You may notice that very often, the people of Illinois and the Midwest very often did not remain in school long enough to get a high school diploma. My own grandmother did not have a high school degree, but was very cognizant of meal planning that followed nutrition standards, throughout her work as a cook at a university and grade school. Where did she gain this knowledge? Was the food pyramid an inborn instinct?
In 1916 there were countless opportunities for lifelong learning in the community. during the winter the farm bureaus and universities were constantly providing "Short Courses" for farmers and farmers wives. At the short courses experts would speak on livestock breeding, crop rotation, seed selection and crop pests. Extension officers would speak on home economic subjects such as gardens, canning, sanitation and nutrition. In the February 29th issue of the Pantagraph there were short courses being led at three different locations in the city. And short courses were not only taught in the city -- each town had its own series of short courses on agricultural concerns.
The Red Cross formed in McLean County in 1915 and that organization taught home nursing skills, child development and sanitation. The YMCA and YWCA both had educational programs and athletic programs for adults. The public library had art programs, gardening programs and musical programs.
Clubs were not just coffee klatches. Clubs involved presentations on many subjects according to the wishes of the members. Sometimes the members addressed their friends after studying a subject or a subject expert would be invited to speak.
The time that we spend watching television or looking at youtube videos, our ancestors spent going to presentations, attending club meetings or listening to live music in a public venue. The advantage of the stimulation of public meetings, dinners and teas, where they met and conversed, rather than rushing through meals snatched at a drive thru, enriched their lives and fed their brains.