The Home Training Bulletins, by Prof. McKeever, of the University of Kansas, illustrate the possibilities for wide distribution of information in leaflet form via extension agencies. These bulletins cover a number of practical topics in a practical way-the cigarette-smoking boy; the money relations of young people; choice of a vocation; training the girl to help in the home; and other matters which should be the subject of home training.

Banks have purchased Prof. McKeever's bulletins on Thrift, to educate their depositors; and social-betterment organizations and schools have aided in a widespread circulation of other of the bulletins. The bulletins are intended especially to guide parents in the training of children; they form valuable material for women's clubs and similar organizations. (See bibliography, Part IV, of this report, Bulletin, 1914, No. 39.

CORRESPONDENCE INSTRUCTION BY COLLEGES.

Eleven institutions-Cornell University, Chicago University, Kansas Agricultural College, University of Maine, Oregon Agricultural College, University of Washington, University of Missouri, Pennsylvania State College, University of Texas, University of Wisconsin, College of Hawaii-report correspondence instruction in home economics. Such correspondence instruction is to be distinguished in method from the mere issuing of bulletins by the provision, in addition to the printed page or lesson, of an opportunity or requirement that the reader submit written lessons to the college for criticism, suggestions, and further directions as to study or practical procedure. Within such a form of teaching it is possible naturally to do work of varying educational value. In some cases, the lesson papers which accompany the bulletins set simple questions for the reader to answer, and endeavor to draw out her experience, asking that comments, questions, and problems be sent in to the college. Thus the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell University has 22,000 persons in its housewives' reading course to whom the study bulletins with their accompanying schedule of questions are sent, though naturally personal correspondence is entered upon by only a fraction of them.

Soon after the Cornell reading course for farmers' wives had been established requests came to the college for the organization of local clubs, which might follow the reading-course lessons. The department of home economics prepared a study-club bulletin, giving typical programs, a constitution, and suggestions for organization. According to the plan, neighborhood clubs are organized, sometimes of women alone, sometimes with men also as members. Domestic subjects are considered, a social hour is part of the program, and

refreshments are often served. In some instances the clubs have become neighborhood improvement organizations, providing plans for various improvements. The club at Ballston Spa, N. Y., raised money for the building of a hall, which has become the community center. Over 60 clubs have been organized in various parts of the State.

The University of Texas reports six persons taking correspondence credit courses in home economics and announces the beginning of a series of popular bulletins for the housewife.

The University of Chicago offers in its correspondence study department opportunity to persons not in residence at the university to pursue a number of courses related to the home, and thereby receive university credit toward degrees. This department is expected to aid teachers, persons who wish to do part of their college study in nonresidence (the rules of the university permit candidates for the bachelor's degree to take one-half their courses while not in residence), and "parents uncertain how to deal wisely with their children." First aid to homemakers in various other fields is also afforded, and a registration of 90 correspondence students in household administration is reported by the university. The unit of study is the major course, the equivalent of 60 recitation periods in residence; fees are set at $16 per major course, and $8 for each minor course (one-half a major course). Three major courses in the department of household administration, including house sanitation, food and dietaries, and administration of the house, are given in correspondence by Prof. Talbot; and major courses in the school of education of the university are given as follows: Design, decoration and furnishing of the house, application of heat to food materials (two major courses), the chemistry of foods, and the teaching of home economics. For the latter course, a prerequisite is set of one year of technical training in home economics.

COLLEGE AS A BUREAU OF HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION.

Nineteen colleges report that their home-economics department serves in effect as a bureau of information for answering inquiries of housekeepers, and the department in every State college or university, it may be assumed, performs something of this service. It has developed naturally enough through the relation of such an institution to its constituency.

The housewife is now beginning to benefit from this relationship which has been already developed to such an extent in agricultural teaching. This "Wisconsin idea" and the "Amherst movement" (so named from the Massachusetts Agricultural College, at Amherst, Mass.)-the plan to make the State institution a consulting center

for exact knowledge—is beginning therefore to be applied as regards matters of home concern. In time this consulting service will be organized in local bureaus of household information in towns and cities, and rural districts, all related to a central office at the State college or university, thus making available for each home manager on call or by correspondence or telephone, reliable information upon her vital problems. The Indiana law providing for county agricultural agents, charged with responsibility for the improvement of domestic-science teaching, girls' club work, etc., to act under the direction of State College of Agriculture at Purdue University, is a noteworthy step. The provision of expert women agents to act with the agricultural agent would be the next logical step, and this has already been proposed.

1

MISCELLANEOUS HOME-ECONOMICS EXTENSION WORK OF COLLEGES.

The college home-economics departments have, especially in the State colleges and universities, endeavored to serve a wider public by affiliated enterprises of a social-service character intended to forward a better home making. The list of these undertakings is suggestive: Tomato and canning clubs, which particularly in the South have had aid from the colleges, and in certain States leadership from the director of home economics in the State college; the boys' and girls' clubs under the direction of the State colleges of New Mexico and Oklahoma; the girls' home-economics clubs of Kansas; girls' contest clubs of Idaho; and the rural progress clubs of New York State-all under the direction of State colleges and universities. Exhibits at State and local fairs have been undertaken by institutions like Cornell and the University of Texas. Institutions located in cities have utilized as a practice field for intending teachers the home-betterment work in settlements, as Lewis Institute, Chicago, and Teachers College, New York. Several colleges provide special classes of a practical nature for nonmatriculated students from the local. community, largely home women who wish to study home economics for home use, as notably at Teachers College (New York) and Simmons College (Boston); others offer special classes for teachers, as at Simmons College, and probably nearly or quite all send speakers to teachers' institutes and educational rallies. In the agricultural colleges much attention is naturally paid to rural school problems; so practice teaching and demonstrations are given in rural schools (Cornell, University of Missouri, West Virginia University, New Mexico Agricultural College). One State college, that of Rhode Island, has given extension courses in a near-by university, Brown, at Providence; and the University of Tennessee has furnished a published course of study and instructors in domestic science for

1 See Part II of this report, Bulletin, 1914, No. 37, p. 159.

the summer teachers' institutes under the State superintendent of public instruction. Colleges on private foundation recognize the obligation, or opportunity at least, in extension education for home betterment; so Milwaukee-Downer College holds demonstrations and exhibitions in home economics; and many other institutions give public lectures or provide housekeepers' conferences. The colleges have naturally aided in the introduction of household arts into the public schools; the home-economics department of one State university at least recognizing this propaganda as one of its important purposes, while others, as the University of Illinois and Louisiana State University, cooperate in the supervision of household science in the schools, the former in the high schools of the State and the latter in the public elementary schools, through an "inspector of household science" and "supervisor of home economics," respectively.

The Kansas State Agricultural College has developed a wellrounded system of extension education in home economics which may be cited as an example. It includes women's auxiliary associations connected with the farmers' institutes, extension service to the women's clubs of the State in the field of home economics, movable schools in cooking and sewing, home-economics clubs for girls and young men, in addition to short courses and other work given at the college for those who are not matriculating for the degree.

The women's auxiliaries of the farmers' institutes hold monthly meetings, with programs sent out from the college. They are attempting to bring the women of the country together to consider home problems and other matters of interest to them. Suggestive programs are sent out from the college for the meetings of the women's auxiliaries. A typical program is that on house cleaning, with the following topics:

Roll call. Little helpful hints on house cleaning.

Papers: The care and cleaning of walls; The proper treatment of floors; Ways of renovating furniture; The importance of the cellar in the house.

Discussion: The best way to clean the house.

Some house-cleaning problems.

1. Some modern helps.

2. Advantages of one room at a time.

3. Feeding the family during the house cleaning.

4. Rugs or carpets-which?

The extension department has drawn up a very comprehensive program of meetings for women's clubs, providing suggestions of papers, discussions, round tables, etc., on each of the following topics:

Reading matter in the home; Industrial training for the young; Modern graded school system; Phases of womanhood; The home nurse; Household conveniences; Beauty in home; Modern high schools; Science in the household; 58870-15

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Canning and preserving; Neighborhood improvement; The aesthetic influence of our country upon our homes; Household accounts; Vegetables; Women, the spenders; The relation of women to civic affairs; Food and food values; Bread; The modern home; Fruit; Children and their well-being; The kitchen as a workshop; Meat and other protein foods; Textiles and clothing.

The movable schools in cooking and sewing are organized in any community where at least 24 persons not under 15 years of age form a group and request the organization of a class. Each school begins Monday afternoon at 1.30 and closes Saturday at noon, with regular morning and afternoon sessions, providing five lessons in cooking and five lessons in sewing. At 4 o'clock each afternoon there is an open conference, to which all women are invited, and one public evening meeting is arranged if the local committee desires. A daily demonstration will also be given at the high school if desired. Each member of the movable school pays in advance a fee of $1 and agrees to the assessment of 50 cents for supplies. The only additional expense to the community is the entertainment of the two teachers for the week and a nominal fee of $5 to meet in part their traveling expenses. Movable schools are also conducted in agricultural subjects. Printed lessons are furnished for the movable school.

The college also furnishes correspondence courses in cooking and sewing for those who desire such instruction. A nominal fee, less than the actual cost of examining papers, is charged.

Cornell University well illustrates the possibilities of service by a State institution in extending education for the home; for the year ending October, 1912, the home economics department sent members of its staff to 163 meetings away from the college, where they delivered 237 addresses; 25 demonstrations were given; 1,987 letters connected with extension services were written; there were 20,000 enrolled in the Cornell reading course for the farm home; and 66 local Cornell study clubs were working in neighborhood groups with the lessons sent out from Cornell.

Section 6. UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDY IN HOME ECONOMICS.

It is now possible to take the degree of master of arts in 20 American colleges and universities by special graduate study in departments of household science and home economics; and in at least one university, Chicago, it is possible to become a candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy in a department of household administration. It is thus fair to say that graduate study upon the first level, that of the master's degree, is now pretty generally established or about to be established in American institutions. Registration on the second level, for the doctorate, on the part of those interested in home economics, may be undertaken in the science departments of many universities; an appreciable number of persons interested in