EXTENSION DIVISION. 191 



REPORT OF HOME DEMONSTRATION AGENT WORK. 

 July 1, 1919— June 30, 1920. 



Due to lack of siifiicient federal appropriations to maintain the work 

 of the home demonstration agents in all counties where the work had 

 been started it became necessary July 1, 1919, to reduce the number of 

 counties employing agents to twelve, with no urban home demonstration 

 agents. 



►Several new counties have asked for home demonstration agents for 

 the coming year but no federal money seems to be available. 



However in these twelve counties the v^'ork during the past year has 

 assumed a very jiermanent form, with a strong backing of the women 

 in every case. 



The following projects have been carried on in the various counties: 

 Organization; Foods, including canning, dietetics and milk campaigns; 

 Clothing with its different phases; some Child Welfare; Household 

 Majiagement, especially home conveniences and home accounts; Poultry; 

 and Girls' Club Work.'' 



OEGANIZATIOX. 



Under the old form of farm bureau the work of the women was natur- 

 ally accepted as being on an equal basis with the men. With the new 

 farm bureau there seemed to be no place for women's work in their pro^ 

 gram. Hovv'ever in nearly all counties having a home demonstration 

 agent, and where the work is understood it has been assumed that the 

 membership is a family membership. 



This has not been officially recognized by the State Farm Bureau. 



The following form of organization is being worked out: 



In counties having home demonstration agents, a woman's committee 

 is recommended in each township or community — to be composed of a 

 chairman and four others. The chairman of this committee is to be 

 elected by the women of the township or community and she selects the 

 other members of the committee for her township. 



The chairman of the various tovrnship committees at the time of the 

 annual meeting of the county farm bureau, selects five of their members 

 to act as a county committee of the home department of the farm bureau. 

 The chairm.an of this committee serves on the executive committee of the 

 county farm bureau. 



FOODS. 



Canning: Due to the season being rather dry last year and also to 

 the fact that the majority of women are now familiar with the cold- 

 pack canning not as many public demonstrations were given as usual. 

 The agents did more personal work assisting women in their homes who 

 had previously had trouble with their canning or often times a. few neigh- 

 bors were invited into a home and the day spent in canning. This was 

 really much more helpful than the old plan. The interest in the canning 

 of meat and poultry has grown very rapidly this last year. 



