Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1909 — My Visit to Purdue. [ARTICLE]

My Visit to Purdue.

I arrived at Purdue January 11, 1909, and took the farmer’s short cpUrse, lasting one week. In this short course over seven hundred had enrolled before Thurs-, day evening. People from the surrounding country came for this c:>u: se. Some of the best lecturers were, present , and, I think, everyone was | able to profit by it. . Prof. Calvin, a professor of the university, gave very good 1-ctuies on domestic science. She gave a good method for making a fireless cooker: j Take a*' box (any size which suits the maker) and whose boards are so closely put together that as little as possible of the heat will escape. First the box is lined witn asbestos paper,, then a layer of mineral wool, about four inches thick is put iu and then the box is again lined with the asbestos paper. The cover is made in the same manner, a heated soap- j stone is put in the bottom. The way to cook in tills oven is first to heat the. article which is to be cooked to the boiling point, it should then be put on or by trie side of the stove. Most food requires six hours to cook in this oven. Very interesting things were to be seen in the Dairy Laboratory, i About sixteen churns were distributed about a room and any person wno debited to was allowed to churn. Many helpful hints Wete given while the churning was done. A large cylin- f drial chlirti, which was run by steam was kept in a separate room. A continual flow of Cold water was kept bteneath this churn while it was in use to keep the cream at an even 1 temperature. In the evenings the lectures were given m the “Fowler Hall.’’ Twentysix thousand dollars was donated by Eliza Fowler for the building of this beautiful hall. There was corn judging held in the Agriculture building. Each per-; son was given a chance to score the corn, then the judge’s score was read. Butter and bread was scored in the same manner. In a lecture about dise?s s, tuberculosis was discussed thoroughly, as a disease which occurs frequently. This disease can be preven f ed if it is discovered in time. Then the patient must live in the open air. More persons die of tuberculosis yearly than of any other disease. In 1908 there was an average of four thousand who died of this disease, i The germs of tuberculosis can live in a dried state for a long tone. The professors of this university were all very kind to the many} strangers who attended the Fa v mei s’ Short Course. The attendance has increased yearly. The lectures and! instructions given here we:e of the bfest. I wish to thank all thOEe who helped make it possible for me to attend the short course, I had an enjoyable as well as profitable time. Every person who. has the desire will be welcome to attend the course next year, and will receive a life long b n> - fit from it. Hoping others flora this county will attend next year. Gratefully yours, MABEL KARCH.