“Better Farming, Better Business, Better Living”
— Sir Horace Plunkett
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“Beyond their value in growing and distributing good seed within the community, the junior grain clubs are becoming an important factor in the organized distribution of information regarding sound agricultural practices. During the winter each club is encouraged to become a study club for the purpose of discussing agricultural problems.” |
| Quality seed was crucial to the success of crops in Saskatchewan. 102 |
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| Melville, SK Youth Conference: 29 June 1944 103 |
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| The U of S organized boys grain clubs in 1931. 104 |
The Pool supported the clubs in many ways. 105 |
The purpose of the clubs was to impress upon farm children the importance of quality seed while allowing them to grow their seed for the following year with specially purchased foundation stock seed. The plots were visited and judged during the summer, with winners being awarded a free trip to Saskatoon. Many of these clubs went on to compete in National exhibits, bringing the province high honours. At the same time, local farmers observed closely the results of the test plots and learned from the clubs in their communities.
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| Club projects were a source of pride for the
members and a source of information in the community. 106 |
Objectives:
1. To carry on educational work among older boys and young men with a view to impressing on them the vital importance of using good seed.
2. To improve the general quality of seed used in any one district.
3. To train the members in preparing grain for exhibition.
4. To develop among the members and the community generally the co-operative spirit through club organization.
— Saskatchewan Grain Club for Juniors (aged 16-21), 1930
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| Boy with his family in test plot. 107 | Test plot. 108 |
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| Co-operation touched all facets of life on the prairies. 109 |
“The Co-operative Movement in Saskatchewan has grown till it touches practically every phase of life. The interest of teachers and of students has been taking practical form in the organization of school co-operatives. These are operated by the children themselves with the object of learning at first hand the co-operative method of doing business. By this means they are learning that co-operation is not something visionary but intensely practical, that it contains features which make it different from other forms of business enterprise, and that it yields social and economic benefits distinctly its own (…) The idea of forming school co-operatives for the distribution of school supplies has been spreading in all parts of our province (…) The children find out what things are necessary to the smooth functioning of an enterprise in which they are all part-owners, and the teacher can assist them in transferring this knowledge to the broad field of human society.”
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| Co-op content reached Saskatchewan schools. 110 | Co-op Summer School, U of S, 10-15 July 1939. 111 |
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| Swift Current Co-op School, 7 July 1945 112 | Swift Current, 1946. 113 |
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| Students tour Veterans Co-operative Farm, 1954. 114 | Swift Current School Staff, 1947. 115 |
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| Swift Current, 1946. 116 | Swift Current, 1956. 117 |
Efforts were also made to promote co-operative ideals and principles within the school curriculum through essay contests, and to younger children through educational material.
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| Pool Flour colouring book. 118 | “Meri-ka-chak — his message.”
119 1 | 2 | 3 |
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Alberta Pool story-book. 122 |
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