The Nevada County picayune., 1918-06-13

tween two farms, win carry you a long way toward proficiency. And the code, and everything you learn about electricity, would be of use to you should an opportunity come your way later to learn wireless telegraphy-a work which is peculiarly adapted to the sensitive woman.
 The government has already opened the motor transport service to women. If this appeals to you, begin to fit your self for it now.
 There are a great many varieties of motor transport service, but even if none of the more dramatic oppOrtuni- ties come to you, there is an impor- tant service ahead of women in driv- ing tractors.
 If a woman has any gift for 1t at all, mechanical craftsmanship is very much worth while. Government con- struCtion plants employ many drafts men, and you would be surprised to find how much of this you can learn from your local architect or from any manufacturing plant near your town.
 Long before technical schools were established men learned all they needed to know by apprenticeship, and the plan 1 propose to you is simply to revert to the earlier, simple method. Apprentice yourself to your chosen trade in the person of the most skilled workman you know. If you do not know how to choose, make q census of the skills of your town. Find out the most valuable skill and save that for your country.
 One of the terrible things about war is the loss of this accumulated skill. Men spend years in school and years more ill practice, and then at their most useful time are cut off. Make it your business to capture and retain some of the things that men have learned. Nobody will refuse to teach you. X man owes his knowledge and skill to his country as much as he owes his life; all the more if he loses his life.
 Can Learn at Home.
 Women are the natural conservers of
 
 up and hold fast every bit of gain. Women are only just learning what it costs men to be proficient, and even if there is no definite objective in view, We could not go far wrong in attempt ing to save something of the proficient mans purchase. l have spoken of these particular occupations as being direct fy connected with the government ma chine, realizing something of the hun ger of women to be identified with it as men are. There is sense in which any work which releases man for the front Is government service; but l have particularly wished to point out how women may fit themselves for na- tional service in their own homes. There are other things than these, new openings every week. things which can be mastered on the farm or in the smallest village. You do not. for ex- ample, have to go out of your own town to learn how to be postal clerk.
 There is in every town good job for somebody i'll keeping m touch with the needs of the government machine If you can dc nothing else, be the co- herer; find out from your state officials and from Washington all about the qualifications, the dates and places of civil service examinations, the jobs for which no examination but merely q certificate of fitness is required. See to 1t that your circulating library h&s such books as are needed by students. If your state has a travelling library, know what helps it can give. There is no real reason why any American should not be able to learn anything he-or She-puts her mind to.
 There is another branch of patriotic service which, though it has not been depntmentally opened to women here as in England, is open through com munitics and committees to American women. This k the branch of the com missary Ii includes all sorts of knowl- edge supposed To he native to the genius of women. of food buying and storing and cooking on a large scale The basis of cemmiSsary work is natural aptitude for If and a knowl- t4-e 'i i97d Nilu'S. AiHN Sou Sau teach yourself at home, making a lab oratory of your kitchen. The rest you can learn through community aetivi- ties in your town. community store houses. community Kitchens, com muuity canning clubs and buying clubs.
 Demand Exceeds Supply.
 The department of agriculture can supply you with information on the conduct of all these enterprises. Al ready the demand fer instructors in these branches exceeds the supply. And if the war should surprise us by the years it holds out, there Is nc doubt many of them will be made part of the government machine, just