Adults showed off their veget able gardening skills, too. Marcia Woodward of Blue Bell was selected grand champion and Mar ianne McKenna of Collegeville was reserve champion. In the youth flower category, Karin Ruch of Green Lane was named best in class, while in the adult category, reserve champion was held by Sheila Sykora of Col legeville. Sheila also won the largest zucchini contest. Grand champion was won by the Family Resource Center at Graterford Prison. Carol Fcelcy of Chelten ham won the largest tomato con test and Kelli Augustine of Skip pack won the largest sunflower contest. In other competition, the best educational club display award went to three clubs: The Green Pastures Sheep Club had the best outdoor display. An exhibit built jointly by the Green Thumbers and the Salford-Trappe Club won the best in class for indoor exhi bits. The best club scrapbook was won by the Seeing Eye Puppy Club. Top ceramic awards went to Erica Dillon of North Wales, who was named grand champion and Kristin Satko of Cheltenham, who earned reserve champion honors. Among the many horse art pro jects on display were those of Jen- LANDIS BROS. INC. Ltncuttr, PA 717-291-1046 LEHIGH AG EQUIPMENT Altontown, PA 610-398-2553 LOST CREEK IMPLEMENT Oiklmd Mlllt, PA 717-463-2161 LONE MAPLE SALES & SERVICE N«.y Alexandria, PA 412-666-7172 THE 9500 COMBINE; KING OF THE S ■ Automatic leveling system fast with less grain loss. ■ Level grain tank reduces unloading stops. ■ 235-hp machine with all th of John Deere Maximizer™ Combines. ■ Keeps cab level for increased operator comfort. GOOD DEALS.. .AND A GOOD DEAL MORE ny Connor of Schwenksville, Megan Golden and Emily Steiger wait of Collegeville, Ed Lenhardt of Green Lane, Mamie Loue Mel vin of Collegeville, Erica Munk witz of Hatleysville, Jeanine Pier son. Karin Ruch. and Megan Sly of Gilbertsville. Each received first place honors in their specific category. House plants were in abun dance exhibited by young people who grew them at River Crest The grand champion ribbon was awarded to Gary Wimmer. Berks 4-H Horse Club Members Win Blue Ribbons Seven Berks County 4-H Horse Club members exhibited their 4-H horse production projects at the Eastern Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Production Show held recently at the Montgomery County 4-H Center. Blue ribbon winners will be exhibited at the State 4-H Produc tion Show in the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. The State 4-H Horse Show is scheduled for October 28-30. MILLER’S EQUIPMENT RD #1 Rt. 66 Ftirmount City, PA MILLER-LAKE INC. Btlltvlll*, PA 717-935-2335 PIKEVILLE EQUIPMENT INC. Ol*y, PA 610-M74277 As Adams County’s International Four-H Youth Exchangee to Sweden. I would like to share some of the daily life of Sweden with you. 111 POLE TAVERN EQ. SALES CORP. 670 Rt*. 40 EltyW, NJ 600-356-2660 SCHEFFEL EQUIPMENT CO. R*d Qoom Rd. SomtrMl, PA 814-445-6500 GEORGE V. SEIPLE & SON Enton, PA 610-258-7146 The results of the show are as follows: Paint- Filly of this Yaar- Blue Ribbon-1. Rad Sonny Suprlza, Corrlna Stona, Boyartown. Pinto- Yaartlng Filly- Blua Ribbon- 1. Sandy Pipar, Lindsay Buhlsr, Blrdsboro. PDA- Yaartlng OaMlng- Blua Ribbon-1. Royal Bluat, Jannlfar Connolly, Mohrtville. Quartar Hoiao- Filly ol thla Yaar- Blua Ribbon- 1. Horso's Namo Ponding, Staci RakowiacM, Kutztown. Quartar Heraa- Filly of thla Yaar- Rad Ribbon- 1. Horse's Name Pending, Kelly Kalamon, Pottstown.’ Quarter Horae- Yearling Filly- Rad Ribbon- 1. Lopin Lightly, Tracy Kalamon, Pottstown. English Plsasure- 3 Yaar Old- Blua Ribbon- 1. Steel Dancer Goliath, Annie Wertz, Robesonla. North Mountain 4-H The North Mountain 4-H Com munity Club is sponsoring the first annual gingerbread house competition, The profits from this year’s 4-H entries will go into the educational computer fund to benefit a girl in the club who has Leukemia and will have a hard time attending school this fall. This year’s reci pient of the profits in all the other categories will be the Four Dia- 4-H Youth Exchange Jack! Sterner IFYE To Sweden SMITH’S WINELAND IMPLEMENTS, INC EQUIPMENT, INC. Marceraburg, PA Martlnaburg, PA 717.326.2244 814-793-2109 S.P.E., INC. Rd. 1, Box 157 Towinda, PA 717-265-4440 TOBIAS WALTEMYER'S EQUIPMENT CO., INC. SALES & SERVICE Halifax, PA Lion, PA 717-362-3132 717-244-4168 monds Program of the Leukemia For more information, contact Society. Fran Bushong at (717) 865-6270 The event will take place at the or Grace Morrissey at (717) Quality Inn on Rt. 72 South on 865-2310 * y > Nov. 18-19. ' M.S. YEARSLEY & SONS Waat Chaatar, PA 610-696-2990 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 24,1M4-827 School days have started again, even in Sweden. I will try to describe the Swedish system as seen in the town where I am cuirently living, Alvsbyn; population 10,000, located 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Children begin with Lekaskola or nursery school at die age of 6 or 7. They then move into Lekenskolan or play school, which is the name of the school here in Alvsbyn. Children attend this school for first to third grade. They may also go to the Paikskolan, which has grades one through six. During these first six years, children learn to work with each other and leant such subjects as Swedish (language and literature), mathematics, geography, and history. In the fourth grade, stu dents begin learning the English language and grammar. The student remains in the same room and has the same teacher for all subjects. Next comes Alvakraskolan for grades 7 to 9. Students begin to change classrooms for each subject and receive points (grades) for their work. The point system goes from 5 to 1, with S being the best Surprisingly, even with a 1, you may continue onto the next grade. Children are only ‘held back’ in the first or second grade if needed. Students take the same subjects as before, plus physics, chemistry, biology, sociology, religion, and world history. After completing the 9th grade, around the age of 16, students may quit or they may continue in the gymnasium (high school). Alvsbyn is too small to have a gymnasium, so students must travel 1 hour by bus to Pitea or find an apartment there. Each gymnasium is different, but there are 12 to IS different areas a student may study. They fall under three main prog rams: theoretical, which includes economics, education, hotel/restaurant management, and languages: practical - car pentry and mechanics; and technical - computer and mathe matics. Students study all of the previous subjects, plus one of these areas listed. They attend the gymnasium for three years and the third year is very centered on their own area of study. After completing this last class, at age 18 to 21 or older, stu dents graduate. They wear a student massa (a sailor’s hat) and may find a job, if there are any. Because jobs are limited, many continue to the University or Hagskolan, (translated meaning “high school”, but equiva lent to our colleges). Each Hagskolan is centered on one area of study. The university has many areas of study, depending on the area where it is located. To complete a course of study usually takes 3 to 4 1/2 years. A student must have good points to get into their desired program. Swedish education is free up through the gymnasium. Parent do pay a tax on their income tax which is used for edu cation. Lunches and books are Bee too until the gymnasium. Each child, age 0 to 20, receives a “welfare check” each month. It is equivalent to $lOO for each child; if they have three children, they receive $5O extra. It is used to cover some expenses for going to school. If a student has to travel by bus to school, the community and county pays the fee. If they have to rent an apartment so they will be closer, the student receives about S3SO/month to cover part of the rent Most of these things I found similar to our system, except for lunches and the buses. Students ride a public bus which is usually a very nice coach bus. If a student lives 1.2 miles away from the school, they ride the bus free no matter if it's a dirt road or not Another point to note, classes 1 to 3 only go from 8 to 11:30 a.m. The other students go from 8 to 2:30 or 3:30. In the gym nasium, though, students have a very mixed schedule; some days 8 to 4, others 10 to 2 or 3. The sports program is very “low-key,” with competitions only held between different classes, not schools. You can decide whether you want to continue to go to school in the U.S.A. or move to Sweden. My host brother (who is in Greensburg, Pa. for the next school year) likes it better in Sweden. He says,” The teachers aren’t as strict as in the U.S.” I have never met him and he has only attended three days of “American School,” so that thought may change. Good luck to all of the students, and study hard. Until next time, Jacki.