160 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Certainly we do uot need to question its value from a financial point 

 of view. The cost of being unable to do the plain sewing in the home 

 always averages more than the value of the materials used. I am cer- 

 tain that in the majority of the homes of our country a trained knowl- 

 edge of sewing would keep the family above the abject poverty of too 

 many instances and place them into a thrift and industry which would 

 meet the common needs of wholesome, plain living. 



How can we have a better knowledge of sewing in the home? 

 We might recommend a number of ways, such as introducing into the 

 homes some of the carefully prepared manuals or some of the sampler 

 books put out by manual training in. titutions, perfectly illustrating the 

 various stitches, these the mother might put into the hands of 

 her daughters to aid her own instruction. But in many cases the 

 mother would be obliged to take them first into her own hands for in- 

 struction, and this would go beyond the time and patience of the aver- 

 age mother. So I see no other way than the one generally adopted — the 

 method by which to train the young mind to become strong and efficient 

 in any or all needful things of life — the educational system used in our 

 schools and colleges. This is the only means of reaching the homes of 

 our country. The educational advantages are certainly the greatest 

 means by which to benefit, lastingly, the children of our homes — which 

 will do for them what the busy or incompetent mother's lives cannot 

 give to them; which will make their struggles easier, perhaps, to them 

 as they take their places in life. Why not use them? Why not send 

 the children to the sewing school and the cooking school and learn how to 

 do the work of the home? Let the young woman study the i)rofession of 

 housekeeping and home-making, as a young man studies and learns his 

 vocation or profession, and as she learns how to do it, the drudgery 

 ceases and she finds pleasure and profit in doing it. She comes to realize 

 the value of the home, its sacredness, and that it is the great center of 

 social, political and religious activity, out of which may come health, 

 happiness and prosperity, instead of poverty, sickness and degradation. 



Thus, through Domestic Art, as taught in our schools and colleges, 

 sewing is made the most practical instruction in our homes, and as the 

 young woman leaves her school life to launch out into the great arena 

 of earnest, active reality, of which her school days were only a prophecy, 

 she is the more able to meet the needs of her own home, and prove the 

 power of knowledge and understanding, the energy and healthfulness 

 of industrial education; even that morality and religion are built upon 

 wise industrj'. 



DISCUSSION. 



Voice: I would like to ask if there is extra charge at the Agricultural College for 

 this instruction in sewing, and who furnishes the materials to be used? 



Mrs. Haner: The material for the work as far as the samplers are concerned is 

 furnished by the department. For the garments the material is furnished by them- 

 selves and then they have them for their own. In the entire work, most of the material 

 is furnished by themselves, but we get them in such a way that the cost is very light. 

 There is no fee in the department. 



Mrs. Mayo: Is the work optional with the young ladies? 



Mrs. Haner: It is required, with the exception of art needlework — that has been 

 made a senior elective. Nearly all will prefer to take it, but mostly the special 

 students. 



