Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-05

ton: Rest room, model kitchen. prepar-
edness, model dairy Cooperation: Min
listers, public officials, people generally.
The practical application Of a theory
is always a matter of interest, and TO
this end the effort of the agent for about
ten months of the year 1916 is presented
as information. Notice that her achieve
ments have been summarized under the
three heads of club organization, home
and social betterment and public service
work Let us consider for a moment
what the sixty girls enrolled by this
agent in the various clubs accomplished.
Observe that they canned 41,265 pounds
of vegetables worth $675.25, the average
profit from their one-tenth-acre gardens
being $25.75. Who can measure the
value OF the service work performed in
this community? Who can correctly
estimate the effect of these demonstra-
tions on the lives of these girls or the
community in which they reside? They
have been taught a new industry and
have been shown what the land is capa-
BILE Of producing under management.
They possess some appreciation at
least of the elementary principles of
plant growth and development. They
have learned in a measure the value of
money, the possibilities of earning it,
the power of their latent energies when
these girls taught to can but they made
caps and aprons and so were familiar
lied with the elementary principles of
sewing. In addition, the agent conduct
ed $50 canning and cooking demonstra-
lions with them and succeeded i'm hav-
irg twelve winter gardens started IN
connection with the schools. This GER
tainly constitutes an instructive record
and has undoubtedly set in motion
forces which will exert a cumulative
effect on this country's welfare and
prosperity for many years to come.
Under the head of home and social
betterment. this agent had fifty wom
en- demonstrators and organized twelve
parent-teachers' clubs which held IA
meetings during the year. attended by
10000 persons. AS a resultant of these
meetings and demonstrations, so fire
less cookers, 10 wheel trays, 20 fly
traps, ironing boards, IL kitchen cabi-
nets and shower baths were installed
in the homes of the various members.
Seven thousand pounds of butter were
made and the quality so improved that
the price was raised from 20 to 40 cents
a pound, and the number and quality
of the poultry maintained on the farms
from which these women demonstra-
tors came increased by so per cent. To
effect these changes the agent made $50
general demonstrations, so preserving
demonstrations, IA dairy demonstrations
10 poultry. spraying and egg testing
demonstrations, 8 garden and hot-bed
demonstrations, and so school lunch
cooking demonstrations. She also dis
tributed $500 bulletins and travelled APP
proximately 500 miles. She induced the
merchants of the chief city in the coun-
ty to establish a rest room and model
kitchen, conducted a preparedness pa.
rade, started a model dairy, and won
the cooperation of the ministers, pub
lie officials and people generally.
1t seems to me that these good women
has accomplished results which justify
my faith in the plan of organizing IN
extension division which we have fol-
lowed in the Georgia State College Of
Agriculture. No doubt our scheme will
need to- be modified from time to time
as the work progresses, but it seems
well designed to meet the eXigencies Of
the present situation. and l feel will
enable US to reach an ever-increasing
number of girls and women, bringing
within their grasp the fundamental
knowledge essential TO the ordering Of
their lives and homes along the most
constructive and efficient lines. If this
can be done, as now seems feasible, the
Smith-Lever bill will have served the
purpose for which il was designed in so
far as il relates TO home and SoSiai
betterment.