DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 137 



Roiiiid ii|) iiislidiU' willi ;iii jncnige aKciidaiicc of ."I'.i :il cjmIi <>f llie 

 (en sessions. 



Tlu' couiilv iiistiliiU's lasled (wo (la.>s, excc|tt as follows: Jii .Mason 

 county lliero wn.s a four days' fanners' school nndor the direction of 

 the county secretary, Mr. (\ A. llincharl, who is also county commis- 

 sioncM' of schools; in Manistee and (Jraiid Tiaveise counlies (he inoet- 

 iuijs lasled (hree days, the las( <lay beinii- joint fanners" and teachers' 

 institutes; and in Ihe u])per ])eniusula it was thou«4ht l)es( (o only 

 liold one day institutes. 



For (hose meotinps two speakers u]iou farniinc; topics, and one lady 

 were furuished. At most of them, there was also an additional speaker 

 to take the tliird hour in the afternoon and to give an address in the 

 evening, (iood Roads, cement and education were among the topics 

 considered by this speaker at the afternoon sessions. 



ONE-DAY INSTITUTES. 



At the 340 one-day institutes, the total attendance was S0,054 or 

 an average of 100 at eacli of the 802 sessions. 



Tlie interest and attendance shown at the one-day institutes was 

 more than satisfactory. At a lai-ge number of ])laces the peo])le could 

 not be accommodated with s<'ats and often standing room was at a 

 premium. The only meetings which have not been satisfactory have 

 been those where the county secretaries liave not given personal attention 

 to them and where the local manageis have not taken j)ains to see that 

 the meetings are properly advertised. 



It should be stated, howe\'er, that in a great majority of the counties 

 the secretaries have not only visited the ditTerent points where in- 

 stitutes are to be held, and aided the local managers in making the 

 ]>reliminary arrangements, but they have in many cases spent from one 

 to two weeks in attendance at the institutes. The presidents of the 

 county institute societies have also devoted much time both to arranging 

 the institutes and attending the meetings. 



WOMEN^S CONGRESSES. 



About the same number of counties have had separate sessions for 

 the women as in previous years, and where suitable arrangements have 

 been made for them, and they have been properl}- advertised, they have 

 been well attended and have been very helpful. 



In most places they have been held in the afternoon but in a few 

 counties a session has been held the second evening and the exercises 

 have been in charge of the ladies. 



The plan of having a Women's Congress during one or both after- 

 noons of the institute seems to have much merit. While there might be 

 topics that would be instructive and interesting to them on the pro- 

 gram in the general session, it Avould seem that a se])arate session would 

 be more helpful, as it tends to bring the women closer together than 

 would be possible if joint sessions only were held. Then, too it brings 

 together the women from the farms and those from the towns and they 

 not only become acquainted personally but they leai'u from each other 

 and thus obtain a broader vicAV of life. 



Not the least of the advantages of the separate sessions is that the 



