FARM WOMEN URGED TO BACK 

 LEGISLATION OF BENEFIT TO RURAL AREAS 



Mrs. Englund 



A PROXIMATELY 300 women at- 

 tended an all-day conference, Nov. 

 19, as part of the 32nd annual 

 meeting of the Illinois Agricultural Asso- 

 ciation and Associated Companies in Chi- 

 cago, Nov. 18 to 21. 



A varied program 

 planned by the Illi- 

 nois Home Bureau 

 Federation included 

 group singing led 

 by Mrs. R. E. Milli- 

 gan, Music Chair- 

 man of the Illinois 

 Home Bureau Fed- 

 eration, several ad- 

 dresses, and a tour 

 of the Antique Gal- 

 leries at Carson Pirie 

 Scott and Company 

 was enjoyed. 

 Paul E. Mathias, secretary, Illinois Ag- 

 ricultural Association, in his address 

 "Prospective State Legislation" told the 

 group of the various legislation that is to 

 be a definite benefit to the -rural areas in 

 the state of Illinois. He urged that the 

 rural women get behind these bills. 



Mathias commended the Illinois Home 

 Bureau Federation for its support of the 

 school re-organization program and its 

 fine support of leadership. 



In the discussion of re-organization of 

 schools, Mathias stated that one must 

 also discuss roads and that there should 

 be a re-organization of road districts in 

 many areas so that the same road equip- 

 ment could be used in larger areas. 



Another factor important to the rural 

 communities besides education and roads, 

 is the health program. He discussed the 

 work that had been done upon the hos- 

 pital survey and the objective of having 

 an adequate hospital within 25 miles of 

 every rural family in the state. 



Mathias stated that the Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Association will join with the 

 Illinois Home Bureau Federation in legis- 

 lation for the establishment of a much 

 needed Home Economics building on the 

 campus of the University of Illinois. A 

 larger building is needed to adequately 

 handle the increasing enrollment in 

 Home Economics work at the University. 

 Mrs. Elsie W. Mies, immediate past 

 president of the Associated Women of 

 the American Farm Bureau Federation, 



By Mrs. Edward A. Schilf 



Illinois Home Bureau Federation 



Publicity Chairman 



spoke on "Women's Share in the World 

 of Today." 



She stated that because the women are 

 wives and mothers, they have a tendency 

 to share emotionally in today's problems. 

 We are concerned about our schools be- 

 cause our children attend the schools. 

 We are concerned about business, gov- 

 ernment, and others because our sons and 

 husbands are engaged in business, gov- 

 ernment, and others. 



The women of the United States share 

 in the economic welfare of the whole 

 world and we are being watched as to 

 our spending patterns at the present 

 time; whether our spending will cause 

 inflation throughout the world or put 

 the world business on a sound, economic 

 basis. 



To share in the world of today, we 

 must be organized. Mrs. Mies said: 

 "An organization is a vehicle through 

 which we can best protect our welfare 

 by working with others." 



Miss Pearl Barnes, president of the 

 Illinois Home Bureau Federation, was 

 chairman of the morning meeting. Mrs. 



June Clifton, past president of the Illi- 

 nois Home Bureau Federation, presided 

 at the afternoon meeting. 



Mrs. Helen Nelson Englund, director 

 of the Chicago chapter of the American - 

 Scandinavian Foundation, told of the ac- 

 tivities of the women in the building of 

 the peace. 



Seventeen women were delegates or 

 alternate delegates to the United Nations 

 conference in London . . . women from 

 all over the world, representing many 

 different nations. At present there are 

 eight women delegates or advisers at the 

 conference in New York. Their view- 

 points and opinions are respected and 

 considered. 



Mrs. Englund urged the women of the 

 group to make the activities of the United 

 Nations their number one searching in- 

 terest outside the interest in their homes. 



Following Mrs. Englund's talk an in- 

 teresting discussion was conducted with 

 Mrs. Clifton as leader. 



Mrs. Ray Hanley, 4-H chairman of the 

 Illinois Home Bureau Federation, dis- 

 tributed new leaflets concerning the Illi- 

 nois 4-H Memorial camp to be built on 

 250 acres of the AUerton estate presented 

 to the 4-H club boys and girls of the 

 state of Illinois. 



Gladys Blair, home adviser for WBBM's Country Hour, interviews Miss Pearl Barnes, 

 president of the illlnois Home Bureau Federation, and other Home Bureau members 

 during the lAA annual meeting. You can tune in on the Country Hour at 780 on your 



dial from 5 to 6 a.m. every day. 



DECEMBER. 1946 



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