Sarah Ann Rhodes Fellowship in Home Science

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 272, 20 November 1934, Page 2

Sarah Ann Rhodes Fellowship in Home Science

mss VIOLET MACMILLAN’S WORK In her report ou her last quarter’s woi*k, spent in the Marton district, to the Sarah Anno Rhode’s committee of the Victoria College, Miss Violet Macmillan states:— , General Comments: “This district’s interest began very slowly, but after the first, fortnight which was characterised by widely-spaced meetings, not more than one a day, everyono became much more enthusiastic and the remaining five weeks were as busy as I could wish. Being near Palmerston North I was able to come back to the office at intervals, and to take Miss Slyfield out to assist me with several large meetings, and to obtain some experience of extension methods. Tho attendances wore quite fair, totalling just over one thousand. The choice of subjects, as usual, showed a very strong bias in favour of dressmaking, to which I. feel that I permitted myself to devote too much of my time. On the other hand, I gave the public lecture on Healthful Diots in every centre, and found that it was followed with the greatest interest, whilst tbe members Of the few dietetic study groups which did meet were all enthusiastic and earnest in seeking to learn how to improve their own food habits. There was no very great interest displayed in the subject of household management, except in a very general way in the consideration of foreign homes, etc., and in one subject, ‘lnterior Decoration.’ Next year I will make greater efforts to have the importance and interest of these latter iubjeets appreciated, and to have them more greatly studied.’’ Office Work: “The routino of the office has been carried on as usual, weekly newsletters to the newspapers being issued, monthly letters to box groups, and the quarterly letter to ‘back’ areas. Miss Slyfield has been working on several new boxes —tanning, soft toys, embroidered gifts, etc.” Organising for 1935: “In the last letter to the ‘back’ areas, and to all box groups and to provincial executives, I suggested that if they wished I could pay them a return visit during February, March or early April, with a view to assisting them to carry on with their Home Science studies. To this end we have offered meetings of the following typo: “A model box study meeting with full explanations of the details of or ganising a study group. “A programme planning meeting to show how more educational competitions and better demonstrations may be incorporated. “A discussion on the preparation of materials for lectures and demonstrations by local leaders, with tho offer of bulletins, pamphlets and prepared lecturottes on Home Science subjects to prospective lecturers. “Replies are coming in and are being filed in the interval, until sufficiently complete for tentative itineraries to be drawn up. General: “Miss Slyfield and I very much appreciate being granted leave to attend tho Home Science Conference in Dunedin (August 24 to September 4) at which an excellent representation (184) of Home Science graduates and teachers spent a very full week discussing tho development and teaching of the subject in schools and through the Extension Service and other activities, and attending lectures and demonstrations dealing with recent developments, or controversial subjects, given by members of the staff ot£ the Home Science School. Besides visiting the offico and reviewing the Otago Extension Service’s work, at Professor Strong’s request I attended a conference at Christchurch at which she and Miss Reid met Professor Shelley for the purpose of drawing up co-operative extension schemes for Canterbury and Otago. ’ ’