16 



set, seemed to be must interested in the classes, and, from the splendid attendance, 

 evidently felt the good of them. 



As for the theory part of the lessons, it seems to be of interest as well as 

 the practical. Another point of very much importance is simplicity. Simple 

 recipes with new combinations in food stuffs and dainty serving seem to be much 

 appreciated. In this district only one town had attendance from school girls. 

 When the classes are being formed it would be well to try hard for the school 

 class, because the girls seem to like the classes. As the course finished in this 

 district, there were remarks of regret that the classes were over, as they afforded 

 a place of meeting and something to do, apart from the beneficial side. 



DEMONSTRATION LECTUEE COURSE IN SEATING. 



By Miss E. D. Watson, Aye. 



The course was most successful. We feel it one of the most satisfactory 

 things yet undertaken by the Institute. We ran three classes, two afternoon and 

 one evening. You will see that the attendance for the full course was 739, making 

 an average w^eekly attendance of nearly 73. This is, I think, unusually high, 

 considering the miserable roads, the heavy storms and the fact that the great 

 majority of the women were driving one, two and some five and six miles. They 

 were most enthusiastic from start to finish. Besides taking the evening class 

 myself, I saw all the classes at work at least part of the lesson, and I feel that 

 too much praise cannot be given Mrs. Altenburg for the way she handled her 

 work; for the individual attention each got, for what she made them do, and 

 for her patience. They were difficult classes, all sorts and conditions, all ages 

 from fourteen to fifty, from women who knew absolutely nothing about sewing 

 to a few who made some of their plainer dresses. The great majority of them 

 made a shirt-waist, a skirt and a one-piece dress, and I am still astonished at 

 the high average of the work. 



More ought to be charged for the lessons. With a good teacher, they are 

 worth more. You will be interested to know that we have had since Christmas 

 five University Extension lectures in connection with the Institute. Prof. iTorning, 

 on "England and Germany," and the "Balkan"' question : Dr. Amyot on "Natural 

 Defences of the Body against Infection." and Principal Hutton, on "Canada's 

 place ill the Empire." 



BENEFITS DERIVED FROM MRS. ALTENBURG'S CLASS. 



Miss Margaret Kyle, Aye. 



Early in January, it was announced under the auspices of the Women's Insti- 

 tute that if a class of twenty-five could be formed a Demonstrator in sewing would 

 Jbs -sent to Ayr. There was no difficulty in securing twenty-five, and before the 

 Demonstrator, Mrs. Altenburg, came to make final arrangements for the class the 

 number had increased to seventy, making it necessary to form three classes, one 

 to meet on Friday afternoon, one on Friday evening and a third on Saturday 

 afternoon. There w^ere ten lessons in four divisions : the first two on plain and 

 fancy stitches, three on a shirt waist, two on a skirt and the last three on a one- 

 piece dress. The lessons were supposed to be an hour and a half in length, but 

 Mrs. Altenburg generously extended the time to three hours. 



