Keeping House With 

 Electricity 



Home Burecni Encourages Labor 

 Saving Equipment 



By NeU Flcrtt Goodman 1 ; ^v i^. ^ V 



C^V 4 OMEN'S organizations can 

 >s^y 1/ help in the rural electrification 

 Q f program according to Mrs. 

 Harry Riefsteck, treasurer of the Illinois 

 Home Bureau Federation. "Their spe- 

 cial work should be to see that proper 

 instruction is available on using electric- 

 ity wisely and economically after it en- 

 ters the home." 



Mrs. Riefsteck, lately appointed to 

 serve as state chairman of Home Bureau 

 rural electrification knows this subject 

 from actual experience. In her home 





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The ability and determination to 

 rt-cognize the value of cooperation 

 and become organized for it will 

 decide whether or not farmers in- 

 tend to improve their standard of 

 living and fi- 

 nancial secur- 

 ity, or slide in- 

 to a limbo of 

 economic un- 

 certainty, ac- 

 co r ding to 

 Dean H. W. 

 Mum ford , 

 College of 

 Agricultu r e , 

 University of 

 Illinois, 

 cooperatives and 

 other forms of farm organizations 

 cannot serve agriculture in a large 

 way unless they have as one of 

 their definite objectives the pro- 

 motion of the common good. Farm- 

 ers are justified in cooperating for 

 the purpose of securing economic 

 justice, but they will destroy their 

 organizations if they use them to 

 promote social or economic aggres- 

 sion." 



DEAN MUMFORD 



"Agricultural 



she uses an electric range, radio, and 

 vacuum cleaner. An electric refrigerator 

 has replaced the old ice box. An elec- 

 tric washing machine and iron are in 

 the laundry. In the kitchen, besides the 

 range, is an electric dishwasher, mixer, 

 and numerous pieces of small equipment 

 such as the toaster and percolator. 



"Something I consider of importance 

 to every farm home is the water system" 

 said Mrs. Riefsteck. "We have two 

 separate systems, one for soft water and 

 one for hard water." 



An electric water heater is one of the 

 latest additions. She finds it most ef- 

 ficient and with the low rate per kilo- 

 watt is not prohibitive in cost. In her 

 work of raismg about 1000 baby chicks 

 each year, Mrs. Riefsteck uses two elec- 

 tric brooders. Lights in the poultry house 

 help increase egg production from some 

 500 White Leghorn hens. 



Mr. and Mrs. Riefsteck farm 320 

 acres. Mr. Riefsteck who is president 

 of the Champaign County Farm Bureau, 

 and County Chairman of the Soil Con- 

 servation project, is away from home 

 much of the time. He relies to a great 

 extent on his electric help. With it he 

 grinds feed, germinates com, shells corn, 

 and elevates corn in the crib using a 

 5 H.P. motor. 



"Because conditions vary so, each per- 

 son has his own individual problem. In 

 our case, the more uses we find for elec- 

 tricity, the more good we get from it, 

 and the more we save or add to our in- 

 come," said Mrs. Riefsteck. "We feel 

 that it takes the place of one hired man. 

 In the house, other than my electrical 

 equipment I never have help and I do 

 have a great deal of work to do." 



Pioneers in the study of rural electrifi- 

 cation, in 1925 when the University of 

 Illinois built an experimental line near 

 their home, the Riefstecks were coopera- 

 tors. At that time 10 farms were elec- 

 trified completely. Both Mr. and Mrs. 

 Riefstedc have done much research on 

 electrical equipment. Mrs. Riefsteck has 

 lectured to farm groups over the state. 



MRS. RIEFSTECK 

 "It TaliM the flace of On* Hired Man." 



talked on the radio, and written for farm 

 publications and electrical magazines. 



"The I. A. A. and the Farm Bureau are 

 filling a great need," Mrs. Riefsteck 

 said, "in trying to have electric lines ex- 

 tended at a nominal cost. Since one of 

 the aims of Home Bureau is to provide 

 accurate information to the home maker, 

 our work is clear. We can be the fol- 

 low-up crew. 



"We shall try to bring to the women 

 of the state information regarding the 

 purchase and use of equipment. Women 

 want to know what to buy, or what to 

 look for, in refrigerators, stoves and 

 washing machines. We now have les- 

 sons on the buying of materials, house 

 furnishings and kitchen equipment. Soon, 

 I am sure, lessons on electrical equipment 

 will be presented. 



"Home Bureau will cooperate with the 

 State Rural Electrification Committee," 

 Mrs. Riefsteck continued. "For those 

 farmers who are in doubt or need help, 

 I would suggest that they communicate 

 with this committee, located in Room 

 220, C«itennial Building, Springfield, Il- 

 linois." 



When Dean Mumford of the Univer- 

 sity of Illinois instituted the County Pro- 

 gram Building committees over the state, 

 in the Champaign county group Mrs. 

 Riefsteck was made vice president. She 

 is also a director in the Farmers Market 

 and Coffee Shop. She has served on the 

 County Executive Board for eight years. 

 At the recent Farm and Home Bureau 

 picnic she was chairman of the Hobby 

 Show for Home Bureau women. Her 

 interests are widespread and she knows 

 well the problems of the farm woman. 

 With so much interest in home improve- 

 ment, Mrs. Riefstedc looks forward with 

 eagerness to the progress of the rural 

 electrification movement. 



SEPTEMBER, 1936 



