Report of Missouri Farmers' Week. 273 



The leaders of the rural life movement are a very cosmopolitan 

 body, but all are very much interested in the great work of the 

 agricultural world, and the "Back to the Farm" movement. 



We find the great educators of the day very much concerned 

 about this new, yet very important, undertaking. Many presidents 

 of agricultural colleges were present and came with interest and 

 enthusiasm for the growth of the work. The home economics de- 

 partments of many agricultural colleges of the United States were 

 represented by the lady at the head of said departments. Many 

 leading agricultural papers of the country that are in any way in- 

 terested in home life or that edit home departments were repre- 

 sented at the congress. 



From the Canadian provinces came women who were in charge 

 of institute work for women throughout the dominion and who 

 were thoroughly conversant with the conditions and needs of the 

 times. And, better still, one of the strongest factors of the con- 

 gress was the body of those farm women themselves who have 

 come into the light, caught the spirit of progress and have at heart 

 the interests of womankind. 



The president of the International Farm Women's Congress 

 for the past year was a charming little lady from Winnepeg, who 

 edits "Country Life in Canada," and is giving her time and strength 

 to the interests of rural life. 



The secretary was the wife of the secretary of the Dry Farm- 

 ing Congress, and was in a position, to see and feel the demands 

 of the time. 



This movement being for farm women, there was a very strong 

 sentiment in favor of a real farm woman being at the head of it. 

 This led to the election of a president from the rank and file of 

 rural women, in the person of Mrs. Harbut of Colorado, who gave 

 a most interesting paper on labor-saving devices used in her own 

 home, thus demonstrating her ability as architect, engineer and 

 financier, all of which our ideal home makers must be. And I might 

 just add that Mrs. Harbut is one woman who longed for country 

 life and is delighted with the opportunities which are hers. 



This past year the speakers were from both the scientific and 

 the practical world, with scientific people in the majority. The 

 sentiment of the congress was very strongly in favor of farm 

 women being given preference on the program for ensuing years. 



Dairying, poultry raising, demonstrations in home economics 

 were all discussed by earnest practical people who spoke from their 



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