Home Demonstration News From Across N.C., March 1939

By Dr. Jane S. McKimmon, Assistant Director of State Extension, March, 1939, as published in the Carolina Co-operator

Water carrying, old methods of scouring and washing, and the lack of electrical energy and equipment causes most of the long hours of work and the consequent weariness and nerve strain which means that a woman can’t give her best thought and effort to the welfare of her husband and children. Household drudgery consumes too much of her time—she is left spiritless.

Perhaps running water is the greatest time saver, for every household task requires it. What we eat is washed before it is cooked and it is usually cooked in water. The dishes, pans, and all equipment need to be cleansed with it. The family laundry is done and from scrubbing the kitchen floor to scrubbing the children, water is needed in quantity.

Mrs. Sneed of Rockingham County, after many years of climbing 300 yards from the spring to the house with 10 to 16 buckets of water daily needed, now has a cement trough into which the spring empties. A bucket and pulley complete the circuit of dipping and lifting.

Mrs. J.L. Davis of Yancey County is also happy today because she had enough money to bring water to her house by putting a ram in the spring. Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Wilson of the same county built and equipped a bath room and have plenty of water.

Perhaps there is some plan you and your husband together can work out so that you, too, may have that great convenience—running water.

Books in Beaufort

Home Demonstration Club women of Beaufort County will have a chance to read at least one book a month in the future, reports Violet Alexander, home agent.

Through the co-operation of the WPA and the local public library, a book service has been made possible for the rural women. Volumes will be distributed at meetings of the various home demonstration clubs over the county. A trained librarian will attend each of the monthly meetings with the home agent to assist the women in selecting suitable books.

Martin Marmalade to Manchuria

Citrus fruit marmalade, made by Home Demonstration Club women in Martin County at a recent meeting, is now en route to faraway Manchuria. Mrs. Leonard, a visiting missionary, was in North Carolina when the club women were working on the project, and she tasted some of the marmalade. She said the flavor was so superior to that made by the English in Manchuria that she would like to take a supply back with her.

Long Trip

Mrs. J.L. Davis of Henderson, Route 4, has just completed a trip half-way around the world on foot. She saw no engaging sights on this trip as she was handicapped with a bucket of water in one hand and an empty pail in the other.

The journey ended abruptly last week when this Vance County farm woman installed a hydraulic ram that delivers 720 gallons of water a day to her kitchen.

Farm Agent J.W. Sanders estimated that Mrs. Davis’ daily trips between the spring and her kitchen over a period of years were equal to a distance half way around the world.

Swine Project for 4-H’ers

Six little pigs went not to market, but to Doris Norwood of the Jackson Club, Evelyn Brewer of the Marshville Club, Roxie Winchester and Amos Rogers of the Wesley Chapel Club, Homer Haigler of the Fairview Club, and William Crain of the Weddington Club.

A Monroe bank donated the six pigs to as many 4-H Club members, who will feed and care for them according to directions supplied by the farm agent.

When the pigs have their first littler, the owner will give back to the bank one of the new family. Then the bank will give this pig away to another club member, who will follow the same procedure.