The Farmers' Wives' Reading Course, 1904-1905. 75 



The course is free to women in the state who indicate that they 

 desire a course of reading and study upon the subjects pertaining to 

 the home work; not simply the routine of housework, but the alhed 

 subjects of society and school. 



The Reading-Course for Farmers' Wives is a parallel one to that of 

 the farmers, based upon the same general plan, consisting of illus- 

 trated bulletins published five months of the year. Accompanying 

 the bulletin is a discussion paper containing questions which are to 

 be answered and returned to the bureau. 



In the Farmers '.Wives' Reading-Course there are now three series 

 of five bulletins each: 



Series I. Farm House and Garden. — The bulletins in this series are: 



(I) Saving Steps; (2) Decoration in the Farm Home; (3) Practical 

 Housekeeping; (4) The Kitchen-Garden; (5) The Flower-Garden. 



Series II. The Farm Family. — The bulletins in this series are: 

 (6) Rural Schools; (7) Boys and Girls on the Farm; (8) Reading in the 

 Farm Home; (9) Home Industries; (10) Insect Pests of House and 

 Garden. 



Series III. Food and Sanitation. — The bulletins in this series are: 



(II) Home Sanitation; (12) Germ Life; (13) Human Nutrition; 

 (14) Food for the Farmer's Family; (15) Saving Strength. 



While the sending of bulletins and the examination of discussion 

 papers forms a prominent feature of the work of the reading-course, 

 the answering of questions written by the readers to the department 

 in all phases of home life is an important element which makes the 

 movement more individually helpful than anything else. It is more 

 than ever recognized that the farm where so many home occupations 

 are carried on must necessarily, in order to be successful, be based 

 upon a scientific knowledge concerning sanitation and food on the 

 farm. The farm is a most desirable place in which to practice the art 

 of home-making. 



The object of the course is to make the farm home an ideal one, 

 to make those who dwell in rural communities contented in their 

 environment, and desirous to make the most of natural surroundings. 



MARTHA VAN RENSSELAER, 

 Supervisor Farmers' Wives' Reading-Course. 



