The Republican., 1935-04-18

Excellent idea. But you can't dc
it." So said nearly everyone, but grad
ually interest grew until some $50
women of the county signed petition
asking that :. their demonstration
agent be allowed to devote an entire
year and all her time to the project
And from that plans became more
definite until in February of '32 the
first beginning was actually made.
Story of Accomplishment
From this point the story is one OF
accomplishment. For the year ended
in February of "a the total taken in
in one of the markets was $4,000, bet
ter than $1,000 per person, for in this
market there were eighty-three women
on the stands. In the other markets
the number grew until 200 women
were represented. The average "take'
being about $1,000.
For the year just ended in February,
1885, the total in the parent market
was $4,000 and that, too, sets the
pace for the others.
eve don't all make the same, some
make little, some much more, it de-
pends upon what there is to work with
and sometimes what the Individual
necessity is" so said Mrs. Julian Wat
ers, president of the Wisconsin ave-
nue. market "And you know the real
thing can't be told in figures no matter
what they are. The real thing is that
we have saved our farms; we have had
good food for our familis and their
schooling is secure"
All Branches
Nearly every department of culinary
science is represented in the markets
during the year, while one finds milk
and cream and cheese and butter and
eggs and cakes all the year through.
There is sausage with or without sage,
head cheese and great mounds of home
cured hams, not forgetting the delect-
able "spare RIBS; vegetables and
fruits in bins and mounds; specially
prepared jams and jellies: chicken cut
for frying and chicken dissected fol
succulent creaming.
But to go back to day in February
1882, when eleven women gathered IN
vacant store on the main street Of
Bethesda. 1t was still gray dawn when
they spread their best tablecloths over
series of card tables, the trailing
napery making or masking the box
for waste paper and other rubbish
They piled their tables with goodies
"I wonder whether we'll have to tote
all this stuff home again." one woman
remarked to another as the market
opened. That was better than three
years ago and she hasn't taken a thing
home yet.
Success was instant, due, not only
to the goodness of the things them
selves but to the careful planning and
advertising of the executive. Letters
and invitations had been sent to all
the women's clubs of Washington; to
the churches, to the press, all asking
that the recipient "help these farm wo-
men to help themselves"
Tremendous interest followed. Ev-
erything on the stands were sold before
o'clock.
"What. Not another market for a
month"
The plan had been to hold a mar
ket day each month during the trial
period.
"But I want this every week" "My
order is in now for a weekly service
eve must have this twice a week."
In two weeks the second market was
held with a success sufficient to justify
the women holding a market each
week and in planning for more space
Second Day
By May of that year second mar
ket day each week was actually in op-
GRAFTON. Today three of the markets
a1e selling on three days of the week
and quantities of ordered goods are
delivered daily. New Workers coming