The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-10-30
NATION TO TEACH
HOuSEK KEEP|NG
Government Plans to Teach Do
InestIc Science to Women.
TO AID THE FARMERS WIVES

Department Of Agriculture Has the
Project Under Way, and Details Of
the Movement Are Already Decided
on--"Farmers' Institutes For Wo-
men" Is the Slogan.
Convinced that the countrywoman Is
not getting the necessary training in
the way to manage a home and be.
cause Of the fact that instruction III
domestic science is for the most part
confined TO students In towns and cities
the department of agriculture has TAX.
en- up seriously the question Of how to
train the women of the rural districts
to do their work and manage their
homes.
The individual brought up In the
country may suspect that the farmers
wife knows more about running home
properly than her sister in the city, but
the department Of agriculture doesn't
feel that way about it. It finds a great
need for instructlng the farmers wives
and daughters in domestic science and
purposes to make beginning through
farmers institutes for women.
Results Of Ignorance In Home
According to report on the subject
by John Hamilton, farmers institute
specialist Of the department Of agricul-
ture, comparatively little is being done
in training women and girls who live
in the country in domestic science or
the management Of the home The
rural schools do little, and other op-
portunities are few. Ignorance in the
home Of the proper way to manage it
Mr.. Hamilton points out, means food
improperly prepared and sanitary con
ditions neglected. Moreover. the selec'
ton and cooking Of food and the keep
ing Of things clean are not all the items
in the duties Of the countrywoman.
other problems exist. such as those
connected with the rearing and eduea-
tion Of children, the clothing of the
family and the social, intellectual and
aesthetic Improvement Of the housewife
herself.
Radical Change In Methods.
According to the census Of 1900,
there were 37,244,1 ,145 women and girls
in this country. About 50 per cent, or
over 13.0O0,000, lived IN the rural dis
tricts. Mr.. Hamilton says that to reach
this great multitude with even limited
educational facilities for the study Of
domestic science and household art
VIII require, as Mr. Hamilton views it,
radical change in the methods here
tofore pursued. The introduction OF
the study of domestic science and
household art into the rural schools,
the high schools and the normal
schools is only part Of the work that
will be required.
"Winter schools for adult women
win have to be organized" says Mr..
Hamilton. Allowable schools in large
numbers win have to be sent out; suit
1 able demonstration schemes will need
to be devised; expert advisers to visit
countrywomen will have to be em-
ployed, and publications adapted to
the capacity and needs of rural house
wives will have to be introduced into
their homes
Institutes For Women.
Farmers institutes heretofore have
been largely conducted for men. II
women attended, they have had to con-
slider the same subjects as the men, as
rule. But now the movement for
distinct farmers institutes for women
is rapidly growing. and it is considered
by the department the best agency at
present to increase the countrywom
ans knowledge Of domestic science.
Last year 732 meetings for country
women were held by the farmers in
stitute directors in the several states
The work in such institutes is far from
perfect, but it is in the right direction
As in the case of many other things,
other more progressive nations in sucli
matters are far ahead of the United
States, though the American finds il
hard to realize it. Austria, Belgium
Sweden. Norway, Denmark Switzer-
land. France and the German states
have for many years been conducting
schools Of domestic science and home
economies specially adapted to coun-
try people and also courses Of study in
these subjects in fixed institutions in
towns and cities.