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"I have in mind that I shall collect information from each locality as to its 

 particular needs. Then when I ask an institute man to go to a certain locality 

 to speak I will furnish him with the information which I have as to the par- 

 ticular needs of that locality. lie can then have his address in readiness to be 

 .suited to the people he is going to address. I think that is a very important 

 feature of the work. 



" In some places in Ontario we have a canning factory here and a few miles 

 from that we have a pork-packing establishment, and in the next county it may 

 be that they give most of their attention to the raising of horses. We have to 

 cater to the different localities, and we must Ije prepared to do that if we are 

 going to educate the people in the true sense of the word." 



In reply to a (luestion. Mr. Putnam stated that he thought that the superin- 

 tendent should spend nuich time in the field to learn local conditions and should 

 arrange, if possible, to hear every speaker at least once. 



George W. Dean, of Illinois, spoke briefly of the growth of farmers' insti- 

 tutes in that State. 



WOMEN'S INSTITUTES. 



Mrs. S. Noble King, of Illinois. In our State (Illinois) the question of holding 

 separate women's institutes has never l>een raised. From the first the work of 

 the women has been affiliated with that of the men ; but I will tell you as briefly 

 as I can what we have accomplished and what we purpose to do in the future. 



A little less than seven years ago a few women who were interested in 

 scientific methods of housekeeping decided that the farmers' wives ought to 

 have subjects presented at the county institutes along lines of work peculiarly 

 their own, and steps were taken to secure an organization in the different 

 counties, to be known as " domestic science associations " and to work with their 

 husbands and brothers in the county institutes. 



The purpose of these organizations was twofold — first, to learn and practice 

 better methods in our homes ; second, to help to secure the introduction of 

 domestic science into the public schools of our State, country schools as well as 

 city and town schools. The presidents of the county institutes were asi?ed for 

 the names of three or four progressive women. living near together, who 

 would be likely to take up a work of this kind and who would inspire other 

 women to do the same. 



Through these efforts 20 counties were organized the first year. Since that 

 time the growth has been steady and gradual, and to-day 90 of our 102 counties 

 are doing active work. It was soon found that a meeting held but once a year 

 could be of vei-y little benefit, and the women decided to form study clubs 

 which should meet once a month — some of them bimonthly. 



As these meetings were usually held at the county seat many women who 

 would like to do so were unable to attend, and they formed auxiliary clubs in 

 neighborhoods, some counties having five or six. The first organization in a 

 county is responsible for the progranune of one session at the county insti- 

 tute, and evei-y club is expected to send delegates to the annual meeting, which 

 is held in connection with the State farmers' institute. 



These women are studying sanitation, hygiene, nutritive value and cost of 

 food, bacteriology, care and diet of the growing child, diet for the aged and 

 invalid, care of the sick in our homes, and many other topics which are of 

 interest to the intelligent housekeeper. 



The first obstacle met with was lack of literature on the suli.iects whicii 

 were to be studied. This was overcome l)y the generosity of the State farm- 

 ers' institute, who gave us funds for a library, which is in care of our State 



23344— No. 154—05 ii 5 



