EXTENSION DIVISION. 271 



REPORT OF H0U.SP:H0LD MANAGEMENT srEGlALIxST. 



BY EDiSTA V. SMITH. 



The object of this project during the past year has been two fokl : 



1. To bring to the farm women of Michigan more of a realization of 

 the money value of the food which is obtained from the farm, as well as 

 the advantages of having expenditures well i^lanned in advance. 



2. To lighten the housework through more home conveniences and bet- 

 ter arranged kitchens so the fami wife as well as the rest of the family 

 will get more enjoyment from living on the farm. 



One hundred sixteen farm women started keeping home accounts in 

 study groups last year. Thirty-six of these women finished the year's 

 work in good shape, giving us some very valuable data. The results of 

 this work done by the women was tabulated and presented at the State 

 Grange meeting in December. Since that time it has been presented to 22 

 groups such as granges, farmers' clubs, farm bureau meetings, etc. Only 

 recently one man remarked at a meeting that he would have given any- 

 thing had his wdfe been present and heard the talk because she had be- 

 come very blue and discouraged mth their income from the fai-m the 

 past year. 



At least 500 of our home account books have been sold during this year 

 showing a decided grow^th in the number of women who are keeping 

 accounts. 



The rearrangement and remodeling of kitchens to make them more 

 convenient has been emphasized this year. This has been through group 

 meetings, local leader meetings, and with individuals. The Specialist 

 has assisted in the planning of 23 kitchens. 



Five meetings have been held witb the leaders of different communi- 

 ties of Kalamazoo, Wayne and Oakland counties at which time local con- 

 ditions, the housewives' greatest problems with the possibilities of cor- 

 recting them, were discussed. Local surveys w^ere made as to number 

 having running w^ater in the home, the number having some type of 

 lighting besides old kerosene lamps. Each woman was asked to score a 

 kitchen for convenience and equipment. 



Two meetings were held with committees in Barry and Lenawee coun- 

 ties who wanted to put on a model kitchen exhibit at their county fairs 

 last fall. Walls, floor covering, furniture and equipment were discussed 

 and selected. 



At the annual round-up at Chatham, an exhibit of labor-saving devices 

 was prepared and shown by the Specialist. It consisted of good cleaning 

 brushes, good knives, good shaiped cooking utensils, bread mixer, steam 

 and pressure cooker, w%eel trays, etc. 



Besides a great many home-made fireless cookers, steam and pressure 

 cookers, hundreds of small pieces of equipment like the stainless steel 

 knives, dish drainers, plate scrapers, pan lifters, etc., have been put in 

 homes as a direct result of talks given by the home demonstration agents 

 and the Specialist. 



A series of articles was written for the counti-y FaW Bureau bulletins 

 an different household management subjects. 



