The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-22
MAKING PROGRESS
 IN WOMAN'S WORK Features of Woman's Depart
 ment at State Fair SOME RARE ATTRACTIONS Mrs. Reid, Who Has Charge of the De- partment, Is Greatly cratified With
 Prospects of Making It En-
 teraining and Educative.
SOME RARE ATTRACTIONS

the woman's department of the Alabama State fair, reports Che most graulylhs progress towards making that depart ment in itself a great exhibition, Without regard to the manifold attractions or the other great sections Of the far.
 This is Mrs. Reid's third year at the head of the wonIan's department anu while she has been remarkably successiui heretofore her wise expcriea,e enables her to do much greater things for tnis years fair, and she is, with great skill, foresight and wisdom, doing these greater things.
 Mrs, Reid has, in short, mastered all the details of her work, and the public have ample reason to rejoice in the achievement These days she Is the busi- est of all women
 Three Sections. There are three sections of the wo- mans department-art, textile and cuii- nary, and the cash prizes aggregate near ly nine hundred dollars. Each section is divided under two heads--amateurs and professionals; that is, the amateur will have an equal chance with the profess sional to win prize, as they do not con- flict.
 One of the attractions which Mrs. Reid has arranged for consists of two looms in operation, weaving cioth. One loom will be of the primitive .ype now In use in thousands of homes afaong the moun- tain population of the so1te. but which, perhaps, not one person in thousand in the city ever saw actually at work. In many a home of luxury in the city may be found the old-fashioned spinnng wheel, much as it was a thousand years ago in the lands of our forefathers across the sea. It finds its place in ths home of luxury as a curiosity, and the needless among us pause not to coGsider the great lesson of history that ths spinning wheel was one of the very first instruments in the advancement of mankind from a state of savagery.
 The Loom. The spinning wheel begot the loom as an essential to the weaving of cloth when mankind began to grow weary of the ! skins of beasts and the bark and leaves of trees in the fashioning of raiment. Yet how many of us ever saw an old-time
 
 hibit at the state fair?
 This old rough-hewn wooden hand-loom was the first great mechanical develop ment from the primal fig leaf. l Now. alongside the old loom in the womans department of the state fair next month there will be in operation one of the best types of the most modern power looms such as weave the purple and fine linen of human advancement in art, pros- perity. fortune.
 Both these looms-the one of a thousand years ago and the one of today-will be placed side by side and operated at the same time. It Is Mrs. Reids purpose to have the cotton carded, spun and woven in the presence of the visitors to her de- partment. And the least reflective mind will surely be impressed by the demon- stration that while one woman toilsomely weaves a half yard of cloth on the loom of the olden day, the loom of our day will weave a hundred yards of much better cloth.
 Modern Cooking.
 Another exhibit which Mrs. Reid has provided, and which will mark with striking force the advance from the day when primitive man cooked his food by placing it in a hole in the ground, filled with water, and casting hot stones in to heat the water to boil the food. This is a modern food demonstration that will be carried on by the greatest provision houses of the world-those western houses-the names of which are familiar.
 One prime fact in respectful praise of Mrs. Reid is her remarkable success in the past in having returned uninjured all objects of value sent to her depart ment on loan. Articles of loan entrusted to her care are absolutely safe from be- ing lost or misplaced
 List of Patronesses.
 The personnel, so to speak, of the Wo- mans Department, is made up of distin- guished representatives of all that is best and most enlightened Tn Alabama's noble womanhood. as the list shows: Superintendent, Mrs. John B. Reid of Birmingham; patronesses, Mrs. l.. G. Woodson, Mrs. J. F. Graham, Mrs. J. w. Bush, Mrs A. H. Benners, Mrs. w. A. Chenoweth. Mrs. N. w. Trimble, Mrs. R. P. McDavid, Mrs. H. M. Robertson, Mrs. J. H. Carter, Mrs. L. J. Haley. Mrs. J. H. Bingham, Mrs. H. K. White, Mrs. C. G. Brown, Mrs. M. N. Due, Mrs A. J. Riddle, Mrs. J. A. Montgomery Birmingham; Mrs. Richard Clarke, Mo- bile; Mrs. R. A. Lee, Dothan; Mrs. D. w. Day, Hartselle; Mrs. Pharis Coleman, Montgomery; Mrs. Ellen P. Brice, Tus caioosa; Mrs. J. L. McConaughy, Monte vallo; Mrs. w. c. Agee, Selma; Mrs. Alfred O'NeaL Florence; Mrs. c. P. Evans, Mrs. w. H. Dawson, Brming- ham.