The Bulletin. 5 



which is destined to do much for the women on the farms and for 

 the improvement of the rural homes of the South. - 



Many obstacles and much discouraging indifference was expected 

 and mot with in starting this work, but on the whole the results were 

 not entirely unsatisfactory. Any one who has visited the rural 

 homes knows that much improvement is needed., and quite within 

 reach with the facilities already existing or easily obtainable. 



No one any longer questions the good done by the Farmers' Insti- 

 tutes for the men. on the farms, and knowing that there is just as 

 much need for and as great opportunities for improvement in the 

 conditions existing in the farm homes of the State, no further reason 

 need be given for the inauguration of this work. The spirit of con- 

 servatism that looked upon these women's institutes as too great an 

 innovation, nor yet the indifference of many of the women on the 

 farms, Avas the chief difficulty in the way of holding successful 

 meetings. The great obstacle to success with these institutes, as 

 with those for men, is the difficulty in finding suitable lecturers. 

 Southern women are not much given to talking in public, even 

 exclusively to their own sex, and have given still less attention to a 

 scientific study of domestic science. But it seemed desirable that 

 those institute lecturers have that familiarity with local conditions 

 and customs w^hich could only be acquired by a long residence among 

 those to whom they were to talk. 



After failing to secure the services of a native N'orth Carolina 

 woman to discuss domestic science subjects at theise institutes. Miss 

 Mae Card, a gi-aduate of the Domestic Science Department of the 

 Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, Canada, was employed for 

 this work. For the work of organization and to discuss general 

 subjects relating to rural home improvement, the services of Miss 

 Viola Boddie, a native of l^ash County and a member of the faculty 

 of the State Normal and Industrial College for women, at Greens- 

 boro, was secured. These two Avomen were assisted by men from the 

 force of lecturers attending the regular Farmers' Institute at the 

 same place on the same day. The men who talked at the Women's 

 Institutes discussed such subjects as "Farm Dairying," "Farm Poul- 

 try," "Fruit and Vegetable Gardens," etc. 



From July 14 to August 11, twenty-one of these Women's Insti- 

 tutes were held. A reference to page 15 will show where they were 

 held and the speakers at each. The average attendance was 83, which, 

 considering all the circumstances, is not by any lueans discouraging. 

 At several of these institutes the attendance was extremelv small, but 

 those present usually became interested and the prospects are bright 

 for good meetings in practically all these localities next year. 



The services of ]\Tiss Card will probably be retained peimianently, 

 while it is also expected that Miss Boddie will assist in the work 



