East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-11-23

Extension of the farmers institute
idea to include the farmers wives is
the latest development Of the policy
of paternal solicltude for the great
American agriculturist as pursued by
the department of agriculture. The
betterment of the home surroundings
of the farmer with particular regard
for the advantages of good house.
keeping, wholesome cooking, the OBJ
servance of the laws of sanitation,
the beautifying of the home, inside
and out, the economical admlnistra-
ton of the womans side of the bus-
ness of farming, pure water ventila-
ton and an endless variety of minor
items which will tend to make the
life of the farmers wife and daugh-
/ ters more attractive are the purposes
of his new division of the depart
ment
Professor John Hamilton, formerly
state secretary of agriculture of
Pennsylvania. is at the head of the
division of farmers institutes. In
an interview he said:
This extension of the farmers in
stitute to include in its beneficences
the women folk of the farm Is COM
paratively new We have been hav-
ing farmers Institutes throughout the
United States for more than twenty
years. 1t is only within the last
three or four years that the women
| have begun to see the chances for
| developing real advantage for their
| own sex through these gatherings OF
the farmers.
"The work of the women's insti-
tute is perhaps broader in its scope
than that for the men. 1t is certain
! ly more varied In twenty-one states
| of the Union they have begun the
work already, and within a year or
so every state in the Union will have
organized Institutes for the women
1 folk
THE work has proved one of re-
/ markable interest to the women.
| Every subject which can have any
value along the line of making form
work more attractive from the femi-
nine view point is being taken up.
They are going into the study of
home betterment with a tremendous
/ interest Domestic economy in all its
! phases is being studied High-priced
| lecturers on the important topics are
| being secured to address these great
| gatherings of women. They are Civ
/ en- demonstrations in the preparation
| of foods for their own families. They
are taught the sensible and sanitary
methods of cooking. They are shown
| the right way to manufacture butter
and cheese.
"They are shown the most profit
/ able methods OF preparing the pro-
ducts of the kitchen, garden and the
| poultry yard for the city market;
how to make the exterior OF the
| home attractive to the eye by beau
! tifying the dooryard and the flower
! garden the preservation of the
water supply from contamination;
| the internal economy of the home;
| the care and feeding of infants and
| the development of the public school
system in the rural communities. All
these things and along with them the
best and latest ideas as to the relief
Of the farm work of its old-time
drudgery through systematizing and
properly scheduling the routine du-
ties of the day are included in the
work of this new division.
THE United states government
has not yet in hand the data with
regard to the present attendance of
the women's institutions in this
country. The latest definite obtain
able CURES are those of the province
of Ontario. Canada, which show
marked interest in the scheme.
Last year the attendance at
women's institute meetings in the
province was 1O5, 900, only 5000 less
than at the mems meetings. Not all
of these women's meetings were CO.
incident with those held by the men
The total number of sessions in that
one province was 1850. Thirty-eight
lecturers were heard by these gath
erings, all of whom were paid by the
| ,,,o,,ipoa A mpricnn Farmer