The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-01-18
INSTRUCTION FOR
FARM WOMENN NEXT
New Line of Work to Be Under
taken by Uncle Sans Agri-
cultural Experts.
TEACHERS WILL DODGE FADS
instruction Will Be Confined to Sub
jects Of Practical Benefit Would
Save Time, Money and
Labor.
syELIzAsErH VAN eENTHUYsEN.


Labor.
BY ELIZABETH VAN 6ENTHuYsEN.
Thirty-three northern and western
states will get the chief benefit from
new line of work that has been
planned by the federal department OIL
agriculture in which the chief consid-
GRAFTON is the instruction of farm woin-
en- in home economics.
Miss Florence Z. Ward has been
placed at the head of the new task.
She has been prominent for many
years in educational work and Is be-
lieved to be thoroughly equipped for
the latest venture in which Uncle Sam
is embarking to make the farms of the
country more profitable and produc-
tive. The idea is in line with presl-
dent Wilson recent prOnouncement De-
fore the farmers of the land.
Home demonstration work is the
title of the department over which
Miss Ward presides. The Smith
Lever act of 1914 made possible the
work for the women. The law provid-
ed for the use of government funds In
aiding the housewife to increase her
efficiency and her stock of knowledge
It was the first important concession
made to the wife of the farmer ana
may be taken as a natural Outgrowth
of the progress that wOman's suffrage
has made in recent years. Once the
farm was run as though it were mere
ly mans affair. The new order
takes woman's work on the farm into
thorough and important consideration
Teach Women to Do Part.
The object of the venture is to pre-,
vent women from failing in their part
of the communal life. She is to be
instructed in the keeping Of accounts
in the state of markets, the channels
for the purchase of food and clothing
and in becoming an efficient aid to the
farmer in handling his own work.
In the first study of the new de
partment it is stated that the average
work of a farm woman covers ter
hours a day-quite an illuminating
statement in view of the nationwide
fight by the labor element for an eight
hour day. The demonstrators to bt
sent out by the government will seel
to avoid technical, laboratory terms II
their instructions. They will dodge
fads and seek to cOnfine themselves tt
the things that farm women can use
today. They will assume that wOmer
of the farm have brains as well a!
hands and are prepared to use then
to get more important results.
The government is seeking to sc
practical women on the roster of dem
onstrators. Women are wanted whC
can 90 into rural schoolhouses, face {
dozen practical, able women and teacl
them something worth while that the!
do not already know better than tn,
teacher.
Obviously the task is great. Mos
women raised on farm are not be
hind in getting the most from tn
least. They once had to do so and il
many cases have to yet. The new
teachers must teach the best thing
socially and economically and carr,
the very best light into the rural com
munities that can be afforded.
Save Time, Labor and Money.
The keynote of the government
venture is to teach women to saw
time, labor and money.
That means, as cOrollary, to max
time, to make leisure and to max
money!
The program of work calls for thi
schedule:
March, April and May-Poultry pre-
duction, gardening, keeping the hom
grounds and home sanitation.
June, July and August-Cannine
food, sanitation, the dairy, home laun
dry work.
September, October and November
Clothing, food and the co-Operativ
purchase Of things needed for eac
community.
December, January and February
Heat in the farm home, communit
life, education and home management
This is indeed an ambitious pre-
, gram and I shall watch it with pt
. culiar interest, born of many years Q
effort in this service for 'the better
ment of the farm, the garden and tn
( home.