HOME SCIENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 105, 6 May 1933, Page 2

HOME SCIENCE

MISS MACMILLAN’S VISIT The central committee of Women’s Institute and W.D.F.U. members appointed to make arrangements for the visit to Miss Violet MacMillan, B.ILSc., holder of the Sarah Anno Rhodes Fellowship in Home Science, held a meeting this week to finalise matters and plan out a campaign of the work to be done during her six weeks’ visit to the Wanganui district. Miss Macmillan will commence her study groups at Westmere, where the first week will be spent, afterwards going to other places in the district. Very great interest is being taken in the forthcoming lectures and classes and about 150 members have signified their intention of attending the classes. Meetings are being arranged and plans made for extending hospitality to Miss Macmillan. In addition to the giving of personal lectures and demonstrations, the Sarah Anne Rhodes Homo Science Service will send to organised study groups, boxes of study material. Box Groups: These are groups of from 5 to 15 women who are willing to meet together, informally, at regular intervals, for the purpose of studying the contents of cne boxes. Each group must have a secretary and leader, the duties of whom are enumerated in “Instructions to Leaders.’’ Points About Box Lectures: Small groups of women meeting together to study one of these box lectures are going to understand it more thoroughly and derive much more benefit from it than would be the case were they, merely to attend a meeting and listen to a lecturer discoursing upon the same subject. At a box meeting opportunity is given for each member to discuss the subject and voice her own personal opinion; at an ordinary lecture this is not always possible—either because of the shyness of the members to ask questions “in public” or because of lack of time. It has been found that most country women are interested in handcrafts and there is a tendency for them to choose only this type of box. It cannot be denied, however, that education upon other subjects, such as dental hygiene, nutrition, physiology, home economics, etc., is essential, if the standard of living and of health is to be improved. Some would suggest that members, when choosing their boxes for the year, choose some of each type.

It is true that some women are not happy “unless their hands are busy/’ and there is no reason why members should not be busy upon some hand craft which, they have learned from ono of the practical handcraft boxes whilst they listen and take in the study of the educational material supplied for the meeting. The box lectures are prepared thoroughly and carefully, by experts and are worthy of being given serious study. The axiom that “If one is to receive good from anything one must be prepared to put something into it,” may well be applied to the study of the box lectures and members of box groups are urged really to study the contents of each box so that they may receive information which they desire on the subjects they have chosen for study.

Boxes: Boxes are prepared on subjects listed on the enclosed sheet. Each box contains fifteen (15) copies of n lecture and any illustrative material in the form of books, diagrams, samples, pictures, etc., which will make that lecture more interesting and more easily understood by the members of the study group. The lectures in the box must be returned with the box, but should a copy be deisred by any member, it can be obtained from the Sarah Anne Rhodes Home Science Service for a small sum.

In addition to the actual study material, each box contains a set of report cards. We ask that leaders may pay strict attention to tho filling in of one of these cards immediately at the close of each box meeting, the card then being mailed to tho office at Massey Agricultural College. These cards are our only means of checking up on the boxes and members will, therefore, see the necessity for sending thces in promptly. There is also a card on the lid o each box which requires to be filled in by group leader or secretary. Members of box groups are urged to choose boxes only on subjects in which they are really interested. (Any number of boxes may be chosen). Boxes may be had fortnightly or monthly as desired by the group. When sending application for boxes, groups are asked to fill in the enclosed list.

Handling of Boxes: We ask that members handle the box material carefully. Wc also ask that the leader or secretary see that ail lecture folders and illustrative material arc returned to the box in numerical order.

Carriage of Boxes: Boxes travel by rail at a quarter usual rates (with a minimum charge of 4d), provided they are marked “Home Science Box Exchange” on the label.

If a centre is not served by the railway—then arrangements may be made for boxes to travel by road ’bus.

The service pays carriage on each box to the first centre. Each group is then responsible for the cost of sending the box on to the next group or for returning it to the bureau, as instructed.