Farm Families to Join Their Children for Picnic At End of Club Camp, July 1921

Gaston Farmers to Have Picnic. . . Club Camp at Riverside, With General Picnic to be Held Friday

Gastonia, July 26—Mount Holly will be the Mecca of Gaston county farmers next Friday. As the date for the agricultural club encampment and the farmers’ picnic draws near all indications point to a still larger attendance than was anticipate. With O. Max Gardner and congressman A. Lee Bulwinkle and several prominent Gaston County men secured as speakers, with a number of recreational features planned, and with many of their children already there for the club encampment, the picnic is expected to draw the largest crowd of farmers that has ever assembled in the county.

The picnic Friday promises to be the biggest event of the week in the county. Among Gaston County men who will speak are Messrs. W.T. Rankin, J.G. Carpenter, A.C. Jones and C.E. Hutchinson. Among this last are included several men who are successful farmers, as well as speakers. O. Max Gardner is said to be the biggest cotton farmer in the State as well as one of the best orators. Mr. Wiley T. Rankin is president of the Riverside Farm and knows farming as he does the cotton mill business. The type of speakers that has been selected gives promise of something interesting for the farmers.

Exercises will begin at 10 o’clock in the morning and will continue through the day. Mr. Fred L. Smyre will preside in the morning and Mr. R.G. Rankin in the afternoon.

As to the dinner, Mr. C. Lee Gowan states that a basket dinner will be served in the old fashioned ay, each family inviting their friends and forming community groups about the grounds.

The plans for the encampment have been perfected, and all is ready for the first day’s program, which begins Wednesday morning. Final arrangements have been made with all the instructors and managers, and the exact program of activities has been arranged. Instruction will be given in various kinds of farm work, in physical education, music, dramatics, health, and community activities. Recreation will be afforded in moving pictures, swimming, vaudeville acts, and many other things.

The staff in charge of the camp will include the county agents, Mr. C. Lee Gowan and Miss Helen Millard. Mr. Homer B. Mask, State club agent; Allen C. Oliver, State poultryman; Miss Blanche Heiserman, of the local community service organization; Miss Faye Davenport, county superintendent of public welfare; Miss Harriet Sherman, local Red Cross nurse; Dr. D.A. Garrison, a local physician; and Prof. E.A. Thompson of Mt. Holly. These will be assisted by four club leaders, which are as follows: Mrs. Carl Stroup, Alexis; Mrs. O.L. Rhyne, Mt. Olivet; Miss Chloe Dellinger, Panhandle; and Prof. F.S. Hager, Sunnyside.

The Mt. Holly people are bearing the financial burden of the camp. The amount to cover expenses has been raised by subscription among the Mt. Holly people, who have shown a fine spirit of co-operation in arranging the camp.