Degree at Master at Science Floyd J. Ruble, B.Sc
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THE ORG!NIWION AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG MEN'S FARMING CLUBS IN OHIO A fheaia Preaented for the :Degree at Master at Science by Floyd J. Ruble, B.Sc. ~he Ohio State University 1930 Approved bya TA.BLE OF CO:tnENTS Page INTRODUC~ION i Statement of the Problem 11 Source material ii FARill ORGANIZATIONS 1 ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH 2 BEGINNING OF THE FARMING CLUB MOV&ililll! 3 ITS POSSIBILITIES FOR lilEMBEB.SllIP 4 THE ORGANIUTION OF A TY.Piilli.L CLUB 5 PART-TIME COURSES ESSENTIAL TO 1!13TABLISHING FARMING CLUBS 10 INT~TS OF THE OBGA.Niz.ATION 12 MEM.BlmSHIP 14 THE CONSTITUTION OF A CLUB 18 INITIATION 19 .PROGRAM OF WORK 20 ATHLE'rIOS 27 SOCIALS 28 PIAYS 29 PFB.l! HUNTS 30 PAlJJlft-SON .BANQ.Ums 31 PA!lf-TIKE COURSil> 31 O.BJ:00!.rIVBS OP' PART-TIME INSTRUCTION 35 PROJ:OOT WORK 37 :eROJ:OOTS AND SUPERVISED .PRACTICE IN THE GROVE CITY C01A1UNITY TABLE OF CONTE!il'lS page CASES OF INDIVIDUAL PROJJOOT WOBK 46 THE YOUNG MEN'S FAru.ilNG CLUB AS A COM.WNITY ASS~~ 50 BEIA.TIONSHIPS AND R.EaPONSIBILITI.12 OP T~CH.l:lib OP VOCA.TIONA.L AGRICUL'...'URE 51 THE FU'i'URE OF YOUNG MEN'S FAmllNG CLUBS 52 STATUS OF YOUNG MEN'S F.Alli:iilNG CLUBS IN O'.i:HAR STAT.Ea 53 SUMhlARY 54 BIBLIOGRAHIY 56 APPENDIX 57 LIST OF TAB~ Page I GROWTH OF THE GROVE CITY YOU. MEN'S FARM.ING CLUBS 6 II THE GRC1NTH OF YOUNG .MEN'S ~~Rii:llNG CLUBS SHOWING THE REJ'ATION OF THE NUMBER OF llEPAR'.i:.:J..~~S OF VOCATIONA.L AGRICULTURE AND THE WllB~ OF .PART-TIU COURS.:l3 FOR NINE Y.FARS, 1922 TO 1930 10 III 11IE REIATIONSHIP BEfJ.'WEEN F.AlUoUNG CLUB l4EM.B..iBS AND PART-TIME El'ffiOLI.JalliNT AT GROVE CITY BY Y~RS FROM 1924 TO 1930 12 IV IN'.l:..:.:RESTS OF YOUNG l4:EJI' S aRMING CLUB .lS RA.l,.l{ED BY fWENTY-SIB INSTRUOTOBS 13 V BANKING OF PA.Rr-T I.ME WORK BY YOUNG .MEN 13 VI PEaOENTAGE OF AVAIIABLE YOUNG lam ENROLLED BY YOUNG KEN'S FARM.Im CLUBS IN TWENTY-SIX COMlvl."UNITI~ 16 VII VARIATION IN YOUNG .MEN'S FArulING CLUB llEMBmBHIP IN TWENTY-SIX CLUBS 16 VIII STATUS OF YOUNG MEN'S FARMCING CLUB m.IB.i.::BSHIP FOR IJ!WO Y~RS 1928 1'0 1930 17 IX RFASONS WHY YOUNG Bl DROP OUT OF YOUNG liiEN' S FAR- MING CLUB 18 X TOURS TAKEN BY YOUNG MEN'S F.A.IU.aNG CLUBS AS REPO:Rr.ED BY TWENTY-01:r.E T-4\CH&S 27 XI PART-TIME COURSES SPOl~SORED BY YOUNG .MEN'S FAlUilNG CLU.Ie 32 XII REIATIOHSllIP Bi!rW~EN OLUB MEMBlll.SliIP AND A.TTEN- DA.lJCE AT 1'H.E FIRST PART-TillliE laiEETING Alf GROVE CifY 33 XIII PA!t!-TI.ME COUBS:F.8 OFFERED AT GROVE CITY 34 XIV DIFFICULTIES ENOOUNTlltED IN SUPERVISED PlU.O'fIOE WORK 38 xv PROJOOTS AND SUPERVISED mAOTIC:E WORK VII!rn B\.RT• !!MB STUDENTS IN OHIO 1926-1926 39 XVI PROJOOTS AND SUPERVISED P.RAOTIOE WORK WITH P~- ~IME STUDE1'1rS IN OHIO 1926-1927 40 LIST OJI TilLES XVII PROJ:OOTS AND SUPllWIS.ED PRACTICE WORK WITH PART-TIME S!I!UDENTS IN OHIO 1927-1928 40 XVIII PROJIOOTS AND su:emVIS.ED PRACTICE WORK WITH PART-TIME STUDEN'rS IN OHIO 1928-1929 41 XIX BROJJOC:TS AND su:emVISED :EBA.CTICE WORK WITH PART-TIME STUDEl-.1TS IN OHIO 1929-1930 42 SUMMA.RY OF PROJ:EX:lTS AND SUPERVISED P.RACTIOE WORK WITH PART-TIME STUDENTS IN OHIO 1925-1930 THE ORGANI.t:.ATION .AND D£VE.LOP1~T OF YOUNG L.IEN'S FARMING CLUBS IN OHIO Introduction Young men's tarrning clubs are social organizations established by teachers ot agriculture in Ohio, for young men between sixteen and twenty- tive years ot age who are engaged in ta:rming. These clubs have been in existence since 1922, and are well distributed over the state. This thesis is an account of the organization and its subsequent development, particu- larly in the Grove City conmunity where the author has been associated with it for the past five years in his capacity as critic teacher in the Depart- ment of Agricultural Bducation. For several years teachers of vocational agriculture have searched for a means of uniting the interests of the young men in their conmmnities. lfhis movement has offered a solution, It is the aim of this study to pre- sent what has been done in this field. It, as a result, other teachers shall be enabled to organize similar groups, that will be adequate practi- cal justification for the study. As tar as the writer can ascertain by oorrespondtnce and reading, little, if anything, has been done in this field in other states. Mr. J.B. llcClelland, Assistant State Supervisor ot Agricultural Education for Ohio, made a contribution in this field in his thesis,1 ~grioultural Instruc- tion for Pa.rt-Time Groups in Ohio, in 1927. 1 J.B. McClelland, Instruction for Part-Time Groups in Ohio. ~hesia for M.Sc. Degree, The Ohio State University. Columbus, Ohio. -U- Statement .2.t~ Problem ~he statement of the problem in analyzed form follows: fa determine the importance of Young Men's J'a.rming Clubs in Ohip; and their value in their respective communities. To discover the relationship of this organization to other organi- zations in the community. To present in an organized way the organization of the Grove City Club and its development of a successful program of work. To find out what 11 being done in other states. SQYl9§ Material Source material was limited, Mimeographed pamphlets of the Depart- ment of Agricultural B:Lucation, The Ohio State University, bulletins ot the Federal Board for Vocational Education, and books on education were atudied. A questionnaire was prepared and distributed among the teachers having organizations ot Farming Clubs at the annual conference of teachers of vocational agriculture in Columbus, Ohio, July 7-11, 1930. !his ques- tionnaire, which is given in the appendix, waa also sent to other Ohio teachers reporting similar organizations in their annual reports. Twenty- six questionnaires were tilled out and returned. Most at the teachers filling these out were personally interviewed regarding their respective clubs. Letters were written to members of the ataft of the Federal Board for Vocational :eliucation, Division ot Vocational Agriculture. All leads suggested by them were followed. Young men in Ohio who had con- ducted project work apparently auccesstully were interviewed or written to. Very helpful experience has been gained by the writer thru five years work with the Grove City Young .Ken•s Parming Club. FAml ORGANlAb.TIONS IN OHIO It is natural for people to gather into groups, either for social or commercial reasons. this tendency is as old as man-kind itself. Men and women, boys and girls, like to work under capable leadership. The outgrowth baa been the forming of numerous societies and organizations, bringing together those having common interests. In Ohio there are a number of such orge.ni~ations which have a following in the rural com- munities. However, most of these organizations are for adults or for children. Very little has been done to reach that group which is devel- oping into young manhood. Farmers in Ohio have been members of the Grange since the early seventies. For the moat part the present Grange membership of 78,000 is made up of older people. To the credit of the Grange movement, it may be said th.at in some conmunitiea their programs have appealed to the young men. However, the percentage reached ia often very small. Young people come to the Grange meetings for the social features, but it seems often become dissatisfied with the business sessions with which they are little concerned because this pa.rt of the meetings did not directly concern them. Unless there is something to hold their in- terest, they soon cease to be members. In 1919 the Farm .Bureau Uovement became widespread throughout the etate. ~heir highest point in membership, about 75,000, waa reached in 1921-1922. At this time local organi~ationa were found in ~early every community in the state.l The membership was centered around the l 'fhe Farm Bureau in Ohio. fhe Ohio Fci-rm Bureau Federation, Columbus, Ohio.P. 8-lO, - 2 - adult farmers who were actually engaged in farming. Teachers in this study report that about 50 young men out of a total membership of 556 are farm bureau members. Interests of the Fa.rm .Bureau were largely conunercial, { "It is a service organization, furnishing part of its service direct and part through &ftiliate6 marketing and purchasing agents.")1 Unless theJ owned or had a share in the farm business, the young men had little in- terest in this organization or its meetings. ACTIVITIES FOR ClilLilREN AND YOUTH We find an organized effort to reach the boys and girls through 4-H Club work. In 1929, there were 36,051 club members, 10,527 of whom were boys. Boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 21 may become mem- bers• .Most of the membership, however, is found in the lower age group. w. H. Palmer, State Club leader, reports the average Club age to be be- tween 13-14 years. ~his being the case, 4-H Club work is also reaching relatively few of our older boys and girls, aw only 7 out of 556 members of the Young lilen' s Farming Clubs are club membera.