There's a rumor floating around that Iowa farmers, hence Iowa farmers' wives, are hard up-ever hear it? And the worst trouble is that Christmas, good, old, generous Christmas, is fast approaching, while the skinny family pocketbook lies inertly in its place, its two sides running a race toward flatness and each other. If 'tis true, this year gives Mrs. Iowa Farmer the opportunity to use her ingenuity.

The purpose of the Normal Training Committee, as stated in the by-laws of the Iowa State Home Economics Association, is, "To keep the Association in touch with the Normal Training Schools of the state and find out in what ways this Association may be of assistance to those special teachers."

A cold, penetrating February chill pervaded a farm house in northern Iowa. It was 2: 30 a. m. A light suddenly flashed on and the huddled figure of a woman hurried into a cold kitchen, kindled a fire in the wood stove and stood shivering until the milk for the baby's night feeding was heated. She did not give any particular thought to this duty-it was repeated every night-nor did she begrudge the effort, even though her teeth did chatter and the fire refused to start. She was the baby's mother.

Have you seen a copy of "Foods and Cookery, a Handbook for 'makers," compiled by Miss Margaret Haggart for the department of Foods and Nutrition of the Iowa State college? If not, you have missed something_ It is not a cookbook in the old sense of the word, but is truly a handbook of information for homemakers and teachers of home economics everywhere. The book is published by the Iowa Homemaker, "'A magazine for homemakers from a homemakers' school," and sells for $1.25.

The Homemakers' Committee decided to make its chief task for study, the expenditure of time by Iowa housewives. It desired to discover: (1) How much time Iowa housewives are spending on housekeeping in general and on different household tasks in particular; (2) How are Iowa housewives spending their leisure; (3) How much time constitutes a fair standard for the performance of certain tasks.