516 



Federation of Women's Institutes. [Sept., 



and useful discussion takes place. Difficulties are reviewed and 

 very often overcome by help or advice from someone present. 

 Last winter the Executive Committee arranged a week of Group 

 meetings at which discussions, opened by various members of 

 the County Executive, were held on the whole movement, local 

 and national, and on the duties of committees, President, Trea- 

 surer and Secretary. 



\ Several Institutes have benefited very materially by the 

 County Council cheese classes, and at all the principal shows in 

 the county the Federation is offering prizes to its members for 

 cheese, butter, eggs and trussed fowls. Through a Sub-Com- 

 mittee the Federation is endeavouring to establish simple co- 

 operative schemes for dealing with all agricultural and horticul- 

 tural matters. One Institute last autumn formed a horticultural 

 committee of men and w^omen and bought £120 worth of seed 

 potatoes wholesale. Co-operation is probably a difficult subject 

 for amateurs owing to the lack of brief published statements- 

 on the subject. Country people have done without co-operative 

 schemes for many generations and do not wish to be troubled 

 with deep reading or experiments. Interest may attach to the 

 outstanding doings of a few Institutes. Several Institutes have 

 formed clubs for coal, clothing, blankets, etc., while cycling and 

 games clubs provide excellent forms of recreation for the 

 younger members. One Institute has established a penny bank 

 for the children ; another has started a club room for all the 

 women of the village and is doing very well. Outfits of various 

 useful kinds are to be found in several, boot repairing lasts, 

 sweeps' brushes, vacuum cleaners, etc., being shared by the 

 members. Lectures by qualified persons on such subjects as the 

 care of the sick, home nursing, and invalid cookery, the preven- 

 tion of illness, care of the teeth, baby welfare, and so forth, are 

 frequently given. Considerable interest is taken in the 

 Education Act, and its provisions are now known in a number 

 of villages where there are Institutes. A feature not to be over- 

 looked is the help many Institutes have given with the starting 

 of a Men's Club in their village ; one Institute did so much that it 

 was entertained by the Men's Club in appreciation of its efforts 

 immediately the hall was erected I 



For the benefit of those who do not know the inner working 

 of Institutes it may be stated that every Institute is governed 

 by its members ; it is worked by everyone and not by a few, and' 

 the programmes, of which each member has a copy, are drawn 

 up for six or twelve months by the elected committee from sugges- 



