Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-11-04

I - W 'N is'lcd tCtA iol amy btl1lltu nun,
must be dcpIorcd by thousands of bcne.
dciarie,, aud i, indeed. matter OF
national regrc;
Co-operdtire Housekeeping.
FAILURE or HOME LIFE IN GREAT BRIT.
AIN.
II The M, eting Of the British Assccit.
tion "a, Bradford, Oh lhc 23l Of septem.
bcr Mrs Kin. O! London, read a paper
on "Conlrdcrated h,nr, aui cn opera.
tive housekeeping" ~ onpy tic fol.
lowing rcpori from ,ig london Times:
Mr. k.rg began by referring to club
balls, aud club houses, in proof that the
supposed attachments Of English people
to their homes /, uotrery deep and does
not extend TO AL classes of society. She
mentioned the miserable imitation OF
home afforded 10 the unmarried 10y lodg.
iugs AMI boarding houses, and the troable
occasioucd by domestic servants, which
she attributed to the general ignorance
and pervcrSity OF society. Servants she
described ~ in semi slavery .r, she in.
sisted on their right 10 enjoy The society
OF men. The remedy she proposed was
that the home of The employer should
not bee also the home Of the employed.
aud TO substitute Tor isolated home, aud
separate establishment, conIederatcd
homes and cooperative housekeeping
Bat. instead OF one unfortunate set OF
women dragging over long hours Of toll,
The hours of labor should be divided and
distributed to different workers; one set
coming Sal. LAY. in the morning, and
remaining ,ill oc , O'Clock, second set
remaining Liil 9 or 10 o'clock, and one or
two nigh; glArdiaus remaining I'LL the
following morning. Though the number
OF servant, daily employed would be IN.
creased, The cost would probably be dim.
misAcd. \ reduction WAS sure TO be ef-
ltc,el when labor WAS performed in COM
bm4l.uu. and many who could not other.
Wiz .c.,Nu their homes would gladly en-.
.a.c tu o. lew hours remunerlive work.
while - hrn the system became general.
auu ,ou.cJ,i.lcd homes were established
lol. poor :,- we'll is rich, many girls could
bc .tllr,i To- work in the homes OF the
richer class. returning afterwards to the
care ,l ueir parents Many, too, who
wou 81 never dream OF putting themselves
dc, the petty tyranny of mistress OF
m ,-lci might accept service under these
alivlc,l c,uii,ou-. aud by lhus attracting
people o. superior minds and manners,
srca, advance wouIl be made both in
tbc wura done, and in the character and
socla >talu. Of the workers
Tho prc-cn. system OF domestic servi
tuJc m isolated home. v;.> a l,,iImc, and.
win ,ee direction in which society was
nov tending, the failure was likely TO
ploye aorc conspicuous. E!Ihcr We
must have rca, sIaycs or every iHdy must
d. her own cook or housemlid or we
must rcioru our whole y stem 10y a COM
binaj!ou Of wo.k bringing order aud har'
mouy oa, oi the chaos in hi~h female
domestic labor now remained. The at
tempt to found schools oi cookery was
step in advance nom The slipshod. hap
hazard way in which all matters relating
to huusesworh had been considered and
pracuccd. but The direction in which the
promoters ol these schools were acting
was - mistaken one. They were not so
much intended Tor cooks As Tor teaching
ladies to play with frying pans. AS long
rs the mistress was expected 10 know the
servants work, The servant never would
be properly trained II servants knew
that they alone were expected to know
their own work. aud could get no situa'
ton unless they had the requisite train
ing, there would soon be trained servants
obiainabc.
Servants would not perform their
work diligently and carefully without
being directed, but the director of any
work should be the one most thoroughly
acquainted with it; whereas men. even
those most in love with the domestic
wife ideal, only affirmed that II wife
should understand enough of domestic
work To enable her 10 direct her servant,
this ''cuough" being just that amount OF
superficial knowledge to impart which,
schools OF cookery were instituted.
Some women have not requisite talent
for directing and controlling household, 4,
while others had it in remarkable de.
gree; and possibly owing TO the want of
wide enough range for the exercise of
this disposition often become bullies and
scolds at home. Women such as these
at the head of the profession OF house