The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-05

Field is .he consulting expert. She is
assisted in this great work by six
young women, known as field coun-
ty secretaries, who travel through
six of the IL fields Cor groups of
states) into which the country, for
ease of administration, is divided, and
who directly supervise and assist in
the local work done there.
The Meeting Place.
When one thinks of a country or
ganization, cooking and sewing are
the features most likely to come to
mind, but in reality the classes in the
county associations today resemble
very much those in the educational
department of their city sisters asso-
Citations. We find girls enthusiastical-
ly studying English, literature, French,
stenography, typewriting, bookkeep-
ins-an the commercial branches
and dramatic expression, as we'll as
first aid to the injured, home nursing,
dressmaking, millinery, domestic arts
and sciences; also clubs for tomato,
corn and other vegetable growing and
canning clubs ranging from preserv-
ing garden vegetables to the most deli
cate of fruits. jams and jellies. And
lastly, we find real classes in mani
curing. In reality, the country girl
is fitting herself for a useful all
around life, whether it be business
position, to go out in the world to
teach others. to be good housewives
+ or for her own great job of some day
being the head of her own well-man-
aged, love-ruled happy household. Is
( it any wonder that the farmer boy to-
! day does not find the city girl more
| attractive than her country cousin,
! but prefers the girl he knows will un-
derstand him and his problems and
: will he inG 20 p
everyday life?
Practical Talks
Under the head of practical talks,
/ county associations report lectures on
such subjects as suffrage infant
| mortality" community service rec
reation," nature study thrift and
/ efficiency" health '.sensitiveness,"
vanity" current events self gov
ernment," country life leaders,"
/ better babies contests home sani-
tat1on'' building of a home''-''loca-
ton of house and architectural plans"
] politics in our own town. why we
need a public library" and a score of
other questions which show that the
country girls mind is alive to all the
big problems of the day.
The Country Girls Recreation.
Up to date gymnasiums no longer
belong to city associations alone but
belong to many country sections. Then
there are those delightful hikes pic
MICS, tennis tournaments, games, skat-
ing, snow shoeing, and coaSting
parties volleyball and basketball. In
GatesVille, COryell county, Texas the
girls in the county association pro-
NOTED basket and volleyball so that it
was enjoyed by 500 girls in that Sec
ton. In Montgomery county, Kansas,
a Good Time club was formed among
business girls which had an attendance
of "a. while a recreation club in that
association gave nine special recrea-
tional occasions with an attendance of
273. The national guard drill hall was
used for these meetings.
Community Service.
All kinds of community service are
rendered by these girls, from the
opening of the Y. w. c. A. rooms as a
substation of the public library to
holding a better babies contest at the
county fair, opening rest rooms at the
county fair or in the county seat for
use of farmers wives and daughters
: during the long tiresome day while
they shop and wait for their husbands
: I to do the usual routine business. These
girls have promoted the singing of
Christmas carols, better music in the
f churches, and community Christmas
trees. They have collected and dis
: pensed clothing for poor families. have
f bought toys. candy, etc, for Christmas
presents for poor children. In Gates
vile, Texas, the county Y. w. girls
3 which was used by 1000 visitors in a
!. year. These wide awake girls also
opened and maintained a residence for
=, seven country girls so that they might
!, attend the high school in town. They
I. also held a cooking and sewing contest
y which was participated in by so girls
4 In Lake county, Illinois, the county
r association members themselves dis
, tr1buted candy, toys, books, mittens
Y and hair ribbons to the children of Is
, poor families Through the visiting
= nurse they distributed clothing to Il
S other families and through the asso-
r ciated charities in Chicago they tool
/ care of one poor family consisting OF
= father and mother and eight children
r providing rent. fuel. groceries, cloth
( ing, Christmas dinner and toys anC
t lcandy for the children while the father
= was out of work for several months
e When the man secured position
t again they transferred their support t.
= another family. During the summer
= the campfire girls of Lake county
t which is a branch of the association
= made paJamas. skirts and aprons fol
the women and children from a con.
4 gested quarter of Chicago, who were
n attending the summer camp.
[ All over the country, county aSSo-
1 | citation members are cooperating With
/ other agencies in their locality for
promoting all kinds of activities fol
= | the church, they are holding vesuc1
services for boys and girls of the
community, and in some sections they
are holding Sunday services in small
4 | eenters, using a school house where
i no church exists They are helping
4 to promote the work done by wonl-
ems clubs in nearby towns and are
s cooperating with the district super
J. into ndenls of schools In one case
{ these girls ce-onerotod