The corn compaign

Media

Part of Philippine Craftsman

Title: The corn compaign
Creator: Foreman, North H.
Language: English
Year: 1912
Rights
Fulltext: THE CORN CAMPAIGN. N O RTH H. FOHE>tAN, ln•r><'<:Wr of Schoo\ GaNlena and Sitn. THE Bureau of Education ha~ for years been interested in making available a better and more wholesome food supply for the people. Jn past years this has been confined to the extension of vegetable growing by means of school and home gardens, and to the operation of both school and settlement farms largely devoted to the cultivation of fa rm crops. The garden work has been extended until the reports for the past year show that two thousand five hundred seventy schools maintained successful gardens, and that twenty-two thousand nine hundred fifty-seven home gardens were cultivated by school pupils. Each of these home gardens was in reality a small, well-supervised demonstration field. The extent to which gardening has bettered the economic conditions is best shown in the report of produce raised. Produce to the value of almost fifty thousand pesos (1"49,425.50) was grown in the gardens. In itself this represents bettered food conditions, without any consideration of the countless benefits which accompany work of this nature. In addition to the school gardens, some forty farming courses were offered in the schools. This year special attention is being given to the development of one of the food staples by inaugurating a general corn campaign which will reach every school in the Philippines. Thousands of plots of corn will be grown and the essential points of good corn and improved methods of cultivation will be taught to each corn grower. Demonstrations in the preparation and cooking of corn will be given and recipes will be distributed in such number that the importance of corn as a human food will be known in even the remotest community. The need for such a movement is shown by the statistics of last year's corn production in the Philippines. The fact that 300,000 hectares (750,000 acres) of corn were cultivated, with an average yield of only 8 cavanes (17 bushels) per hectare (2-t acres) as compared with the average yield of 30 cavanes in the United States, shows the need of attention to this food staple. The campaign as launched is quite extensive. It embodies lessons on corn production, demonstrations in the uses 210 Til£' CORN CA.IIPAIGN 211 A crowd about school building. Malabon. Rizal. at tl•o Corn Demonstration. of corn, and many other points involved in the popularization of corn foods. By means of the extensive organization of teachers who are in close touch with the daily life of the people the success of such a campaign can be assured. Every member of the force of some eight thousand teachers is actively enlisted, and, in addition, the coOperation of other bureaus is assured. COXFEHEXCE. The corn campaign was opened by the Acting Director when the following persons were gathered for a conference upon the subject: The Second Assistant Director; Division Superintendents of Schools, Frederic J. Waters, of Tarlac, Hammond H. Buck, of Batangas, C. D. Whipple, of Nueva Ecija, and C. W. Franks, of Cavite; John S. Potter, Chief of the Division of Publications and Industrial Information; North H. Foreman, Inspector of School Gardens and Sites; Bruce E. Ingersoll, Inspector of Trade Schools; Luther Parker, Industrial Inspector; 0. S. Hershey, Inspector of Machinery; Mrs. Alice M. Fuller, Supervisor of School Kitchens; Hugo H. Miller, Head of the Industrial Information Department; W. K. Bachelder, Instructor in Gardening, Philippine Normal School; Austin Craig, of the College of Agriculture ; Miss Mary H. Fee, Chief of the Correspondence Study Division; Miss Anna M. East, Philippine Normal School; and Antonio Jonson, of Laguna. Committees were organized which considered the various phases of a general corn campaign. The committees strongly indorsed such a campaign and recommended, among other things, that production, 212 THE: PHIUPP/NE CRAFTSMAN consumption, and popularization of corn dishes be emphasized; that contests in corn growing and demonstrations in preparing and cooking corn be held throughout the Islands ; that a publication on corn be issued as a basis for lessons to school pupils and as a civico-educational lecture to be given to the older people; that posters be distributed; and that a small hand corn mill be introduced. CUHX-GHU\\' I:SG COXTE ST. In accordance with the recommendations of the conference, a circular was sent to the field outlining the general plan for t he corn-growing competition which is being conducted in two distinct contests. One of these, designated as Contest No. 1, is concerned with the quantity of corn that can be grown on a given area of land. The other, known as Contest No. 2, deals with the quality of the best five ears of com submitted in an open contest. Boys enrolled in Contest No. 1 will devote the;r attention to the cultivation of the corn demonstration plots located at their homes. It is provided that any pupil of the gardening classes who desires to do so may cultivate a small patch of corn in connection with his regular garden work and enter Conte"t No. 2. To insure the most good, provisions have been made whereby the corn plots will be visited weekly by a teacher who shall give needed instruction. Permanent records in the form of enrollment cards are prescribed for each boy entering the contest. This ensures a very definite record of all corn exhibited in the many provincial exhibits and in the final exhibit to be held in Manila. While no arrangements have been made for prizes, suitable certificates will be issued to winners of the provincial and insular contests. Jl ' f)GJ1\"G COHX. In order to carry out Contest No. 1, it is essential that provisions be made for uniformity in judging all corn submitted in the ear contest. This is to be accomplished by the use of a standard score card. This score card, which will be the first of the kind to be used in the Philippines, is prescribed for all contests so that each exhibit may be scored by the same standard. That pupils may know how to tell good corn, the score card is to be made the subject of lessons for all boys enrolled in the corn contest. COXDUCT OF CORX Ex_lllBl'l'S. That the general public may become interested in the campaign, well-organized rorn exhibits will be held in all parts of the Philippines. Definite details have been issued in Circular No. 91 THE CORN CAMPAIGN 213 on the conduct of corn exhibits so that they may develop later into agricultural fairs. Exhibits will be held in the schools of provincial capitals and the larger municipalities as well as in many local centers. The exhibit day is planned as an agriculture day for the people. Farmers will exhibit farm crops; school pupils will exhibit products of their gardens; all classes of industrial work will be displayed; corn demonstrations will be held; and athletic sports will round out the "Garden Day." (_'QHX .OI~ MOX S Tit .-\ 'I' IOXS. The feature of "Garden Day" will be the corn demonstrations, in which points pertaining to an increased yield of good corn will be shown. The interest of the people will be aroused in the use of corn as a human food. \Veil-organized demonstrations are planned for all provinces. These will first be held in the largest towns and later extended to even the most distant barrios. Demonstrations will be given in connection with town fiestas, corn exhibits, garden days, and athletic meets. Booths specially constructed for the purpose will be devoted to the display of points pertaining to the growth of corn; good cornstalks with ears; ears of corn; seed testing; preparation of corn meal; and the preparation and serving of Ono of tho cb0o,~th~.~t0:;,·,.~:~~bon. Rt .. t, corn dishes. The people will witness a working exhibit where trained demonstrators are engaged in explaining each process and in preparing and serving free of charge tasty com dishes. These dishes will be prepared where each process can be observed by the people. Only such utensils and ingredients as are found in the ordinary Filipino home will be used. lt is thus hoped that the people will become interested, will secure copies of recipes, and will learn to prepare palatable corn dishes for themselves. CORX HECI I'ES. Only such recipes will be distributed as have been found, through the result of many trials, to be easy of preparation and to the liking of the people. That the growers of corn, even 214 THE PHILIPPINE CRAI'TS.IJA N in the most remote localities, may know of good corn dishes, a set of common recipes has been sent out for trial in domestic science classes. From them selections will be made for use and fo1· further distribution at the demonstrations. ( 'OitX POSTEHS. The plan for interesting the general public includes the use of a series of three illustrated corn posters, treating of seed selection and seed testing, preparation of the soil and planting, cultivating and hanesting. These posters are to be distributed in such quantities that they may be displayed in all schoolhouses, municipal buildings, and public markets. Every point pertaining to corn production will be graphically presented. <:OHX IA~<-" l' I ' I{E, To insure sufficient available information for advanced primary pupils on the essential points of corn production, an illustrated publication very elementary in character has been prepared and is being sent to the field. This is known as Civico-Educational Lecture No.8, "Corn." lt is being distributed in such quantities that it may be used in class instruction for all pupils engaged in corn growing or gardening. This publication will also be the basis of one of the civico-educational lectures given annually by ihe teachers in all parts of the Islands. C.\HXI\',\f_, I)E)lOiX S'I'Rt\TIOXS. As previously stakd, every detail of the campaign is so planned that it will close with a corn exhibit and demonstration as a part of the Bureau of Education's annual exhibit to be held in February in connection with the Camival at Manila. Here the winning exhibits from all provinces will be displayed and judged to determine the winner of the Insular contest. A small display of corn was a part of the vegetable exhibit of the Bureau of Education at the Philippine Exposition in February, 1912, but in 1913 the general public will be treated to the first large corn exhibition ever given in the Philippine Islands. A general demonstration, with every detail of the campaign for corn as a food ready for the inspection and instruction of the public, will W held. Trained demonstrators will be constantly engaged in explaining the features of the display, in distributing recipes, and in serving corn dishes. •· t'OHX Ml LI~S. The Bureau has purchased 150 hand corn mills for general introduction. The distribution of these mills throughout the THE CORN CAMf>AIGN 215 provinces will form one of the features of the corn demonstra. tions. The mills secured are inexpensive, and they should at once replace the primitive stones now used. They are for sale to provinces at an approximate cost of 1*'7.00 each, including an extra pair of burrs. The need for a satisfactory mill is understood when it is explained that nowhere in the Philippines are there any gristmills where corn may be ground for toll, as is common in corn.growing countries. J>HO\. J.:\ C i t\1~ .XOT I·:S. That the campaign is launched and well organized in all prov· inces is shown by the manner in which the corn contest is being received in the provinces. Cavite reports all schools or· ganized and the boys enthusiastic. Cebu states that the division superintendent and the supervisor of gardens are making a tour of the island, which is the leading corn province, and are enlist. ing the coOperation of municipal officials in the organization and conduct of the corn campaign. Union Province reports the contest organized and well under way in all schools. The good to be derived from an active participation in such a food campaign will be felt for years; the development of one food crop must awaken the people to the possibiliti~s of others. Agricultural improvements may be preached and written abottt, but no other propaganda will accomplish the same amount of good as the actual growing of crops. It is upon this principle that the corn campaign is based. With the boy growing good corn, and the girl preparing appetizing corn dishes, the father will be convinced that corn can be improved and that it is a proper food for his family. It would be part of my scheme of physical education that every youth in the state-from the King's son downwardshould learn to do something finely and thoroughly with his hand, so as to let him know what touch meant; and what stout craftsmanship meant; and to inform him of many things besides, which no man can learn but by some severely accurate discipline in doing.-JOHN RuSKIN. "One of the chief values of shopwork, weaving, gardening, etc., even in elementary schools, is that they introduce the pupil to natural facts and forces and give him a motive for becoming thoroughly acquainted with the concrete facts and laws of nature."