Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-05-26
MRS. RUSSELL'SLETTER
Continued from front page

Ii b
plus, thereby earning her first indepen-
| dent pocket money. There were seven
Community Clubs" that first year. The
Igirls were timid, the fathers unwilling to
spare even that small patch Of land: the
mothers were mostly ignorant of the
work Mrs Covington herself had no
special training, just wide and deep ex-,
perience as home maker herself and
willingness to go forward and find way.
Now there are % clubs that put on the
market every year between $500 and 5000
cans of tomatoes, soup mixture, beans,
corn and kraut besides what they use at,
home. These goods are much in de-
n1and on account of excellent keeping
qualities and honesty of contents. They
are sold at the University, at other col
leges and schools, to wholesale dealers at
home and in Raleigh The work was
gradually widened to comprehend preserv-
ing, picking, making Of jellies and fruit
juices until at last sewing was added.
The entire scope OF woman's life-work
was covered and called Home Demons
tration." In 1908 there were but few
screened houses even in our towns; now
even the humblest homes have these
wire doors and windows, with very few
exceptions. Then the only light after
nightfall was a smoky, smelly kerosene
lamp, or chunk of lightwood thrown on
the fire. Now two-thirds of the homes
in Richmond county have electric lights.
Then every drop of water was laborious.
ly lifted from well or ''toted'' from
spring by the women of the family. Now
turn of the wrist brings the water into
teakettle and tub Sewing classes are
most popular Women, both young and
old, are taught to judge quality and color
of goods, how to use patterns, how to
finish garment inside and out, how to
construct hats and sweaters 1t is foolish
to say gals ought to learn from their
mothers" What if the mother, bowed
and worn with toll and children, has
never had chance is learn very much,
how can she teach? But the mother of
the future win know. They will know
the difference between a neat, screened
kitchen and fly.infested hole. They
will know the difference between room
furnished in harmonious colors, no mat.
ter how cheap the material, and one that
strikes the eye like a crazy quilt
DR.. Chas. McIver, in making his plea
for the establishment of STAGE college
used to say: IF you educate boy you
educate an individual, but if you educate
a girl you educate a whole, family" No
more important, far-reaching work has
ever been undertaken in Richmond coun-
ty, nor ever can be, than this, effort to
reach and improve the homes of our
people, and the fact that the leader in the
work is one who knows the county, knows
the peculiar limitations, the handicaps,
the problems of each home and commun-
| ity, makes it easy for her to get in touch
with those who need her help and whose
timidity would shrink from stranger
When an epidemic appears in a town the
first cry is What about the purify of your
water supply? p Aren't the homes OF the
people the source of the stream of popu-
lation that must replenish the earth? As
these homes are clean and pure and at
tractive just so the coming generations
will be free from the idleness and crimes
that make the whole world sick.
Therefore, men and brethren and sis
| tiers, let us stand behind these Canning
Clubs and Pig Clubs and Calf Clubs and
Home Demonstration Clubs and give the
rising generation a chance to know more
than we do!
L.P.R