The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-06-01
ENGLAND TO USE
WOMEN ON FARMS
Attempt, Not Only to Maintain
Agricultural Production, but
to Increase II.
PLAN TO OBTAIN VOLUNTEERS
Must Pass Examination as to Ability
TO Endure Work-Labor Usually
Undertaken Has Been Connect
ed With Live Stock.

Great Britain has attempted, on ac-
count Of the submarine warfare. not
only to maintain her agricultural pro-
ductfon but to increase 1t. To do this
an active campaign was undertaken
TO place women on the land. This
work is carried on under the direct
supervision of their national board Of
agriculture. The organization is some
what similar to that found in our
county agent organization, there being
district agents, county community
with a county organizer and local
agents in every county. The functions
OF the local organizations are: first,
to secure women land workers; sec
ond. to train them; and third to find
farms for them to work on. The work
Of obtaining volunteers has been car
ried on by means of posters, personal
visits, meetings. competitions, and so
on.
AS soon as a woman indicates her
desire to take up work on the land
she must submit to a physical exami-
nation In order that the committee
may be sure that she Is physically fit
to endure the strain Of farm work She
Is also examined as to her personality,
In order to determine whether she can
get on with farm conditions.
Types Of Practice Farms.
After she has been accepted, she Is
sent to one of the practice farms.
These farms are of various types. In
some instances they are agricultural
colleges that have been turned over to
the training women. In other instan-
ces, the women are gathered together
in home and sent out to the neigh
boring farms to be trained by expert
enced farm workers. In still other In
stances successful farmers have turn
ed their farms over to the county or
CARNATIONS to be used In training wom-
en-. the women living on the farm and
participating In all operations. During
the training period the workers are
without any expense as far as their
living is concerned, and are furnished
with a complete outfit. consisting of
boots. clogs, leggings, breeches. hat,
and two pairs Of overalls.
Work Undertaken.
The most usual types of agricultur-
al labor undertaken by the workers
have been those connected with live
stock and intensive farming, such as |
growing mangel, raising calves, milk |
Ing, care of live stock, etc The period |
Of training generally lasted four weeks. |
II, at the end Of this time, the students |
showed sufficient skill, they were listed |
and efforts were made to place them
On farms. However, before any Of the
land workers were allowed to
undertake farm work, the farm was
Inspected and suitable quarters were
found for the workers. Their expert
ence seems to show that 1t is imprac-
ticable to send the women out to work
IS individuals, but that they must be
kept together. AS a result Of this stu
alton, usually one member of the group
becomes matron Of the party and gen.
eral chaperon. Another, more skilled
Than the rest, becomes group leader or
Although many Of the
workers were from the well-to-do class
y. they were compelled to accept the
wage In the community and
we're required to do as much as the reg
liar agricultural workers for the same
Jay.
In order to increase the demand for
women workers, and to add interest in
his kind Of work. competitions have
,sen held throughout the country.
rhe competitors were judged upon
heir ability to milk. kill and dress
,oultry, harness horses, hoe root-crops,
lrive q harrow, spread manure, trim
hedge, and drive a cart. Thus 1t Is
ound that our English-speaking allies
ave increased their production under
ctual war condition.