m. Boys were schooled in agronomy,
mechanics and animal husbandry and pursued individual projects in these
fields. Girls also worked both with groups and individually in such
areas as "food for health," clothes remodeling and room improvement.
Summer camps, rallies and fairs were also sponsored by 4-H Clubs. At one
camp, held near Woodlawn, the week-long program included workshops in
canning, basketry and utilization of dairy products, a sidetrip to see
fireworks, and those perennial camp favorites of swimming, "weenie
roasts" and stunt nights.[170]

[Illustration: The 4-H Girls Camp at Woodlawn. Fewer boys were able to
attend such camps since their labor was needed on the farm. Photo in H.
B. Derr Report, 1925, Virginiana Collection, Fairfax County Public
Library.]

[Illustration: The cream of the crop of Fairfax County girlhood on a
float meant for the Piedmont Dairy Festival parade. Photo in H. B. Derr
Report, 1930, Virginiana Collection, Fairfax County Public Library.]

The 4-H Clubs never caught on in Fairfax County to the satisfaction of
the home demonstration and agricultural agents. "The past year has not
been a banner year for club work," wrote Derr in 1926. "Four clubs were
organized ... but the agent is inclined to think that with a number of
[members] this was done to be excused from a study period. The small
amount of work done on their projects seems to substantiate this
belief."[171] The clubs grew slowly partly because they overlapped the
work of the Floris Vocational High School and the Future Farmers of
America Club, founded in 1927.[172] There is also some evidence that
parents were reluctant to release their children from farm work to
attend meetings.[173] For those who did join, the meetings seem to have
been fun and profitable. "Not only do you learn from 4-H how to make a
home and a living," an enthusiastic member commented in 1933, "but you
also learn how to make life worthwhile. We now realize more than ever
our duties, as the child of today will be the adult of tomorrow."[174]

As is evident in the above quotation, groups such as the 4-H or Future
Farmers of America encouraged a child to identify with and improve on
rural life. These organizations not only stressed occupational pride,
but benefitted the community by training leaders who had early
experience with professional farming techniques.

* * * * *

Aside from the need to influence milk and produc