A WOMAN'S FARM JOURNAL - University of Illinois

, *KI* «A MM
^
feklLI -A ¦
"*'"*'.*•¦> ¦
«A Uip
' *MIM J^ | BflRIN A|''WMIA I
^sStiKi: POTOAWLB -US
SMOKE HOUSE
COMMUNITY DRIVES
As These Neighborhoods Succeeded by Pulling All Together, So May Yours
FLOY M. KINSER AND MRS. C. A. LAGGETT
First-Prue Letter
community is located in the
OUR heart of the farming and coal-mining
country of Illinois. Miles and
miles of level prairie stretch far in
all directions covered with abundant grain
and the improvements of man. "These
are the easily-seen treasures' of the land
but are not all its treasure for three hundred
feet below the surface lie 'vast
deposits of coal. ¦ In the mines, work hundreds
of men, many of them foreign-born.
Our community then consists pi farmers
busy from rise till set of sun and miners
—many of them barely able to understand
English, oftentimes slovenly in ways and
suspicious of others, but good at heart
and true lovers of their adopted country.
We live about three miles from town
so instead of having many country clubs
most of us go to town and help in the
work there. There we have the Commercial.
Club, the 'Woman's Club, and
Household Science Club besides various
lodges and small organizations. In these
we take an active part and1 "our town" is
really one big community composed of
farmers and miners with a few merchants,
bankers and others for variety. There
are about five thousand
inhabitants.
Before the war
the dirty work of the
Hun seemed far Prize News Letters
away and like a
dream: the average
/N THE October FARMER'S WIFE, in connection with our Neighbor-
farmer, miner, or hood Club Department, we offered two substantial cash prizes for the
merchant comment- best letters on Community War Service.
ed a little on it, and
The letters poured in. There were so many of them that before
forgot it during the
they could be read through and classified for judgment as to the prize
next week of business
awards, the armistice was signed and suddenly war news became a thing
and pleasure. They
onl y believed half of the past.
they read, before the
War articles still have, however, distinctive value, especially those
war, such dreadful which dwell on Construction instead of Destruction.
things, seemed im- We therefore are glad to publ ish here the two prize articles.
possible.
Miss Floy M. Kinser won the f irst prize of f ifteen dollars.
When war was
Mrs. C. A. Lagged won the-second prize of ten dollars.
declared it sent a
These articles are of value now because they show how communities
hard shock through
can get together, work together and win together.
our usually quiet
For the period ot Reconstruction on which our country is now well
community. Prices
launched and in which each citizen must play an active pari if it is to be
went up in jump s
and Mr. Smith began a period of genuine national re-building and upbuilding, the rural com-
to raise more hogs munity has as urgent work to do as this war-service work which Miss
and cattle not espe- Kinser and Mrs. Laggeti have described to us.
cially because his
Two factors made these war community drives a success:
country needed them
(1) A common object to work for, and,
but for his own
(2) Working together for that common object.
benefit.
These factors, worked, wilt make any community drive a glorious
Then when the
success.—The Editors.
local Red Cross began
to make .bandages
and pajamas for the
soldiers and to knit,
we on the farm who were not in the work
from the first began to think. But when
"our boy" came in and with a light
shining in his clear eyes said he was off
to enlist and when our neighbor's sturdy
son and some more of our young men
went bravely off to camp, then we were
awakened properly. Quite suddenly it
seemed our Red Cross headquarters was
filled and busy fingers flew over the work.
Suddenly people found time to knit more
and to think more of things that do not
bring material wealth.
Then our Household Science Club conceived
the idea of a Red Cross sale. All
the gifts were taken to the new Masonic
Temple on the city square : cows, purebred
calves, a pen of sheep bought and
donated by the children of one of the
schools, chickens, fruit, a load of coal, a
load of hay, and two of corn, and many
other things of great value to the donors
but sacrificed willingly for a great cause.
One energetic school teacher conceived the
idea of selling flowers. The high-school
girls dressed as Red Cross nurses carried
the flowers to all parts of town1—carna put the entire amount in Liberty, Bonds not organize new clubs or societies, which
and War Savings Stamps. Thirteen dozen would in any way conflict with or deter
carnations were.donated by a local un- from the regulat work of the old ones. So,
dertaker who ordered them from Spring- at last through the haze the light began
field after the local supply gave out. to shine. Go .to the nearest Red Cross
A little later on the high school secured Chapter, get a bundle of yarn, a bunch of
the motion picture, Over There, for the needles, plenty of knitting directions, and
benefit of the Red Cross. The manager take them to the very next meeting and
donated all expenses of production and after the business of the day is disposed of ,
quite a sum was realized. One of the propose to the members and neighbors
"between act specialties" was the song present that we make a regular business of
Over There by a boy scout in uniform.with knitting at all our meetings.
a DotftSell^r a chorus of fifty girls in Red Cross cos- That-is just what we did. We are still
tume.
at it, and, although some oi us have not
In each of the Liberty Loan campaigns very many articles to oar credit we feel
our community has gone over the top that we are actually "helping." One of
with a whoop. The miners have been es-. our members has thirty-seven pairs of
pecially generous and in both the third socks turned in, another twenty-five, all
and fourth Liberty Loans every miner the others doing nearly as well, while the
bought at least one §50 bond. Now they writer (I have four children, the youngest
are working steadily to get enough coal of whom is seven) has up to now, made
to supply our ships and at the same time two pairs of socks, four pairs of wristlets
not cause the stay-at-homes to suffer. and two whole sweaters!
As for the farm—help was very scarce. Then we always take our knitting to the
Many of the women helped fill the places Farmers' Club where the busy click of the
of boys gone to the war. I am proud to needles has become a part of our monthly
say that I, myself, helped put in our fal l programs.
crop of wheat. Long ago we women It was not long before our Ladies' Aid
learned to buckle on our work harness with Society took over regular - work, with a
trained Red Cross
instructor at each
meeting, until we
became full-fledged
Red Cross garment
makers.
In the spring, pur
county had a drive
for funds to cover the
cost of the immense
amount of yarn and
garment material.
It was suggested in
our weekly newspaper
that the district
schools have socials
to raise money for
the drive. It was
not long before our
district felt the urge
in the patriotic
speeches.at the town
hall, on the corner
on Saturday ni g ht
and in the pulpit on
Sunday. So the
word flew along the
party lines, and every
family for miles
around was busy tieing
quilts, baking
pies, cakes, with a
guess hidden in each
luscious center, little,
peaked maple sugar
cakes, cleaning some
a smile to do our very best for America. choice vegetables or fruit all to be donated
Besides we helped in the little individual for the occasion. And then, the wonder-
ways, saving sugar, wheat, meat, and fats ful box lunches that were packed. My
and buying W. S. S. In our community three older children each made a box;
it is quite fashionable to wear last winter's the oldest girl decorated hers with strips
coat, and help the Government with the of green and white crepe paper, woven
money we intended to spend on a new hat basket fashion; the younger girl used pink
or dress.
and white finished with a wonderful bow
As for the gasoline-less Sundays, we of pink, and Son made Mother's white
were willing to stay at home to "help win with bows of green.
the war." The farmer, the miner, the Then we piled into our car with our
merchant all worked to win the war. We sacks, bundles, boxes, Father, Mother and
are only an ordinary prosperous American the four youngsters and we certainly look-
community and I believe our war feeling ed like a war truck, loaded with ammuni-
is characteristic of our entire country. We tion.
are willing to endure anything to make The largest house in the community
the war end as it should , to make the was opened for our social.
whole "world safe for democracy" and With our county sheriff as auctioneer,
secure freedom for all people forever.— our county agent and one of the bankers
F. M. K.
as speakers and jokesters, we certainly had
a lively time. The guess cakes sold at
Second-Prize Letter
ten cents a slice; the little peaked maple
OURS is a strictly rural community. sugar cakes brought one dollar each, pump-
After reading our "Daily" from the kin pie sold for the same price a piece, and
busy city, of the many wonderful things potatoes, apples, carrots and canned fruit
that were being done in the busy city for all created lively strife. Then when the
the war, we all wondered what service we entire array of donations including two
tions at ten cents each and lovely potted could find to do.
quilts had all been disposed of the gayly
pansies at fifteen cents each. Few could Of course, farmers were asked to raise trimmed boxes were brought out, and the
resist the appeal of the girls and the right- more crops and more stock and more poul- real fun started.
eous cause. Several bought with bills retry, but those were common-place things; The first box was sold for five dollars,
fusing all change. For two days the sale nothing about them at all suggestive of a several for four, son securing a beautiful
lasted. The mines laid off and everyone great and terrible war!
fluffy pink affair tied with real white rib-
vied with his neighbor in buying. About So, naturally, Vhen we went to the bon! And the rosy-cheeked maid whom
five thousand dollars were realized of which Farmers' Club and the Ladies' Aid So- I later saw eating out of that same box
about three hundred sixty dollars were ciety and the W. C. T. U. meetings at the with him was as happy as he.
brought in by the high school girls them- "corners," we wondered how we could Our social added the sum of two hunselves.
Our local greenhouse man , a Rus- help. We had read that it would be a dred dollars to the Red Cross fund , which
sian by birth , refused to take more than mistake to stop work in any of our farm helped by that much to get the $4,000
seventv-five dollars for his flowers and or Christian organizations and we should thev finallv secured.—C. A. L.
s
I All Your Hogs
s?r Save a few and be sure of good mest for your
, 3 own use when wanted. Yon can do It easily with
i.r the National Giant Smoke Home. This wonderful
1 . Smoke House is portable, can be takenintobase-
"?.- mest or kitchen and operated seme as a stove-or
!t on the back notch, or in the yard—anywhere, '
J. Operates on sawdust and cobs, and little hickory
i bark for seasoning Givea yon better, sweeter,
j , eheapermeatthanyoo'veeverhadbefore. Hmtd-
? redsinnsealloverU.S.,Canada ,Cnba,S.America.
J A 5-YEARS* SUCCESS
-' Positively the best way of smoking hams, bacon,
v sausages. Hade in 8 sizes. Guaranteed.
r,. After smoking- meats, use for Store
house. Absolutely bog- and mite proof.
Keeps meat sweet all summer. Worth its
price many times—for this feature alone.
I GET FBEE BOOK nTr"-T
Learn all about this wonderful ' *^fcV°«V L
>' new way of smoking meat. Book I mltjuj ' ¦
; t tells when to batcher, abontator- If ffc^^" 1 , ¦
.- age, bow smoke boose operates, B wSEEmSf ¦
'- etc, Also givea prise-winning ¦
.; '•"•SBr ¦
redoes for caring HamaJBacon, ¦
^BJft >p
,¦; Sausages at home. Write for ¦
¦B) Hi
boek.getuwprieestoday.sare. ¦
^ftv ||
Portable Elevator Mfc Co. Jl jr. - 11
814 McClmSt-.BloomingtoD.IU. I ^TO-1*" ""! I
*
_ : : ', _ ,_
" This Stover Grinder
ii^fa *r WJJ
Indispensable To - 'C
^ Mmm ?
Poultry Raisers Vr^S^^
Special Sale-Send only $4.90 today for the famous
Stover Hand Grinding MUL Just what you
need to go over the top with your hens. Grind
your own wheat, oats, com, kaffir, peas, barley,
stale bread, dry bone, shell, etc, and
Bmmm-JB8LtiB& *
Hade of high grade castings of tested strength and
excellent finish and are of larger capacity and do
smoother, better grinding than any similar typo of
mill yon can bay.- 16-in. flywheel. Can be adjusted
to merely crack grain or grind corn meal fine enough
for table use. Cap. 1 to 2 bu. per hoar. Ship. wt. 40 lbs.
Used by thousands of poultry raisers all over coantry.
Remarkable Value at This Low Price
i Orderyonrstoday. Atdealersorwewtllshipgrinder
direct on receipt of price, 14.90. Limited offer! Order
at once or write for circular. Dealers write.
STOVER MFG. & ENGINE CO.
6911 Plymouth St, Freeport,Hl.
Aim Btoetr Good £tafffntt. Pud UISM. Pump JIUIIM. Samton
Wi