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BULLETIN 426 CONTENTS PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 248 PLAN OF THE STUDY 248 Tests Used in Measurements 248 Subjects of the Investigation 250 ANALYSIS OF SELECTIVITY FACTORS IN 4-H CLUB WORK 251 Socio-Economic Factors 252 Size of Farm 256 Occupations of Fathers 257 Nativity of Parents 258 Size of Family . . 260 Parental Approval of Social Functions and Activities... 261 Organizational Participation of Parents 264 Intelligence 268 Participation in Other Organizations 270 Rating in Ascendance-Submission 272 Appreciation or Depreciation of Farm Life 274 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.. . 277 Urbana, Illinois July, 1936 Publications in the Bulletin series report the results of investigations made by or sponsored by the Experiment Station Selectivity of 4-H Club Work An Analysis of Factors Influencing Membership By D. E. LINDSTROM and W. M. DAWSON* ^ H ^WO DECADES have passed since the approval of the Smith- Lever Act and related federal and state measures appropriating funds for the promotion of extension work in agriculture and home economics by the various land-grant institutions of the country. During that time project work in agriculture and home economics for boys and girls between the ages of ten and twenty years, known as 4-H club work, has become an important part of the national system of extension education promoted cooperatively by the U. S. Depart- ment of Agriculture, the state colleges of agriculture, and county boards or local organizations of farmers and homemakers. The magnitude of 4-H club work in Illinois is indicated by the fact that more than 23,000 Illinois boys and girls were enrolled in 4-H clubs in 1932, when the data for this study were gathered. These 23,000 boys and girls constituted more than 6 percent of all rural boys and girls between the ages of ten and nineteen inclusive in the state and about 11 percent of the total number of farm boys and girls of those ages in the state. 2 'D. E. LINDSTROM, Associate in Rural Sociology; and W. M. DAWSON, Assistant in Animal Husbandry, who was responsible for the more complicated statistical analyses, and has rendered other assistance in the preparation of the manuscript. In addition to those whose connections with this study are shown in text or footnotes in the following pages, acknowledgment is due especially to Herbert Woodrow, Head of the Department of Psychology, and C. W. Odell, Associate Professor of Education, for valuable suggestions and criticisms on certain phases of the study, particularly in relation to the multiple-factor analysis and the reliability of the tests; to G. S. Randall and Cleo Fitzsimmons, Extension Specialists in Junior Club Work, for their aid in working out methods to test the reliability of the achievement tests; and to L. A. Wilson, student in commerce, for his assistance in developing the methods of statistical analysis used, especially the factorial analysis method. L. H. Scott and Marshall Harris, Assistants in the Departments of Psychology and Agri- cultural Economics respectively, also aided in the study. "According to the U. S. Census there were 205,226 rural boys and 186,334 rural girls in Illinois in 1930. Fifty-seven percent of the rural boys and 53 percent of the rural girls were living on farms. 247 248 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, PURPOSE OF THE STUDY In 1930 a committee 1 to make a study of 4-H club work in Illinois was appointed by Dean Herbert W. Mum ford. The present report represents one part of the work of that committee. In his charge to this committee Dean Mumford said, in part: "I look upon 4-H club work as one of the most constructive activities of the Extension Service. I am pleased with the progress of the work. I feel that it is not necessary to set up a defense of the work, present or past. Recom- mendations for changes of policy, objectives, or methods need not be considered as a criticism of the past but as evidence of vision and wisdom." The study was started in September, 1931. The specific objects were to determine by exact methods, so far as possible, (1) the selectivity factors in 4-H club work; (2) the extent to which 4-H club work increases the capabilities of members, if at all; and (3) the extent to which it develops desirable personal qualities. In this first publication of the results of the study, the general scope of the entire study is indicated, but only those data are pre- sented and analyzed that deal with the selectivity phase of 4-H club work ; that is, with those factors which influence boys and girls to join or not to join these clubs. Later reports are planned covering the other phases of the study. PLAN OF THE STUDY Tests Used in Measurements The objectives of 4-H club work may be broadly stated as being: first, to increase the capability of the boys and girls with reference partly to farm and home work and partly to the citizenship in the farming community ; and, second, to improve the personal quality of the boys and girls by developing or fostering desirable traits of char- acter, social mindedness, honesty and integrity. 2 "This committee consisted of the following persons: F. E. Longmire, As- sistant State Leader of Farm Advisers, Chairman ; Mary A. McKee, State Leader in Girls' 4-H Club Work; E. I. Pilchard, State Leader in Boys' 4-H Club Work ; Mary Louise Chase, Assistant State Leader of Home Advisers ; and D. E. Lindstrom. The committee secured valuable aid in its work from Coleman R. Griffith, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology; E. T. Hiller, Acting Head of the Department of Sociology ; and from other mem- bers of these staffs. 'These objectives were taken by the committee, from the following state- ments by 4-H club leaders, to be the chief objectives of 4-H club work in Illinois: (see page 249) 7936] SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 249 In the present study it was found impossible to measure the ef- fectiveness of 4-H club work with regard to all of the points involved in these objectives. Measures were found or devised, however, which could be used with some degree of accuracy to indicate the effective- ness with which 4-H clubs are attaining some of the more important of these objectives. These measures were the following: 1 1. Achievement tests measuring the degree to which boys or girls have acquired a knowledge of better farm and home practices. 2. Attitude test measuring the attitude toward farm life. 2 3. Social-behavior test measuring tendencies to attend or take part in desirable or undesirable social functions. 4. Ascendance-submission tests 3 measuring reactions to various social situations and indicating probable abilities for leadership and self-confidence. 5. Organization index (number of organizations belonged to and offices held) showing something of the social inclination, leadership, cooperation, etc., of the individual. 6. Prize index indicating the extent to which the individual has won prizes and awards. 4 In addition to these tests, each individual boy or girl in the study was given the Otis intelligence test ; and data were collected, by ques- tionnaires, on his status in the 4-H club, his age, occupational prefer- ences, self-rating attitude, agricultural training (both as to projects 'A more complete description of these is given later at points where they are specifically considered. 2 The original attitude scale measured appreciation and depreciation of farm life (Attitude I). A new scale worked out from the same data measured interest in the possibilities of farm life (Attitude II). 'The Allport Ascendance-Submission Tests were used. 4 The prize index was secured on members only, and hence could only be used to help measure differences between groups of members, e.g., those having high achievement scores compared with those having low achievement scores. Objectives for boys' club work, as set forth by E. I. Pilchard were to enable boys to learn better farm practice, become habitually better workmen thru project work well done, realize upon opportunities around them now, test their fitness for farm life, learn to cooperate thru work and play, develop the ability they have for leadership, develop self-confidence, practice healthful living, develop an interest in continuing their education, and enlarge their vision for possibilities for useful service in life. Objectives for girls' club work as set forth by Mary A. McKee were to further the adoption of better homemaking practices among girls as a means of interesting them in the finer appreciation of homemaking, to assist in direct- ing the activities of these girls along lines that will aid in their personal develop- ment, and to create more intelligent interest in worth-while rural life. 250 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, taken in 4-H club work and subjects taken in school), reasons for not belonging to a 4-H club or, in the case of past members, for dropping out, and the size of the family of which he was a member, number of brothers and sisters, nativity and occupation of parents, and socio- economic status of the family. Thus means were obtained for measur- ing nineteen factors which might influence the scores made on the measures of objectives. Subjects of the Investigation Tests and measurements were administered to 2,301 boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 20 years 1 living in sixty communities in six counties 2 in a diversified- farming section of Illinois, a section in which 4-H club work had been carried on as long as in any part of the state. Usable sets of data were obtained on 2,263 subjects: Boy members 525 Boy past members 69 Boy nonmembers 446 Girl members 599 Girl past members 208 Girl nonmembers 416 Every effort was made to test comparable groups of members and nonmembers, for it was realized that any variation as, for example, in the age of persons taking the achievement test could be expected to influence the scores. The boys and girls were brought to a central place thru the agency of the farm and home advisers and the local club leaders. Each club member and each past member invited to the meeting was asked to bring an acquaintance who was not a member but who was of about equal age and advancement in school. In this way a fairly satisfactory control group of nonmembers was obtained. By comparing the scores made by these comparable groups of members or past members and nonmembers it was believed that it would be possible to show the influence which 4-H club teaching had had on the members of the 4-H clubs. Furthermore, by comparing the scores of nonmember boys living in areas where no 4-H club work was available with the scores of members living in other comparable areas, one might arrive at a 'A few past members and nonmembers were older than twenty years, and a few others were a few months younger than ten years. 'The authors acknowledge the cooperation and helpfulness of the farm and home advisers, county superintendents of public instruction, local public school superintendents, principals, and teachers, and the 4-H club leaders in these counties and communities in providing facilities and bringing the children to- gether for the tests. 1936} SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 251 truer measure of the influence of club work on members ; but in the present study the absence of a 4-H club was for so few nonmembers (only about 2 percent) the reason for not belonging to such a club, that it was not possible to make this comparison. Inasmuch as the sample of members included all 4-H members living in the community at the time the test was made, irrespective of their age or length of time in 4-H club work, it was felt that the sample was as nearly random as it was possible to get. Differences in the environment and the interests of boys and of girls made it necessary to give them different tests on achievement and on ascendance-submission, and consequently most of the data are reported separately for boys and for girls. Differences between the environmental conditions of rural boys and girls living in towns and villages and those living on farms might also be expected to affect their interests and consequently their scores in some of the tests. Some indication of the effect of such differences is shown in Table 1. In the present study, however, this point was measured only with respect to the achievements and attitudes of the boys. TABLE 1.- -ScoRES OF FARM BOYS AND TOWN BOYS: AVERAGES MADE ON NINE VARIABLES BY MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS Variable Scores of nonmembers Scores of members 135 town boys 309 farm boys Difference in favor of farm boys 57 town boys 527 farm boys Difference in favor of farm boys Age (months) 173.9 100.1 23.7 36.3 9.7 4.9 31.4 45.0 10.3 173.8 99.2 28.8 34.9 7.8 4.2 31.4 47.5 10.8 - .1 - .9 +5.1 -1.4 -1.9 - .7" +2.5 + .5 180.2 98.8 29.5 35.1 10.7 4.2 53^7 10.6 183.1 98.3 39.1 35.8 10.6 3.8 37.8 59.4 10.7 +2.9 - .5 +9.6 + -7 - .1 - .4 +5! 7 + .1 Achievement Ascendance-submission Organization index Attitude I Attitude II Social behavior A low score is a good score for Attitude I; the difference is therefore in favor of the farm boys. ANALYSIS OF SELECTIVITY FACTORS IN 4-H CLUB WORK The selectivity of 4-H club membership is an important consider- ation in any study of the effectiveness of club work. By selectivity is meant the quality of attraction or of repulsion in club work which draws or fails to draw boys and girls into the work. Selectivity is 252 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, the sum of all the factors or influences which determine whether or not a boy or girl will join the club. Club work may, for example, appeal to the more intelligent rural young people, or it may appeal to relatively greater numbers with average or inferior mental ability. Or it may be more readily avail- able to boys and girls belonging to families with high socio-economic status ; or it may draw especially on families whose circumstances are not so favorable. It may draw and hold the interest of those boys and girls who had, previous to their joining such a club, a more sympa- thetic attitude toward farm life; and thus "previous attitude toward farm life" may be considered to be a selective factor in determining membership in 4-H clubs. In measuring the effects of any one of these factors, it was possible to show, by comparing the scores of groups in which all other factors which could be shown to have an effect on the result were comparable, whether the factor was an important consideration in determining membership 1 that is, whether the scores made by members and non- members on that factor differed significantly. More accurate knowledge concerning the nature of the appeal made by 4-H club work should prove helpful to administrators and leaders in their efforts to broaden the scope and increase the effective- ness of the work. Socio-Economic Factors The scale 1 for determining the socio-economic status of members and nonmembers of 4-H clubs consisted of twelve items: whether or not the family had (1) a telephone, (2) furnace heat, (3) a piano, (4) an automobile other than a truck, (5) a phonograph or radio; (6) the number of newspapers taken regularly; (7) the number of books in the home; (8) the number of magazines taken regularly; (9) whether the father had attended high school ; (10) whether the mother had attended high school; (11) tenure or occupational status; and (12) whether English was the only language spoken in the home. The average rating, on the socio-economic rating scale, of the boy members' families was significantly higher than that of the non- members' families, the average score for members' families being 59.38 and for nonmembers 47.17 (Table 2). The difference between averages was 12.21 points, which is 14.7 times its probable error, and may therefore be considered highly significant statistically. 'Heilman's revision of the Chapman-Sims Socio-Economic Ruling Scale. Jour. Ed. Res. 18, 117-126. Sept., 1928. 19361 SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 253 TABLE 2. BOYS' SCORES: AVERAGES OF MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS ON ELEVEN VARIABLES Variable Members (total number = 525) Nonmembers (total number = 446) Difference D/P.E. 2.65 + .043 6.11 .063 182.60 .758 98.47 .384 38.46 + .552 35.99 .391 10.66 .226 4.33 .221 3.77 .048 59.38 + .562 10.72 .043 5.93 + .069 174.09 .769 99.56 + .437 27.34 + .515 35.26 + .456 8.37 .212 3.41 .134 4.45 + .059 47.17 .609 10.57 + .053 .18 8.51 1.09 11.12 .73 2.29 .92 .68 + 12.21 .15 .093 1.080 .574 .768 .607 .310 .258 .071 .829 .068 1.9 7.9 1.9 14.5 1.2 7:4 3.6 9.6 14.7 2.2 C. Age (months) D. Intelligence quotient F. Ascendance-submission K. Attitude I M. Social behavior TABLE 3. GIRLS' SCORES: AVERAGE OF MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS ON ELEVEN VARIABLES Variable Members (total number = 599) Nonmembers (total number = 416) Difference D/P.E. A. Years in 4-H club work 2.29 .038 5.83 .059 167.61 .665 103.84 .370 46.22 + .415 48.49 .377 9.35 .185 6.07 .181 4.13 .049 54.54 .579 10.80 .041 6.14 + .075 172.50 .803 101.89 .440 44.26 + .471 45.60 .472 8.56 + .209 4.08 .170 4.53 .062 48.50 .679 10.71 .051 .31 4.89 1.95 1.96 + 2.89 .79 + 1.99 .40 6.04 .09 .095 1.043 .575 .628 .604 .279 .248 .078 .892 .654 3.3 4.7 3.4 3.1 4.8 2.8 8.0 5.1 6.8 .1 C. Age (months) D. Intelligence quotient F. Ascendance-submission G. Organization index I. Parental Organization index K. Attitude I Note. For those who are unfamiliar with statistical methods, it might be stated that the quotient obtained by dividing the difference by its probable error indicates the probability that the event described was or was not a matter of chance. A difference three times its probable error is usually considered significant in statistical procedure, and is the standard used in this paper. It should be understood, however, that this standard is an arbitrary one. The following brief table from Hayes and Garber, Breeding Crops Plants, may be of help to some readers in realizing the significance of certain differences when viewed in relation to their probable errors. Difference divided by probable error 1.0 2.0 3.0. 4.0. Odds against the occurrence of a difference as great as or greater than the designated one in a normal population 1.00:1 4.64:1 22.26:1 142.26:1 50 . 1,350.35:1 6.0. . , 19.230.00:1 254 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, The simple frequency chart (Fig. 1) shows that a significantly larger percentage of member boys than nonmember boys came from families rating in the higher socio-economic brackets. Fifty-four per- cent of the members' families had ratings of 60 and higher, while but 27 percent of the nonmembers' families rated that high. Past-member boys likewise came from more favorably situated families than non- member boys. The slight difference between member and past-member boys favored the members. The difference in socio-economic status of families of girl mem- bers and families of girl nonmembers was not so marked as in the boy BOYS SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS 0-19 20-39 40-59 6O-79 80-100 SCORE FIG. 1. DISTRIBUTION OF SCORES MADE BY BOYS ON TEST FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FAMILIES 0-19 ZO-39 40-59 60-79 6O-1OO SCORE FIG. 2. DISTRIBUTION OF SCORES MADE BY GIRLS ON TEST FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FAMILIES SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 255 groups, but still it was highly significant. The mean rating for families of girl members was 54.54 and for families of girl nonmembers, 48.50 (Table 3). The difference, 6.04, is 6.8 times its probable error. Forty- five percent of the girl members came from families with socio- economic ratings of 60 or higher, whereas only 34 percent of past members and 30 percent of nonmembers came from families with such ratings (Fig. 2). 0-80 81-160 I6I-Z4O Z4I-320 32I-4OO 40I-48O OVER 480 SIZE OF FARM IN ACRES FIG. 3. PERCENTAGES OF BOYS WHO LIVED ON FARMS OF DIFFERENT SIZES These data on socio-economic status indicate, in general, that 4-H club membership tends to draw boys and girls from homes having the greater economic and social advantages. That this occurs to a greater extent with boys than with girls may be due to the fact that a larger outlay of money is required in starting a boys' project than in starting 256 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, a girls' project. Participation in a pig or calf club requires, for ex- ample, buying a pig or a calf. Size of Farm The largest percentage of member boys came from families living on farms of 161 to 240 acres, while the greatest percentage of non- member boys came from farms of 81 to 160 acres (Fig. 3). The situation was somewhat different, however, with the girls. The high- FROM DIFFERENT SIZED FARMS o-eo ei-ieo 161-240 241-320 321-400 401-460 OVER 480 SIZEOF FARM IN ACRES FIG. 4. PERCENTAGES OF GIRLS WHO LIVED ON FARMS OF DIFFERENT SIZES est percentage of both member and nonmember girls came from families living on farms of 81 to 160 acres (Fig. 4). Yet girl mem- bers came from families more advanced socio-economically than fami- lies of girl nonmembers (Fig. 2). The girl members' families that were furthest advanced in the socio-economic scale evidently had more of things other than land. 1936] SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 257 Occupations of Fathers Boys' club work is very closely related to farm work and farm life. Only 9.9 percent of the boy members' fathers, compared with 30 220 10 TENANT PART FARMER OWNER FARMER BOYS FATHERS' OCCUPATIONS MEMBERS PAST MEMBERS ' .-.-:] NONMEMBERS AVERAGE PROFES- SIONAL WORKER FIG. 5. PERCENTAGES OF BOYS WHOSE FATHERS HAD OCCUPATIONS SPECIFIED PART OWNER FARMER UNSKILLED SKILLED ARTISAN COMMER- FARM PROFES- WORKER WORKER CIAL HAND SIONAL WORKER WORKER OCCUPATION FIG. 6. PERCENTAGES OF GIRLS WHOSE FATHERS HAD OCCUPATIONS SPECIFIED 258 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, 27.4 percent of the boy nonmembers' fathers (Fig. 5), were in other than farming occupations. Equal proportions (27.4 percent) of the girl members' and nonmembers' fathers were engaged in occupa- tions other than farming 1 (Fig. 6). Girls' 4-H club work, being closely related to homemaking activities, would be expected to appeal as much to town girls as to girls living on farms. Nativity of Parents About 87 percent of the parents of all the subjects of this study were native born (Figs. 7 and 8). Of the foreign-born parents, those NATIVE AND FOREIGN BORN PARENTS MOTHER BOTH FOREIGN; FOREIGN; FATHER NATIVE NATIVITY BOTH FOREIGN; SAME DIFFERENT COUNTRY COifNTRf FIG. 7. PERCENTAGE OF BOYS WITH NATIVE OR FOREIGN-BORN PARENTS "The percentage of nonmember boys and girls whose fathers were in occupations other than farming may have been influenced to some extent by the method of selecting the sample, for many of the chums of members may have been village boys or girls. See pages 250 to 251. 1936] SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 259 of German and Scandinavian ancestry predominated. A greater pro- portion of the fathers than of the mothers were of German birth. Other nationalities represented were English, Scotch, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Russian, and a few Asiatics. Greater proportions of nonmembers than of members had foreign- born parents. Nine percent of the boy nonmembers and 6.7 percent BOTH PARENTS NATIVE FATHER MOTHER FOREIGN; FOREIGN; FATHER NATIVE NATIVITY UOTHER NATIVE BOTH BOTH FOREIGN; FOR&GN; SAME DIFFERENT COUNTRY COUNTRIES FIG. 8. PERCENTAGES OF GIRLS WITH NATIVE OR FOREIGN-BORN PARENTS of the girl nonmembers had foreign-born fathers and native mothers; whereas only 4.2 percent of boy members and 3.8 percent of girl members had this parentage. Both parents of 5.8 percent of the boy nonmembers and 5.1 percent of the girl nonmembers were foreign born. Only about 2y 2 percent of both the boy and the girl members came from families in which both parents were foreign born. These differences suggest that 4-H clubs make a greater appeal to, or are more easily available to, children of native-born parents than to children of foreign-born parents. A division of the data per- 260 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, taining to boys on the basis of farm and town reveals that this is not a tendency resulting wholly from the fact that town boys as well as country boys are included in the samples. The same tendency operates among farm boys, altho to a less degree than among town boys: Nonmember boys 135 town 309 farm boys boys perct. perct. Parents native born 75 . 6 83 . 1 One or bot h parents foreign born . . 24 . 4 16.9 Member boys 57 town 527 farm boys boys perct. perct. 94.7 89.1 5.3 10.9 Size of Family Size of family appeared to have little relation to 4-H club member- ship. The small difference between the average size of the boy mem- bers' families (6.11 persons) and of boy nonmembers' families (5.93 persons) is not significant. Between girl members' families (5.83 per- sons) and girl nonmembers' families (6.14 persons) the difference is just significant (Tables 2 and 3). The differences between members, nonmembers, and past members in the numbers of brothers and sisters which they had at home also are small and probably not significant (Figs. 9 and 10). While there is BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT HOME FIG. 9. PERCENTAGES OF BOYS WHO HAD INDICATED NUMBERS OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT HOME a slight indication that the fewer brothers a boy had at home the more likely he was to become a 4-H club member, and likewise the fewer sisters a girl had at home the greater was the likelihood that she would join a 4-H club, little reliance can be placed on these differences. The exact percentages were as follows: 1936] SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 261 More than More than 1 brother No brother 1 sister No sister at home at home at home at home Boy members 41.0 25.3 42.5 26.5 Boy nonmembers 42.6 24.7 31.1 32.7 Girl members 39.7 28.0 33.6 34.1 Girl nonmembers 43.3 25.2 35.6 28.1 BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT HOME 1H MEMBERS BROTHERS FIG. 10. PERCENTAGES OF GIRLS WHO HAD INDICATED NUMBERS OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT HOME Parental Approval of Social Functions and Activities The boys and girls were asked to indicate on the questionnaire the various types of social functions and activities of which their parents approved. 1 The activities upon which they reported were visit- ing, attending church services, parties, fairs, movies ; frequenting soda fountains, street carnivals, and dances ; street loafing ; and visiting roadhouses. In general, greater proportions of the members than of the nonmembers, both boys and girls, reported parental approval of the more socially "desirable" activities. The "desirability" of a function or activity was determined on the basis of the percentage of parents of all the boys and girls (members, past members, and nonmembers) of this study who, according to the report, approved of the function. Thus churches, visiting, parties, and fairs were rated high in desirabil- ity, while street carnivals, dances, and especially street loafing and roadhouses were rated low (Fig. 11). Boys. The greatest differences in the boys' reports occurred in 'More accurate information might have been obtained had the question been whether the parents disapproved of certain undesirable places or activities, but lack of time and the nature of the questionnaire would not permit doing so at the time the data were obtained. Doubtless this, as well as other of the technics used, could be improved were another similar study to be made. 262 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, regard to church, fairs, and social visiting. Eighty-six and one-half percent of the boy members and 60.1 percent of the boy nonmembers reported parental approval of church activities. The proportion of boy members reporting parental approval of fairs was 80.6 percent and of nonmembers, 68.2 percent. Parental approval of visiting was reported 250 u at M 0-40 30 20 BOYS PARENTAL APPROVAL OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES CHURCH VISITING PARTIES FAIRS MOVIES SODA STREET DANCES STREET ROAD FOUN- CAR- LOAFING HOUSES TAINS NIVALS SOCIAL ACTIVITIES FIG. 11. PERCENTAGES OF BOYS WHOSE PARENTS APPROVED OF SPECIFIED SOCIAL ACTIVITIES by 84.4 percent of the boy members and 77.8 percent of the boy non- members (Fig. 11). The differences shown in connection with the other types of activities were small. Slightly greater proportions of boy members than of boy nonmembers indicated that their parents approved of parties, "movies," and frequenting soda fountains. On the other hand, slightly greater proportions of the nonmember boys than of member boys reported parental approval of street carnivals and road houses. The percentages were about equal in regard to approval of dances and street loafing. Girls. In general, the differences in the percentages of girl mem- bers and girl nonmembers who reported parental approval of the various social activities were small and most of them were too small to be significant. However, as with the boys, but to a less extent, there was a tendency for a greater percentage of members than of 1936] SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 263 nonmembers to report parental approval of the more socially desirable activities (Fig. 12). Ninety and three-tenths percent of the girl mem- bers and 88 percent of the girl nonmembers reported parental approval of church activities. The proportions of members and nonmembers who reported parental approval of fairs were 79 and 72.4 respectively. 20 10 GIRLS ~ PARENTAL APPROVAL OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES CHURCH VISITING PARTIES FAIRS MOVIES SODA STREET DANCES STREET ROA-D FOUN- CAR- LOAFING HOUSES TAINS NIVALS SOCIAL ACTIVITIES FIG. 12. PERCENTAGES OF GIRLS WHOSE PARENTS APPROVED OF SPECIFIED SOCIAL ACTIVITIES The proportions of members and nonmembers reporting parental ap- proval of visiting were 88.6 and 87.3 percent respectively, and of movies, 72.3 and 68.7 percent respectively. The greatest differences in the girls' reports occurred in connec- tion with street carnivals and soda fountains. Over 39 percent of the girl nonmembers and 31 percent of the girl members reported parental approval of street carnivals. In regard to frequenting soda fountains the proportions were 46.2 percent and 40.2 percent respectively for non- members and members. Slightly greater percentages of nonmembers than of members reported parental approval of dances and street loafing. The percentages were about equal in regard to parties. Past Members. It is interesting to note that greater proportions of boy past members than of boy members reported parental approval 264 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, of all forms of social functions and activities. The same was true in the girls' reports, with the exception of street loafing and frequenting roadhouses. These were reported by slightly greater proportions of members than of past members as having parental approval. Some of the differences between the reports of members and past members were quite large (Fig. 12). For example, the proportions of parents of member girls and of past-member girls who were said to approve dances were 30 and 45.5 percent respectively. In regard to street carnivals, soda fountains, "movies," and parties the differences were smaller, ranging from 12.8 to 9.4 percent, the larger proportion being in each case the reported attitude of past members' parents. A higher percentage of parents of past members than of parents of nonmembers were also reported as approving practically all activities. All this suggests that rural boys and girls whose parents are lenient in regard to the social activities of their children tend to join the 4-H club and then, because so many other forms of activity are open to them, tend to drop out of the club as soon as the novelty wears off or when, perhaps, they fail to win awards or be outstanding in other ways. Thus the general attitude of the parent toward the various available social activities seems to be a factor which helps to determine not only whether the boy or girl shall join a 4-H club but also how long he or she shall remain a member. Organizational Participation of Parents The boys and girls examined were asked to indicate on the questionnaire the community organizations to which their parents belonged and also the offices held by their parents in the various organizations. A parental "organizational index," 1 was calculated from the information thus obtained, which indicated the relative amount of organizational participation for each parent. *The organization indexes, worked out by D. E. Lindstrom and E. L. Welker, were designed to measure the social mindedness and leadership of the individual by means of a single score weighted in accordance with the indi- vidual's membership in certain organizations and his having or not having held office in them. The organizations included in the parental index were (1) farm bureau, (2) home bureau, (3) grange, (4) household science club, (5) school board, (6) church, (7) Sunday school, (8) church society, (9) social club, and (10) lodge. The index score was the sum of the scores for the individual organizations. These scores were themselves derived by weighting the organiza- tion in accordance with the percentage of the parents of boys or girls belonging to it, the number of years membership in the organization, and whether the parent of the boy or girl held an office. 1936} SELECTIVITY OF 4--H CLUB WORK 265 When these organizational indexes (Figs. 13 and 14) of parents of members, past members, and nonmembers of 4-H clubs were com- PARENTAL MEMBERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS 234 NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS FIG. 13. PERCENTAGES OF BOYS WHOSE PARENTS WERE MEMBERS OF NUMBERS OF ORGANIZATIONS INDICATED PARENTAL MEMBERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS I 2 3 4 S NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS FIG. 14. PERCENTAGES OF GIRLS WHOSE PARENTS WERE MEMBERS OF NUMBERS OF ORGANIZATIONS INDICATED 266 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, pared, it was apparent that the clubs tended to draw to them the boys and girls whose parents were reported to be socially active. The mean index of the parents of boy members was 4.33 and that of the parents of boy nonmembers was 3.41. The difference is fairly significant (D/PE d = 3.6). Sixty-two and five-tenths percent of the parents of boy members and but 33 percent of the parents of boy nonmembers had indexes above 3.0. The mean organizational index of the parents of girl members was 6.07, and of the parents of girl nonmembers 4.08. The difference is very significant, being eight times its probable error. Fifty-six per- cent of the parents of girl members and 38.2 percent of the parents of girl nonmembers had indexes above 3.0. These figures seem to indicate that participation by parents in organizations increased the likelihood that their children would join 4-H clubs. The greatest differences between parents of members and parents of nonmembers with respect to organizational participation were in relation to the farm bureau (Figs. 15 and 16). Fifty-four percent of the fathers of boy members and 48.5 percent of the fathers of boy past members, but only 19 percent of the fathers of boy nonmembers, belonged to the farm bureau. Twenty-three percent of the mothers BOYS PARENTAL MEMBERSHIP IN SPECIFIED ORGANIZATIONS MEMBERS CAST MEMBERS ~7^ NONMEMBERS CHURCH FARM SUNDAY SCHOOL CHURCH LODGE HOME SOCIAL GRANGE BUREAU SCHOOL BOARD SOCIETY BUREAU CLUB ORGANIZATION FIG. 15. PERCENTAGES OF BOYS WHOSE PARENTS WERE MEMBERS OF SPECIFIED ORGANIZATIONS 1936] SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 267 of boy members and 13.2 percent of the mothers of boy past members, but only 5.6 percent of the mothers of boy nonmembers, were in the home bureau. The difference in proportion of girl members' fathers and girl nonmembers' fathers belonging to the farm bureau was not so marked: 35.7 percent of members' fathers, 30.6 percent of past mem- bers' fathers, and 23.6 percent of nonmembers' fathers. These smaller differences in the girl groups were probably due to the fact mentioned above (pages 257 and 258) that a higher proportion of girl members than of boy members of 4-H clubs came from families not engaged in farming, and fathers of such families would not be likely to join the farm bureau. Greater proportions of the parents of members than of nonmem- bers, both boys and girls, were said to belong to the church, Sunday school, school board, church society, lodge, social club, and granges. The greatest differences were in the percentages reported as belonging to Sunday school, school board, church society, and social club. The above facts indicate that the type or character of the social participation of parents, as well as its extent, is related to the extent to which the children become members of 4-H clubs. A definite rela- tionship very probably exists between the type or character of the GIRLS PARENTAL MEMBERSHIP IN SPECIFIED ORGANIZATIONS SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOOL CHURCH LOD6 HOME SOCIAL CHANGE BOARD SOCIETY BUREAU CLUB ORGANIZATION FIG. 16. PERCENTAGES OF GIRLS WHOSE PARENTS WERE MEMBERS OF SPECIFIED ORGANIZATIONS 268 BULLETIN No. 426 [August, social participation of the parent and his attitude toward the various social activities of young people. The same personality traits, in other words, which determine his choice of organizations also underlie his attitudes toward the social organizations, functions, and activities available to his children. Intelligence The Otis Self-Administering Intelligence Test, Higher Form B was used to obtain I.Q. ratings on all the boys and girls in this study. This test was considered sufficiently reliable for group comparisons. According to the scores made on these tests, girls 4-H club work appeals to superior girls in such a way as to hold them in relatively greater numbers than the boys' 4-H club work holds superior boys. Also, boys' 4-H club work appeals to boys in the lower I.Q. ranges in such a way as to hold them in greater relative numbers than girls' club work holds girls in the lower ranges. Boys. The results from the tests with the boys indicated that within the I.Q. limits covered in the study, 1 4-H clubs exerted no particular selective influence. The mean I.Q. of the boy members was 98.47 and of the boy nonmembers 99.56 (Table 2). The difference of 1.09 points, only 1.9 times its probable error, is not significant. Thirty- five and three-tenths percent of the members and 35.0 percent of the nonmembers had I.Q.'s of 93 or less, 48.4 percent of the members and 47.6 percent of the nonmembers had I.Q.'s of 94 to 111, and 16.3 per- cent of the members and 17.5 percent of the nonmembers had I.Q.'s of 112 or above (Fig. 17). The boys' clubs seemed to keep the interest of a greater proportion of boy members of superior mental ability than boys of more nearly average intelligence. This is shown by the fact that only 48.4 percent of the boy members, compared with 56.6 percent of the past members, had I.Q.'s of 94 to 111, whereas 16.3 percent of the members and 16.0 percent of the past members fell in the highest I.Q. group (112 or above). At the same time the club held the boys of the lower I.Q. group in greater proportions than the boys of the superior groups. Only 27.4 percent of the past members, but 35.3 percent of the mem- bers, had I.Q.'s of 93 or less. The fact that a greater proportion of "superior" boys than of "average" boys remained in these clubs may be due to the tendency 'Ninety-nine and one-half percent of the 2,263 subjects included in this study fell within the Otis I.Q. range of 61 to 141. This study would naturally not include individuals from the lower levels of intelligence. 1936] SELECTIVITY OF 4-H CLUB WORK 269 MEMBERS PAST MEMBERS [y ->;'"[ NONMEMBERS 81 OR 82-87 88-93 94-99 100-105 100- III IIZ-II7 1/8-123 124