The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-21
FINE MEETING Of
Eg0N0MgSDEPE
Session Held Yes.
terday Afternoon;E Elk
cellent Program

The Home Economies depart
ment Of the Woman's club was in
charge Of an interesting program
observed yesterday afternoon on
the occasion Of the regular general
meeting Of the woman's club held
On the Masonic Temple.
Mrs. L. N. Yost, president Of
the woman.s club opened the meet.
ing and conducted the business
after which she turned the meet.
ing over to Mrs. Levi B. HAIR,
chairman Of the Home Economics
department who presided during
the program.
President Joseph Roster OF the
Fairmont State Normal schpol was
the first speaker of the afternoon
and he reviewed Interestingly the
activities Of the Home Economic
department in i%naugurating and
installing Domestic Science In the
Fairmorft High school MIR. Roster
brought to the minds Of the club
women the fact that II was through
the fundamentally OF the depart
ment that the department was in.
stalled and maintained for a period
of a year and that It was the first
department perhaps in the state
and told how the idea and work
had extended elsewhere aud had
proved such a factor for good in
this city. Mr.. Roster related how
Mrs. Charles Edwin Reed had
been the spirit OF the idea and that
with Mrs. Thomas Walter Elem
ing at that time president Of the
club and other women she had urg.
ed upon the Board Of Education
the Importance Of such a depart
ment in the school and that the
club had with the permission Of
the board established and main
tanned the department for a year.
Mr.. Roster believes the Woman'a
club the pioneers in this work in
the state. He also urged that the
club and other women's organiza.
lions get behind q movement To
have a special building built at the
State University and maintained
for the teaching Of domestic
science and art.
City superintendent Of schools
Otis G. Wilson told OF the growth
of the idea inaugurated by the
Woman's club in this city and that
instead Of one department In the
High school in this district thcre
was also at this time a department
In each OF the high schools. The
Thomas G. Miller school, the Der,
nard l.. Butcher school and the
Dunbar school. That five teachers
were employed all the time and
that where It had taken $1,000 to
maintain the department a year at
tho Time 1t was started that the
Board, of Education Of Fairmont IN
dependent school district at this
time had expended for this work
in the period OF ten or twelve years
a sum approximating $3.50 Stat.
istics submitted by Mr.. Wilson
showed that 215 young women an.
nually received training in these
arts and that In tho ten or twelve
years q total Of some $4,000 were
trained in, the arts. Besides the
instruction received by the pupils.
Mr.. Wilson told~th club, that the
domestic science department serv-
cd daily at least 100 we'll cooked
hot meals to school children or
some $4,000 hot meals a year. He
also gave credit to the club for
being pioneers In the play ground
movement which was gaining i'm.
petus yearly and also stated that
the club had been instrumental in
getting the medical inspection Law
through the legislature and that
now the schools employed a school
nurse. the children received dental
inspection and scales had been
provided IN the schools for the pur.
pose Of Keeping children up to
normal weight. Mr.. Wilson. also
told the women that the schools
would at once begin Furnishing
milk to undernourished children
for a nominal sum.
Both these talks wore Of great