i45 6 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



were given. The printing of the bulletins continued to be irregular until 

 October, 191 1, when the College was enabled to reorganize its reading- 

 courses; and since that time a monthly publication, called The Cornell 

 Reading-Course for the Farm Home, has been issued. 



Reading clubs. — In various sections of the State it appeared that farm 

 women who were taking the reading-course wanted to talk with their 

 neighbors on the subjects presented in the reading-course lessons. In 

 some communities social opportunities were few; in others, where groups 

 of persons had been accustomed to gather, a subject of common interest 

 and one worthy of consideration was needed for discussion. Some wise 

 women asked, therefore, that clubs be organized for holding meetings 

 at regular intervals. The Department of Home Economics at Cornell 

 University prepared a study-club bulletin giving typical programs, a 

 constitution, and suggestions for organization. There were the usual 

 difficulties in organization, but a number of clubs have been organized 

 and the women are enthusiastic. Literary and domestic subjects are 

 considered, a social hour is a part of the program, and refreshments are 

 often served. Sometimes men and women have met together; at other 

 times the women alone have taken up the discussion of the bulletins. 



Various enterprises for rural progress bave been promoted by means 

 of the clubs. In Oneida county there are several clubs, and in June of 

 each year they have an all-day meeting at a central point, when the mem- 

 bers from various sections meet for a picnic and give a program repre- 

 senting the work in different clubs. Members of the staff of the Depart- 

 ment of Home Economics attend the annual meeting. 



In Ballston Spa the members of the Cornell Study Club have raised 

 sufficient money to build a hall for public entertainments. This hall is 

 a two-story frame building in the center of a prosperous farming com- 

 munity, and is admirably suited to social and literary entertainments. 

 A letter from one of the members of the club explains how the money for 

 the building was raised: 



Pardon my delay in answering your letter, as we were just preparing for a fair which 

 we held December 9 and 10. It was a financial success, as we cleared $103.85. 



You mentioned that members from other clubs wanted to know how we raised our 

 fund. I am sure you will be interested to know that we started with $6, left over from 

 the collection taken at our Women's Institute two years ago. 



We gave an apron sale, a towel sale, with suppers each time. We begged most of 

 the material where we did our shopping. We gave several socials of various kinds. 

 Net result, $250. 



We have written letters to all of our old townspeople who have left home and been 

 successful in life, also to several ladies in adjoining towns whom we knew. This brought 

 us about $400. 



We have interested some of the men enough so that they have made a house-to- 

 house canvass of the whole community and asked for work, trees, money, — any- 

 thing they could get. Net result, about $450. 



Last fall we had a large fair and invited the people we knew from Ballston and 

 Schenectady, and met them at the trolley station with teams. We all worked very 

 hard, but cleared $185. 



