No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. . 335 



that a woman's time and strength are capital whether she is paid a 

 wage or not. 



Traditions and present conditions do not square up. Old ideals 

 must be given up. The activities and interests of women are ex- 

 tending. Woman's education must be accommodated to our present 

 needs. The education of girls now has a double aspect. She is a 

 homemaker in the old sense and is widely becoming an industrial 

 worker. 



There is more and more need that women know the household 

 arts. Women need to learn what to eliminate from the home, and 

 determine whether they are doing there what could be done better 

 elsewhere. Otherwise there is useless labor. Woman is becoming 

 an industrial worker alongside of her brother and husband. A great 

 amount of work is given to the factory which was once done in the 

 home. There is smaller chance therefore for an income to-day in the 

 home. Neither man nor woman can compete witli the machine. If 

 women enter men's work shorter hours for all must result, other- 

 wise there are lower standards. At the same time there is danger 

 of neglect of Avork properly given to women for the nurishment and 

 care of her family. The problem still confronting her is whether 

 the food is properly cooked and served with sufScient variety and 

 proper selection, whether there are healthful sanitary conditions for 

 the proper eflicieuc}' of the family and the problems of household con- 

 struction, decoration and furnishing. For these she needs training. 



Every rural community has its group of young women asking 

 what is in store for them and its group of older women asking 

 how with scarcity of help they can accomplish all their tasks. Some 

 of the young women are stirred to aspirations for teaching, stenog- 

 raphy or factory life where they can get away from the humdrum 

 and monotony of household routine. Others are fascinated by the 

 opportunities of farming for women and others are staying at home 

 because they are needed or have married their 'steady job.' These 

 women have done much for the farming of the present and the future. 

 They are executive. They have economized and they have listened 

 attentively to ways and means of improving farm conditions. Farm- 

 ing in the meantime has been 'looking up.' Women are still execu- 

 tive, economical, striving for gain in the farm finances for the sake 

 of more land and education for the children. Standards of living 

 have been rising and the farm home has come to be regarded as a 

 place where better conditions should prevail for the sake of the 

 children and for the sake of the entire community whom the farmer 

 feeds. 



Men are asking that the youth be trained for farming and are 

 trying to induce the young man to stay on the farm. They are ask- 

 ing for better and more permanent forms of agriculture that the 

 people may be better and more cheaply fed. Training the farmer 

 for his task is only half the problem. The woman on the farm is a 

 vital part of the success of the place. The farm rises no higher than 

 its women. 



Women need education for their task as much as men. Men have 

 long thought the 'rule of thumb' was good enough for the work in 

 the house and the care of the family although they believed that 

 scientific accuracy was needed for tilling and feeding out of doors. 



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