XI. FARMERS' WIVES' READING-COURSE. 



The extension work among farm women in the College of Agri- 

 culture for the year 1905-06 has been in relation to Bulletins which 

 are sent each month from November to March ; in the organization 

 and promotion of clubs among farm women ; and a course in home 

 economics established for three months of the winter in the Univer- 

 sity for the benefit of farm women who have been able to attend. 



October i, 1906, there was the following membership in the Read- 

 ing-Course : 



Series i 2040 



Series 2 6860 



Series 3 4459 



Series 4 6925 



Total 20284 



The Discussion-Papers returned were : 



Series i 999 



Series 2 550 



Series 3 323 



Series 4 205 



Total 2077 



An efifort has been made to determine why more women did not 

 answer the discussion-paper and letters are at hand to show that a 

 lack of time, a diffidence about offering ideas and the lack of prac- 

 tice in writing leads many women to omit the return of the discus- 

 sion-paper and at the same time to ask to have the Bulletins con- 

 tinued. In general where discussion-papers are returned much 

 information is obtained which keeps the Department in touch with 

 the farm home, establishing a better acquaintance and making it 

 possible to furnish a more efficient Reading-Course. 



Farmers' Wives' Clubs have been established in the Grange and 

 in separate organizations where the members have made the Read- 

 ing-Course a basis of work with the addition of some literary topics. 

 Most excellent results have followed from the establishment of the 

 clubs in rural districts. The club idea is growing and bids fair to 

 be a prominent feature in social and intellectual rural life. It keeps 



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