Home Demonstration Club News from Across North Carolina, March 1957

From Extension Farm-News, published by the Agricultural Extension Service, N.C. State College, March, 1957

NEW HANOVER COUNTY

Home demonstration club women are beginning to realize more fully the value of the training they receive through club work, particularly as officers.

“It is so satisfying and rewarding to serve as an officer of a home demonstration club,” says Mrs. R.A. King, president of the Long Leaf Pine Club in New Hanover County. “Nowhere,” she continued, “can you get training that not only prepares you to serve the home demonstration club but other clubs in the community as well. I could never have served as president of the Women of the Church this year had I not served as president of the home demonstration club first.”

YANCEY COUNTY

Because Yancey County home demonstration club women felt the need for increasing their knowledge and experience in home nursing, the Yancey County Federation of Home Demonstration Clubs, in cooperation with the local chapter of the American Red Cross, is sponsoring home nursing classes.

According to Home Agent Sue Nottingham, Mrs. W.P. Honeycutt, county health leader, agreed to teach the courses. Mrs. Honeycutt is a registered nurse and has had the Red Cross training for teaching the classes.

In the first class, Mrs. Evelyn Pate, Mrs. Pete Coletta, Mrs. Brooks Boone, Mrs. Howard Simpson, all of Burnsville; Mrs. Willie Lou Bailey, Mrs. Peggy Bailey, Mrs. Lee Evans, and Mrs. Ada Buckner, all of Hardscrabble Club, are enrolled.

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

“My husband asked what I felt I could possibly learn about sewing at a clothing school since I’ve been sewing for years,” was the response that came from Mrs. Reuben French, home demonstration club member in Rockingham County, at the recent Clothing Training School. “After the first session,” she said, “I surprised him by giving a demonstration of just what I had learned.”

According to Eugenia Green, assistant home agent, the purpose of the school was to equip the 4-H adult leaders with knowledge and skill on the care and use of sewing machines so that they would work more effectively with 4-H’ers in their local communities.

“Although many of the women are accomplished seamstresses,” explains Miss Green, “all were amazed to see how their machines could be used to better advantage. As a follow-up of this training school, the leaders plan to hold classes in their homes, in community buildings, and sewing laboratories in schools for the 4-H club girls in order to train them on what they have learned.”

WILKES COUNTY

Mrs. Gussie Scott, garden leader of the Brushy Mountain Home Demonstration Club in Wilkes County, believes wholeheartedly in practicing what she preaches.

According to Annie H. Greene, home agent, Mrs. Scott is a very enthusiastic and hard-working garden leader and gives a good garden report at every club meeting.

Recently, after she finished with her garden report, she opened up a large bag and took out vegetables she had taken from her garden that morning—collards, parsley, onions, rape, Blue Siberian kale, curly mustard, Savory cabbage, winter radishes and turnip greens.

As a result, the club members responded, “if she can raise that many vegetables, we can certainly improve our gardens and plan for year-round ones.

Mrs. Scott further reported that “besides having all these vegetables in my garden, I’ve stored Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, yellow and white turnips, dried peas and beans, as well as all of the canned fruits and vegetables. We really produce the food we eat.”

UNION COUNTY

Reports from Annie Lee P. Howey, Union County assistant home agent, show that the home demonstration clubs in the county feel that Community Development plays an important part in their community life.

Since they voted to continue taking part in community development this year, special emphasis will be put on mail box improvement, and cleaning up roadsides. They plan a campaign to urge the community-minded citizens to put up mailbox name plates.

During the last year, says Mrs. Howey, much was done on church grounds, cemeteries, club houses and grounds. This will continue this year as each club chooses a specific project to work on.

Some of the projects that are already underway include a new clubhouse at the New Salem Club community. The Midway Club is completing the furnishings of their new club house. The Shiloh Club has done much to assist with raising funds for the volunteer fire department, which has been put into action in their community. They are now completing rest rooms and kitchen equipment as a project for the year.