280- Missouri Agricultural Report. 



lieartfelt utterances, its eager questions and earnest answers, its ex- 

 change of practical suggestions and instructions. .The chief and crying 

 need of many mothers, was early, found to be hoiv to teach their children 

 that which they had learned about the relations of life, about their own 

 natures, personal hygiene and regarding sex. A little later, instruction 

 along lines of Household Economy was given, often with demonstrations. 

 As studies of this sort were introduced into the public schools, trained 

 teachers were available for their presentation, and the work of instigat- 

 ing further study of their calling went on among these women in 

 homes. 



The aims and results of such special effort among women through 

 the farmers' institutes liavo been in three directions: 1, inspiration or 

 awakening women to think more about their duties and responsibilities; 

 2, instructing, with the iiope of leading to further study and thought 

 by pointing to sources where more extended helps may be had; 3, de- 

 velopment by doing, showing the women how to conduct meetings among 

 themselves, what topics call forth most interest and how to find local 

 assistants for carrying on the work. 



"We are convinced that one such meeting a year does not suffice to 

 carry out this plan in its desired fullness. Where no other agency exists 

 to meet the need among the women, we encourage permanent organiza- 

 tion among them with regular meetings throughout the year; but if 

 other organizations are already in the neighborhood, we encourage 

 women to take a larger participation in them for the discussion of topics 

 relating to home life and its betterment, the installing of labor-saving 

 devices and up-to-date equipment of conveniences. Many of these 

 topics bear more substantial fruit if discussed in the combination men 

 and women's meetings, but the women must first know what is available 

 in the way of modern conveniences, helpful reading matter, home study 

 courses, better schools for her children, artistic and sanitary furnish- 

 ing for her home, etc., before she is quite ready to present her needs 

 to another. This sort of breaking ground in her thought the women's 

 congress often does for her. Sometimes it also does her quite as much 

 good by wholly redirecting her thought life, as by giving her practical 

 suggestions in her material, work-a-day world. For instance, one woman 

 testified that out of such a meeting she caught her first vision of what 

 her highest duty to her husband and children might be — something 

 above working at the barn and in the field and doing her housework be- 

 tween whiles. She saw the possibilities that were hers as companioji 

 and leader to her family in social ways and in mental and spiritual life. 

 Her experience in less measure has been that of thousands of Michigan 



