The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-17

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 The offer by students of hand woven bed coverlets as payment for their tui- ton led the president of Berea college to establish the Berea Preside Indus tries Repair that loom became q slo- gan which awakened interest in the TO- motest cabins and aroused the whole neighborhood to the possibilities of max ing the mountain homes centers of proli- able industry. A few of the coVerlets found their way to Louisville, Cincinnati and New York. They were admired so much that orders soon began to over whelm the women weavers in the Ken lucky mountains The energetic action of the president of Berea, who organized 'Homespun Fairs and awarded pre- mums for the coverlets, blankets, etc., and for new designs, checked a. threat cned decline in quality which would have Killed in it's infancy the accidentally awakened industry
 The Preside Industries now include chairs, saddles, axe handles, wooden plates, forks. spoons, baskets in addi- ton to blankets, linen towel covers. ra- mic towels and rag rugs of many colors and designs. Because linen spun in fac tories broke when used in hand looms, as the fibers had been injured in spin ming, Berea college now raises it's own flax. which the housewives of the neigh borhood spin. The mountsineers often come days Journey on horseback to the fairs or to get detailed instruction. An unlocked for source of revenue has been not only created. but what is better still. saved and regulated It was only the prompt action taken to maintain the standards of quality which prolonged and made permanent the sudden revival of. industries supposedly long since ban ished from the home.
 Not only around Berea. but in every community there are people who make in their home useful and artistic articles. the sale of which would furnish them good living if an organized market could be developed for the products. One way 10 accomplish this Is to establish in.seach community cooperative store for the sale of such goods By exchange with similar stores in other communities ar judgements could be made for dspos- ing of any over supply.
 Through county and state conventions each locality could learn the needs and markets of various parts of the coun- try. The conventions also could estab- fish rules and regulations so that all will turn out q single product from a recognized standard recipe in a uniform way and in uniform packing which, will help them to compete with the uniform factory product
 The demand for home made products particularly in the case of food. Is un- denably strong. Even now most first class grocers have customers who prefer to purchase goods guaranteed as com t.,sr ..F food products carefully manufactured in small quantities in the home from fresh stocl; grown on the premises, makes the mouths of city epcureans water. Sam mer vacations spent Tn the country are followed by regrets because if is nearlv Impossible to get in the larger cities at least good home made products.
 Tho National Home Products league Is sponsor for scheme to revive home crafts by standardization. The league asserts that the cost of food products made in the home is less than fl Is in the factory. because much of the time and labor used would otherwise go to waste. The farmer. too. If he were manufacturer as well as producer would from the double profit grow more prosperous. This. it is urged might check the abandonment of farms in the east and stem the tide of migration to the cities
 If all this is true why have the great packing houses and other firms secured such q grip upon the markets? One an swer is that tIe primary requirement. Of trade conditions is for a steady and sure supply of uniform standard quality. whereas in the past each family pro duced It's goods by It's own recipe and there wns no machinery. as in the great manufactories that have developed for insuring steady, dependable supply.
 As evidence of the possibilities for such scheme there Is cited the successful salo. through the cooperation Of the Woman's exchange of New Orleans. of the cottonades woven by the Acadians fin Louisiana. descendants of those ex- pelled from Nova Scotia. The product is all inspected and measured and inferior work discarded. Other successful ven- lures are the Log Cabin Settlement in Aslleville. N C.. which manufactures coverlets and rugs. and the Cottage Tn- dustries Guild of Allanstaud N. C. In New Hampshire. at Pcquaket Carroll county. there Is prosperous rug making business and the mothers and daugh- ters' industry of Plainfield, N. H., is an- other Interesting success.
 On Cape Cod there is fiourishing CO., operative industry in making and mar ketinp cranberry sauce. So successful has this last venture been that il hecame necessary to hire secretary 10 answer inquiries from other parts of the coun- try from people who were anxious 10
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