The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-30
PROGRESSIVE FARMER AND GAZETTE.
Practical Training for the Housekeepers
of To-Day and Tomorrow.

ing to hold Institutes Tor the women from
the farm homes of North Carolina. as had been
done for years for the men. 1t stated that
the women of the South would not take kindly to
such innovation, and that they did not want
these institutes. His experience director Of
the Institutes held for men, convinced him that
the frequently did not want the farmers In
stitutes. because they did not know their real
value. and that when the women found out that
really helpful institutes for them were being held.
they would want them.
These women's Institutes in North Carolina
have done much good and have grown to such
proportions that they attracting attention all
the South. But even now there are direc-
tors in the South who are using the same argu-
ments to excuse their failure to do their duty by
the women in the farm homes as were used to
discourage the starting of womens Institutes In
North Carolina.
We remember announcing two institutes fer
men and two for women In certain county In
eastern North Carolina. These were the nrst wo-
mems institutes ever held In that county. First.
We got letters from two members OF the rarmsrs'
Institute Committee OF that county. which was
composed entirely of men. mildly intimatng that
the women's Institutes would be failures and ad-
sising that they be not held These letters were
answered. but the question OF the women's insti-
tutes was not referred TO. Later the chairman
OF the committee wrote that he had been request
ed by the committee TO write that the womens
Institutes were not wanted. We replied to this
letter. in substance. as follows
We never supposed the men did want NO.
mems Institutes. but whether the men want
them or not does not particularly concern
us Just at this time. The question Is VIII
the women want them when they ind out
what they are like7 Neither the men nor
the women know whether they want them
or not. for they don't know anything about
them We shall hold these women's insti-
lutes whether the men want them or not
and II we get out one dozen farm women we
shall be satisfied. II. after these women
nave attended an institute they say they
don't want any more no more will be held:
out IL they want more. they will be held
whether tho men want them or not. for IL Is
none OF their business anyway"
What were the results7 The Institutes were
held. One was attended by about A dozen wo.
men, mostly from town. and the other was largely
attended by farm women. and so enthusiastic did
these farm women become that another institute
was held within six months on their own Initiative
and womens Institutes have been regularly held
In that county. and we'll attended. every year
since.
mere Is science OF the home Modern scien-
tine knowledge will do as much TO improve con-
oitiohs In the home and tighten the labor OF
housekeeping as IL has done In farming COM
merce and manufacturing
Why Is IL Southern directors of farmsrs, tps,i-
tntes are SO slow in taking up this work? Is Il
the same spirit at work which tried to prevent us
holding the first womens institute In that North
Carolina county?