Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-20
The science of Keeping House.

Gus mind tits not usually supposed howev
sense in defending or excusing the political
ideas that now control the temporary counsels
OF Plus Ninth. And yet he is not the sort of
man to uphold stupidities from spontaneous
conviction for he is keen and shrewd, and
really seems capable of detecting a humbug
anywhere. If the papacy should undergo
a miraculous change, and take new
hold on the world by becoming. the pa
tron and propaganda of liberal ideas,
it would not, probably, cost Archbishop
Hughes superhuman effort to reconcile him.
self to the change. But, it is not our purpose
politics or his religion. No, but we will quote
passage from his last public speech, which will
show that on some subjects he can employ plenty
of good, sharp, practical common sense There
is in New York young Ladies Seminary"
known as Mount st. Vincent Academy. 1t is
a Catholic school and, at commencement"
held there on the 18th inst, Archbishop
Hughes delivered an address to the pupils, in
which he said =
Although it is of the utmost Importance,
young ladies, that you should have good
education, should be accomplished, cultivated,
graceful and refined, yet there are other
things which cannot be lost sight of. Before
another year rolls around propose to arrange
with the Sisters for a new branch of study in
the Academy. That branch of study is what
the French call the science of cuisine. 1t is the
science of keeping house, and that we all
know commences with the skitChen. Every
young lady, | don't care if she be
queens daughter, ought to understand
that department of life. Even though she
may not have to practice it though she
may be able to hire her cook yet she should
understand it herself for it may happen some
day that the cook will dismiss her. Great
laughter. What predieament she would be
in then. Well, what | was going to say was,
that the Sisters should arrange it so that all
the girls over thirteen years OF age should be
enabled to spend portion of the time in the
kitchen, and become acquainted with cooking
and housekeeping. Here will be new bureau
of education. Laughter. We shall then
have the theory and some practice too An
other point, and | will close. At the end of
another year, if living, and my purse is long
enough am going to give gold medal of
not less than $50 in value, to the young lady
who will write the best essay, not exceeding
five pages in length, upon this great new sci
ence l have spoken OF. Laughter and ap-
plause."
If this new branch of study is established
in that school, the archbishop will have reason
to congratulate himself on his usefulness to
mankind. Most young ladies never study the
science ofkeeping house, and consequently find
it a most embarrassing and savish business
when circumstances require them to undertake
it. In most things we Americans are a prac-
teal people, and we are rather proud of having
a reputation for shrewdness and practical
skill But we do not always deserve this rep
utation. In most cases we see the fact that to
conduct any business easily and successfully,
a man must understand Unjust have mas
terry of all lis most approved methods but
we do not always see it, or at any rate we do
not always take proper account af it, in pro-
viding education for young ladies. In too
many cases, the schools to which they are sent
train them for show rather than use and
when the training is WISER it does not always
make them familiar with those practical appi-
cations of knowledge which they will most
need through lie. If all young women would
study the business of house keeping as care
fully as the accomplished mechanic or artist
has studied his business, our homes would be-
come brighter and happier, and our women
would find in their necessary home business
less hardship and yexation. Home would in
deed become in all cases the Queens Do.
main.''
There are some schools where young ladies
are required or allowed to take their turn &C.
casional,y in the kitchen and the wash-room,
and assist in helping forward the established
routine of work But this does not furnish
what is wanted 1t is not merely the habit of
regular work that should be looked to, but also
diigent training to the largest and completest
skill in all the best methods Of doing what
must be done by those who keep house, such
training as brings to its use all the suggestions
of science and all the wisdom of experience,
There are many who toll daily through an es-
tablished routine of work, and perhaps 60 on
with it to the end of their lives, without ac-
curing good knowledge Of their business,
and without ever understanding what magic
there is in skiltul housekeeping to make it easy
and attractive. There are probably not many
schools for young ladies where the teachers
could superintend such new branch of study
as that which Archbishop Hughes proposes to
establish in the Mount St. Vincent Academy.
They understand chemistry, botany, and nat.
ural philosophy but, not many of them, prob
ably, could show, as a teacher must show,
what science can do to assist and Improve the
processes CT cookery, save labor in the kitch.
en-, or bring magical relief to WEAKNESS in the
wash room. They might, perhaps, do a little
better with the ornamental part OF home life
and yet, with all their culture a great many
of them would be likely to fail in any attempt
to show how and why intelligent and skilful
housekeeping becomes one of the fine arts.
Not from their ranks would come the "profess-
ors" most competent to take charge of this new
and most important department of study.
1t is the destiny of most women to be
housekeepers, and therefore they should be
taught domestic economy before all things
else but religion. The lack of this teaching
will disturb, if not destroy, their whole ENJOY
ment of life. We hope the archbishop's en-
terprise will succeed, and that all our schools
for young ladies will he improved in the same
way
Harvard College.
The ceremonies incident TO the Inauguration
oil Prof c. G. FELTON, as president of Harvard
College, occurred, Thursday, forming one of