6 BULLETIN 719, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTTTEE. 
nation, as well as the services of doctors and nurses, were donated. 
Such contests are promoted by a single club or by several cooperating, 
but are most successful when open to all mothers and children in the 
township or county, regardless of club affiliation. 
The study of foods at club meetings raises the standard of family 
health and tends to remove physical defects caused by malnutrition. 
The woman's club is often the only channel open to the married 
woman through which to continue the study of such subjects. 1 The 
Troy Culture Club, of Eagle Grove, Iowa, was organized for this pur- 
pose in 1910. Meetings were held every other week in the farm 
homes. The committee for the day prepared the food and looked 
up scientific facts to be discussed. Various methods of preparing 
different vegetables were shown in season. The leavening value of 
beaten eggs in omelets and in cake was studied in comparison with 
yeast and baking powder. Types of food constituting a balanced 
ration for the family were studied. These clubs form at present the 
most direct channel through which to promote the conservation of 
wheat and the use of war breads and meat substitutes. 
More varied diet in many farm homes has been made possible 
through canning clubs, which are to be found in every State of the 
Union and which are especially successful in the South. Vegetables 
of all kinds, fruits, and even meats, are canned for home use. 2 
The promotion of penny savings by women's organizations has 
done much to encourage thrift in farm homes. The Harvard 
Woman's Club, a rural club in Massachusetts, instituted a stamp- 
saving campaign. A committee of two was appointed to manage 
the work and 35 children have established savings accounts. The 
Pepperell Women's Club, in Massachusetts, including farm women as 
members, though not strictly rural, started a work of this kind in 
December, 1916. In six months the children had saved $400. They 
bring their pennies to the school, give them to the teacher or to some 
responsible club woman, who opens an account in the child's name 
at the bank as soon as $1 is saved. 
Labor-saving devices have been installed in many homes and new 
ideas of household efficiency developed through club work. At 
Potomac, Md., a number of such devices were constructed and 
exhibited at the community fair held in the schoolhouse. In order 
to prevent continual stooping to pick up clothespins while hanging 
out the washing, a clothespin bag was made on a coat hanger to slide 
along the line. A homemade tireless cooker 3 was shown as a device 
i Most of the extension departments of the State agricultural colleges give assistance in organizing clubs 
of this kind and furnish program material and trained demonstrators in domestic science. 
2 Bulletins on canning may be secured from the United States Department of Agriculture and from the 
State agricultural colleges. Farmers' Bulletins published by the Department of Agriculture are: No. 839, 
Home canning by the one-period cold-pack method; and No. 853, Home canning of fruits and vegetables, 
1917. 
s Directions for constructing iceless refrigerators and tireless cookers may be found in Farmers' Bulletin 
No.771,Homemadefirelesscookersandtheiruse; andFaamers' Bulletin No. 927, Farm home conveniences. 
