ADVERTISING AND ENTERTAINING.
The directors early recognised the value of a social meeting as a means of advertising the Society and its goods, and in December 1894 a large number of the ladies of the movement were invited to inspect the premises of the Society and were afterwards entertained to tea. From that time it became a practice of the Federation to entertain branches of the women’s guild, conference associations, etc., while they were generous in grants of bread to persons who were suffering from the effects of unemployment, whether caused by dullness in trade or strikes. During the winters of 1892–3 and 1893–4 large quantities of bread were distributed to those in want from the former cause, while during the continuance of the miners’ strike and the engineers’ strike further quantities were distributed and, in addition, a grant of £100 was made to the strike fund of the engineers. In 1895 an incident took place which at one time seemed likely to lead to friction between the two big Scottish federations. The Wholesale Society brought before its members a proposal to start a biscuit factory in Leith, with the result that the committee of the Baking Society sent out a circular to all the societies in the larger federation, protesting against the proposal as one which would set up competition between the two federations, and pointing out that it was in a position to meet all the needs of the societies in biscuits. Fortunately, the proposal went no further, and thus what would have been a bone of contention between the societies disappeared.
The Society also took advantage of every opportunity to bring the goods manufactured under the notice not only of Co-operators but of the general public. Beginning with the Congress exhibition in 1890, it continued to exhibit on every available opportunity. The Co-operative festivals which began to be organised provided suitable opportunities and, in order that the goods might be displayed as effectively as possible, a new showcase was procured from the Wholesale Society’s cabinetmaking department, at a cost of £200. In 1895 it was decided to issue a “Year Book” instead of the usual calendar. This “Year Book,” which was compiled by Mr Lochrie, of the Scottish Co-operator, contained 231 pages, including advertisements and a street map of Glasgow, in which was shown the premises of the Wholesale Society and the Baking Society, as well as the tearooms of the latter Society. The principal feature of the book was a concise little history of the Baking Society to the date of its issue. In the following year Mr James Campsie, M.A., was commissioned to write a co-operative book for children, with the title “Glimpses of Co-operative Land,” of which over 20,000 copies were issued. At the opening of the extension of the bakery in 1897, in addition to the souvenir brooches which were issued to the lady delegates, similar brooches were presented to the lady employees of the Society, a kindly and thoughtful act which doubtless had its effect in cementing the good relationship existing between them and the directors. Amongst other visitors who were shown over the premises of the Society from time to time special mention is made in the minutes of a visit which was paid by the senior pupils from four Glasgow schools, accompanied by their teachers, who were escorted through the various departments and afterwards entertained to tea.