The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-06

most complete sewing basket.
 1 The work of the second year con- sists of cutting and making plain gar- ments the drafting of underwear, chil- dren's clothing, shirtwaists and cot ton dresses. taught by the simplest method imaginable use being made only of the ta~ N-line and square. The most difficult work of dressmaking ia taken up the third year. when the young seamstress undertakes the c:t- ting and fitting of dresses and tacl !. Tn this connection much attention Is devoted to the selection of materials with reference to their wearing quali- ty warmth and other considerations and also to the subject of the harmo- 4 of color, incidental to which the prob- lems of trimmings and ornaments come in for a share of attention.
 These new fangled colleges for wom- en aim to be practical before aI else and thus 1t is eminently fitting that many of them should include in the curriculum lines of instruction designed to eouip the farmers wife CT the resi- dent of the small town or the suburbs of a large city to add to the family in- come or provide pin money" for her self. Especially popular iB a cou:se in poultry raising which goes into ell the details of the feeding and management of fowls for eggs and for the market. Al the agricultural colleges the classes In dairying are nowdays made up large lv of women students who receive in- struotion in the care of milk and uten- sils and also learn the most up-te-da methods of manufacturing butter and cheese in the farm dairy. In conse- ouence of the introduction of these tt,r, r,a-saving and labor-saying methods, f. may be noted, the farm mistress of inc future are likely to have a far more nIentiful supply of butter and egg
 nonav'' to spend for knicknacks than their mothers have had.
 Tn the same general category, as af- fordinR opportunities for money mak- ing on the side is the course In hosticui- ture. During one term fruit growing ia taken up and attention given to every phase of the subject from the dis- tinguishing traits of the various kinds of fruit to the best plans for harvest- ing and preserving it. Then some thing of the same ground Is covered in vegetable growing. Both of these will be recognized as opening up gold en fields of activity for the ambitious and energetic housewife particularly in this age when truck gardening has attained to the dignity of a most profit able pursuit and homemade preserves bring fancy prices In all the large cities. Following this line of instruc- ton to it's natural conclusion tho sub jects of greenhouses and their mal- agement is taken up and the young women are taught how to prodssce at almost all seasons of the year tho vari- ous delicacies of the vegetable king dom either for use on the home table or for the market.
 While, as has been pointed out these institutions of higher education for housewives are about as different as well could be from the fashionable fin- ishing schools wherein young ladies are coached for the roles of social leaders it must not be supposed that the sub- ject of social culture Is neglected. On the other hand special attention Is ac- corded 1t but upon a wholesome conn., nonsense basis thoroughly in keeping with democratic American ideals. The subject of social culture is presented to the students in lectures to which several hours are given up each week and in which there is a full discussion of the small and frequently overlooked points in the usages of society itogeth- CT with advice relative to reading. lit- cray taste and the choice of books. In this as in the other courses of instruc- tion by lectures the question box plan is utilized to the fullest possible ex- tent
 'vALDON FAWCETT.