 

 cians generally. It covers points of physical and men- 

 tal development ; the standard marks are made from sta- 

 tistics covering children. :in all States of the Union, to 

 the number of several thousand, forty, I think. Each 

 baby is examined by several doctors for teeth and throat, 

 for weight, height, and other measurements; for walk- 

 ing, running, and other muscular movements; for con- 

 dition of skin, hair, etc., and for mental advancement. 



The third contest held by the Kentucky State Fair 

 was an entire success. The entries the first year were 

 136, but not all of these were examined; the next year 

 there were 180 ; and this year 221. All but twenty of this 

 last number were examined, failure to reach the city 

 or some sudden illness being iiie chief causes of failure 

 to come at time appointed. 



When the baby's name is received, the parents are 

 sent a card telling them when to bring the child for ex- 

 amination. This year the examiners were : For mental 

 test, Dr. Sam P. Myer; for dental work. Dr. E. C. Hume; 

 for nose and throat. Dr. George Robertson ; for general 

 physical development. Dr. John Bedinger and Dr. J. H, 

 Pritchett, Dr. Irvin Lindenberger being in general 



agr. — E 



