604 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ten or fifteen miles to a meeting a few can gather together in their own 

 neighborhood, hold their meetings in their own homes or in a central 

 place under the direction of local officers, and for this purpose we want 

 the branch institutes. I would, if possible, appoint a young girl just 

 out of school as secretary for the local branch. When young people take 

 hold of any movement they are usually determined to see it succeed. 

 This is true in regard to our women's institute work. A young girl 

 taking charge of the work as secretary is naturally anxious and deter- 

 mined to see that the membership in her district at least shall keep up 

 with that of the other branches, and. if possible, exceed them, and in 

 order to keep up the membership she will induce her young girl friends 

 to join. This is a benefit not only to themselves but to the organization. 



Again, I think that in some sections at least it is well to have music, 

 not too much, one or two musical selections at a meeting. 



If on their first appearance at the meeting any of our girls were 

 asked to prepare papers, they would probably refuse. But if you would 

 say to a girl, "Would you be kind enough to help out the programme by 

 giving one of your well-known musical selections?" she would probably 

 feel at home at once. Moreover, she feels she is responsible in some 

 measure for the success of the meeting; and, after she has listened to 

 ihe discussion on different papers read, she is prompted probably to take 

 some other part in the programme. 



Another means of arousing interest is through the question drawer. 

 I believe this is largely the life of our women's institutes. We try to 

 induce each member to have a little notebook and pencil hanging over 

 the kitchen table, to make notes of anything which may occur to her in 

 the midst of her work. All through the month (the meetings are held 

 once a month) she jots down any question that may suggest itself te her. 

 After members have taken part in a few meetings, after they understand 

 something of the workings of the institute, it is wonderful to see the 

 number of questions that will occur to their minds; and, when they 

 arise during the month, the young women jot them down, to be laid before 

 the meeting at the end of the month. 



If the presiding officer is acquainted wath a young girl whom she 

 knows to be capable of answering a certain question, it may be well to 

 ask her to do so. Many times girls will speak on the spur of the moment 

 upon a subject that interests them, who otherwise could not be induced 

 to take part .in the meeting at all. But once they have heard their own 

 voices, heard themselves speak, they are generally ready and willing to 

 take any part assigned them. 



When this point is reached I think we should do our best to induce 

 them to prepare papers, either by suggesting some special subject or 

 allowing them to choose their own subjects. 



I find that when we organize an institute in a riding or a branch the 

 greatest difficulty is at the first meeting. In order to overcome this diffi- 

 culty I like to arrange the date and the programme of the first meeting. 

 As subjects I take articles on women's institute work and other articles 

 prepared by delegates and old institute workers. These are helpful at 

 the beginning. We are also indebted to the department at W^ashington 



