The early 20th century was a tumultuous time for the nation; wars, social and political reforms, physical and technological growth, and the Great Depression. A major concern was the well-being and growth of rural communities, especially farmers and their families. Many programs and reforms were started to benefit these communities.
One such program with a long, rich history is the Home Demonstration Club or Extension Homemaker Association.
In 1906, before any other in the South, the NC Department of Agriculture created a separate Farmers’ Institute for women and hired female lecturers. In late summer, the lecturers would head out into rural communities to instruct farm women on matters such as canning, cooking, sanitation, marketing, new work technology, and how to do work more effectively.
The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 created the agricultural extension service and gave money for farm and home demonstration agents, if matching financial support was provided in the states. It was a joint effort of the US Department of Agriculture and land-grant colleges and one of its most influential organizations was the Home Demonstration Club or Extension Homemaker Association.
Farm wives especially balanced a variety of responsibilities: mother, friend, farmer, wife, and daughter. Women were expected to take care of the family, complete household work, and contribute to farm labor. With the information provided by home demonstration agents to rural women, the opportunity for personal and financial growth for women grew. Farm women relied on the skills and talents they had accrued over the years to sell surplus food products and handicrafts. Through their own work, women could make money for themselves, establish independence, and create a separate identity for themselves from the farm.
The Surry County Extension Homemakers had eight charter clubs in 1935 and in 1988 there were 24 clubs and 414 members. It began as a volunteer organization to improve quality of life for family, home, and community. The programs were open to all adults and were focused on the needs, desires, and interests of people of varying economic, social, and cultural backgrounds.
These clubs were Beulah, Busy Bees, Copeland, Dobson Early Birds, Flat Rock, Franklin, Good Neighbor, Helpful Hands, Holly Springs, Lazy Daisies, Long Hill, Lowgap, Mountain Park, North Elkin, Pilot Mountain, Poplar Springs, Rockford, Rockford Villagers, Salem Fork, Shoals, Siloam, Union Cross, White Plains, and White Sulphur Springs.
Although the heyday was the early to mid-20th century, home extension clubs still exist. Today there are five active ECA (Extension and Community Association) clubs reporting to the NC Cooperative Extension and 60 members in Surry County. The clubs today are Beulah, Good Neighbor, Happy Tracks Club, Pilot Mountain Achievers, and Siloam Club.
On a side note, on the Historic Downtown Mount Airy Ghost Tour, there’s a particular story about a young couple in the early 1950s. He was an agricultural teacher while she was home demonstration agent. You’ll have to take a tour to find out the rest of the story!
Justyn Kissam is the director of learning at Kaleideum in Winston-Salem.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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