144 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



with us two years ago, at the County Institute. In this club we are often able to 

 bring out latent talent that would not otherwise have been brought out. We have 

 a very informal program— taking up different current topics, etc. — and the ladies 

 bring their sewing and sew while we talk. By having this informal program, in- 

 stead of some set line of work, a woman does not feel that she has lost so much 

 of the programs that she can not come back and take up the woi'k if the roads have 

 been so bad, or some of the family sick, or something of that kind so that she could 

 not be there for two or three weeks. As our sister has told you, it is the simple 

 program which does so much good. I hope that the ladies will become greatly 

 interested in this' subject, and that many town and country clubs will be estab- 

 lished. 



Q. Are there many of these clubs organized? 



Miss Inglis: We know of none but our own. 



Mrs. King: We have a club, but it is the usual woman's club, and not like this. 



Mrs. Bunting: We have four literary clubs in our town. 



Mrs. Mayo: Do you reach out and take in the country women? 



Mrs. Bunting: No, but the club of which I am a member has the circulating li- 

 braries. 



Miss Snook: I represent the Rochester Woman's Club, which club expected to 

 attend this meeting this afternoon in a body, but on 'account of the storm, have not 

 arrived. I know they will be greatlj' disappointed, as they desired very much to 

 be here today. 



We have no club of the counrry and village women together, but there are quite 

 a good many ladies from the country in the club. 



Mrs. Kessell: We have had a very nice club for several years. Have taken up 

 the study of English literature, etc. AVe are now studying the American authors. 

 We are very anxious to have all the country ladies join us. 



Mrs. Mayo: Do you make a special effort to get the country women in? 



Mrs. Kessell: No. 



Mrs. Perry: How many members has the Lapeer County Club, and how many ot 

 them are women from the country? 



Miss Inglis: Last year we had 85 members, and a little more than half of them 

 were women from the country. Our attendance would not average more than about 

 half the number of membership. 



Mrs. Mayo: Are half of the ladies present from the country: 



Miss Inglis: That depends on the weather and the condition of the roads. When 

 the weather and roads are good we have a large attendance from the country. 



Q. Are your meetings held in the day time or in the evening. 



Miss Inglis: Our meetings are held from half past two until half past three: 

 sometimes in the summer, when the days are longer, we hold them from three to 

 four. We have found it a good plan to close promptly on time; our sisters from 

 the country say it makes it much easier for them to come if we close promptly 

 on time. 



Mrs. Perry: Are not your club rooms kept open all day on the day of your club 

 meeting, so that the women can wait there, etc.? 



Miss Inglis: Yes. 



Mrs. Mayo: 1 would like the privilege of saying to you women that I think the 

 city club needs the country women, and the country women need the city club. I 

 know thei'e is a great longing among the women of the country to join these city 

 clubs. The city clubs, as a usual thing, freeze the country women. I was invited 

 once to attend a city club of women. I went, but when I arrived they spoke to 

 me, it is true, but not one reached out a hand of welcome and said she was glad to 

 see me. In this way tliey freeze the country women out— they are not cordial 

 enough. This club asked me why I thought it was that the country women did not 

 join their club— they liad been invited to do so. I told them just the reason--that 

 they were- not cordial enough to them — did not welcome them enough. You must 

 reach out the hand and give the kind word: these country women are retiring 

 women, and. as a general thing, you will be surprised when you get them in the club 

 to see the amount of latent talent there is among them. There is an imaginary wall 

 — purely imaginary — but very strong, betAveen the town and country women, and 

 ,we each help to build this up. The country woman feels that the city woman 

 thinks she is a little bit higher in a social scale than her country sister, and the city 

 woman feels that the country woman is a little lower in the intellectual plane than 

 herself. Thev do not understand each other. 



