1921.] 



Dorsetshire Arts and Crafts. 



635 



The fact that purchases could be taken away before the close 

 of the exhibition has been much criticised. Formerly it was 

 contrary to our rules. On account of the enormous increase in 

 postal and transport rates, however, no -one cared to incur the 

 ^xtra expense of subsequent delivery, which would in some cases 

 have doubled the price of the article. Thus, when sales were 

 invited, this rule had to be relaxed. In cases of class work, 

 samples are reserved and shown for the purposes of securing 

 •orders. 



The Dorset Federation of Women^s Institutes. — The County 

 Federation of Women's Institutes* and the Dorset Arts and 

 Crafts work together, so that there is no overlapping. The 

 Federation subscribes to the Association annually and the 

 members are keen and interested competitors for the exhibition 

 awards. Last October a " School " for teaching handicraft to 

 members of Women's Institutes was. held in Dorchester, which 

 included classes for glove and slipper making, rush and basket 

 work, cane and rush seating of chairs, upholster}^, decorative 

 needlework, thrift rugs, cobbhng and soldering. Those who 

 took lessons in any of the above crafts that are circulated in the 

 Arts and Crafts Schedules, sent specimens of their work to our 

 annual exhibition, and were only permitted to become instructors 

 in the Women's Institutes if they obtained some award from the 

 expert judges. The qualif}dng of thirty-eight teachers is the 

 outcome of last year's school," they having successfully passed 

 the standard demanded by the judges in the Dorset Arts and 

 Crafts Exhibition. It is proposed to hold another similar 

 /' school" this autumn. Besides sending to other exhibitions, 

 the Dorset Federation held a stall at the Royal Counties Agri- 

 cultural Show held at Bournemouth last June. The number of 

 articles sent was 1.110 and the sales realised .£150. A keen and 

 lively interest was shown in the Institute " tent by numerous 

 visitors to the show from other counties. There is no doubt 

 that, from an industrial as well as from a social and educational 

 point of view, the Women's Institutes represent a very progres- 

 sive movement which should bring prosperity and happiness to 

 every village where they exist. 



* See this Journal, September, 1921, p. 543. 



