70 



dormitory and a dining room and kitchen. The girls are selected, and all the 

 expense that attaches to their coming to this school for two weeks (one week 

 before and one week during the fair) is their railroad fare and the expense of 

 their food while there. The instruction is free. The girls are divided into 

 classes, or sections, or groups of four. The work is changed dailj. They per- 

 form all the labor in connection with the school. One girl one day is supposed 

 to do the dining-room work, attend to the setting of the table and the clearing 

 off of the food and dishes. The work in connection with the dining room is 

 under a competent instructor. Another group of girls the same day attends to 

 the cooking, under a competent instructor. We have a large demonstration 

 table in the center of our kitchen where 10 girls can cook at one time. 

 Another group of girls may be doing the dormitory work for that day and 

 another group the dish washing. We think this is exceedingly practical. All 

 the work must be done daily and it is done vinder instructors who understand 

 the business. So you see they must learn much in that two weeks' course of 

 instruction there. There are two public lectures daily during the fair. 



" We lay special stress upon the food ration of a family and the importance 

 of simple and wholesome foods. I think we are just beginning to realize what 

 it means to feed this body of ours as we should in a rational way. We know 

 what it means to feed our stock properly, but we do not know, or have not 

 known, what it means to the child. 



" We first thought we would only have girls, but then we found so many 

 married women clamoring to come in that we have taken that l>arrier away and 

 the married women have the privilege. At the last school we had G of them in 

 addition to over 40 girls. The schools have done a wonderful amount of good. 

 These girls are going back into their county institutes, and oftentimes they are 

 asked to go to other farmers' institutes. They tell something of what they 

 learn and you can see how readily the information will be disseminated in that 

 way." 



Mr. A. B. HosTETTER, of Illinois. I think it is due to our State board of agri- 

 culture to have it said that the State board of agriculture pays all the expensed 

 of the teachers and everything pertaining to that domestic science school. 



Mr. Putnam called attention to a handbook relating to women's institutes pre- 

 pared by Ml-. Creelman, and made a brief statement regarding the McDonald 

 Institute at Guelph : 



" This institute is a part of the Ontario Agricultural College. Nearly $200,- 

 000 have been spent in buildings and equipment. There are in attendance 

 150 young ladies. Some of them are taking a three months' course, some 

 are taking a one year's course, and some of them are taking a two years' course. 

 This, it is believed, will greatly strengthen the women's institute movement." 



Dr. Mary S. Whetstone, of Minnesota, suggested that it is worth while to 

 encourage the women's institutes, because it will bring more men to the insti- 

 tutes. She also thoiight that the bringing of city and country women into con- 

 tact would result in mutual helpfulness. 



" The women need every influence and effort for the uplifting of the home. 

 If you want to elevate the home you must educate the women ; you must let 

 them get a glimpse into the breadth of life. There is very much to be said in 

 favor of the women's institutes, and I certainly hope every superintendent and 

 representative here will go home and do all in his power to establish women's 

 institutes in the several States." 



Mrs. Laws, of Minnesota, urged the importance of trying to impress iipon the 

 minds of young people the* attractive features of farm life as compared with 

 city life. 



