Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-05-08
INSTITUTE PAPERS.
SYsTEMATIC HOUsEKEEPING.

INSlIlUIt PAPEkS,
SYSTEMATIC HOUSEKEEPING.
A paper read by Mrs Nellie s. Kedzie of the State
Agricultural College, before the Farmers Institute
at Wa-Keeney, Thursday evening, March IS, 1886.
In putting the thought of home into
mans heart, God gave one most impor-
CANT and indispensable part to woman.
The home keeping housekeeping, we
are pleased to call it-has belonged to
her through all time. Now, we all agree
that while mems work is from sun till
sun, woman's work is never done; and I
wonder many times if that's one of the
necessary evils of housekeeping, or is it
one of the relics of barbarism, handed
down to us along with the notion that
seeds must be planted right with the
moon, or that it is unlucky to begin a
journey on Friday? When the week s
work stands up and looks us squarely in
the face, seeming to say, "Yes! here am.
a mountain to go through; you can't slip
over or go around; must and 7WN be
cleared away!' we may well quail, and
almost feel that we never can, and it is no
use to try. But, suppose we look over a
few of the items: There's washing, IRON
ing, baking, churning, cleaning, sweep
ing, scrubbing besides all the regular
three-meal routine. What an array? And
these come fifty-two times year! But,
fortunately, we are not obliged to come
into the work with ''Here, it's Monday
morning, to-morrow's Tuesday, next days
Wednesday-ha the week gone and
nothing done YETI But we do have the
Monday and Tuesday in which to do the
work belonging to them, and if each day
takes thought for the burdens belonging
to itself, no one need be over full Let's
think minute of the first in our list.
Now, every Yankee house mother thinks
Monday doesn't come unless it takes
up and disposes of the weeks washing.
Knowing this work is TO be done on that
day, she may be tempted to ''crush Sunday
a wee bit, by putting her clothes to soak
Sunday night. Some of us might wish
our Sabbath began as did that Of our
ENTHUSIASTICALLY at sunset, and
ended Sunday at the same time. Because
of this breaking into the day of rest,
many women find it wise to make Tues
day the washing day, thus having Mon
day for cleaning up time for after hav-
ing the family in the house all day Sun
day, things are always more or less out of
order.
1t is non-esseDtial zvkaf day is wash-day
If it be always on the same day of the
week. 1t does seem to be necessary 10
our well doing of work that we know a
little beforehand what is to be done on
the day coming. We seem to adjust our
selves to circumstances, and to go into
whatever we have planned to do with
whole-heartedness that can never come at
a moments notice, but which is essential
to the bringing of good results.
Many women have plan somewhat. like
this: Monday they wash; Tuesday, iron;
Wednesday, do general cleaning; Thurs
day, ehurning; Friday, sweep and dust,
and Saturday, bake. The days work it.
self must be done in its own order. A
good way, if one does all, is to clear off
the breakfast table, clean up the house.
then wash the dishes; after this, any extra
work be done-the beds be made, the
fancy dessert started, the little mending,
perhaps little reading; indeed, any of
the thousand and one things to be done
In house can be put in then, but don't,
beg leave painful of dishes to read,
even the daily paper, nor let the little dis
orders of the house be left until morning
callers drop in. The afternoon work
ought never to be very heavy-washing
the dinner dishes, with, perhaps, looking
ahead little for supper, should be about
all that is done in the afternoon, except
at extra times. The supper dishes, and
at the same time, the placing of the things
in readiness for next mornings breakfast,
are the amount of after tea work.
One thing must be remembered by us
all: We can't do more in this world than
to plan for our own individual selves, and
others may use what part Of our plans
they please, but their general course of
work must be made to suit their individ-
nal wants. No one can lay out another's
work in satisfactory manner; still with
each and every one of us plan ought to
be followed strictly. in order to live the
lives we wish to have in our hearts, name
ly: peace and contentment In ali we do.
More still: If there is regular day for
certain work which is inevitably disagree
able, the Steiner members of the family
soon learn what to expect, and we hear
no complaining, no especial plea of ''bus-
mess" in town, but each one comes brave
~ to the front, for instance, on washing
day, and carries water, or turns the wiring
er, with as good grace as one could wish;
thereby Tightening the burdens wonder
tllly, for the strong hands are such a
help! But let spring house cleaning
come-and more because it is an unusual
thipg-the amount of grumbling to be ac-
counted for is often more trying to the
women Of the house than all the hard
work, and when the time of putting up
stoves brings the tribulation belonging TO
it, what man is there in all the land who
does not ache from his soul to his finger
ends with longings for cline where
stoves are not, and stove pipes are uD-
known. Now, venture the assertion, if
lis were an everyday affair, or, If it came
once week, we would all grow to really
look for, and almost enjoy, the diversion
of setting up the kitchen stove and max
ing the pipe fit every morning.
just here, L want word in favor of a
great deal of system in the terror of so
many house wives spring cleaning. Now,
We have all experienced the trials of the
time when, with every carpet on the
closhes line, the best bed in the front hall,
mothers wash stand in the dining room,
the company china on the piano, and the
kitchen floor freshly painted-in has
walked the dear friend who knows he is
always welcome, so has come to surprise
us. Very few of US nowadays think the
proper way to clean house is to tear up
generally, but the easy way, both for mind
and body, is to take one room at time,
Rpd when that is all clean and in order,
move on to the next. The cellar should
come first, because it is most important,
giving off .auch vapor that rises up
through the floors for us to breathe,