REPORT OF FARMERS' INSTITUTES, 1913 



By T. B. Parker, Director of Farmers' Institutes. 



During the year, December 1, 1912, to Decemter 1, 1913, we held 260 

 institutes, each for men and women, with total attendance as follows: 



At Regular Farmers' Institutes 34,978 



At Regular Women's Institutes 23,007 



In addition to the above we held a two-days JSTormal Institute for 

 institute lectures, a three-day round-up institute and four institutes for 

 negroes. 



In many sections we had the hearty cooperation of ministers, school 

 teachers, physicians, and business men, as well as the farmers. We are 

 especially indebted to the newspapers for the many notices they have 

 given of the institutes, and in some instances they have printed the pro- 

 grams in full. We very much appreciate their kindness in this respect. 



ISTo premiums were offered at the institutes for men, but premiums of 

 a year's subscription to a woman's magazine were offered to the woman 

 living on the farm, who made and exhibited the highest scoring loaf of 

 bread, and to the Avoman living on the farm who prepared and exhibited 

 the test school lunch under the conditions set forth in the following cir- 

 cular sent to applicants for information in regard to the exhibits : 



Explanations of Preniiunis Offered at Women's Institutes. 



The following explanations in regard to the premiums that we are offering 

 to the girls and women living on the farm for the best exhibits of bread 

 and school lunches at our women's institutes may be of value to would-be 

 exhibitors. 



The school lunch exhibit is open to women over 18 years of age only; and 

 the bread exhibit to girls and women. This ruling will be strictly adhered 

 to. In either exhibit the exhibitor must sign a written statement, giving 

 name, post-office address and age, that is, whether she is over or under 18, 

 stating that she made the bread or prepared the lunch, place this informa- 

 tion in an envelope, seal it and place with the exhibti. By this means the 

 judge can be sure of getting the name and the address of the exhibitor. 



The school lunch is deserving of more consideration than many pa- 

 rents give it. Childhood is an impressionable age and great care should 

 be exercised as to influences that are brought to bear on the child during 

 this critical period in its life. Influences that to us grown people seem small 

 may leave an impression with children throughout their lives. For this 

 reason we should be exceedingly careful as to the kind of influences that 

 surround our children. Cleanliness, and neatness should be among the early 

 impressions made upon the mind of the child. The school lunch is a good 

 means of impressing the child with these habits, or perhaps I might say 

 virtues, for they are virtues. 



