Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-29
DOMESTIC TRAINING.
The Good That Has Been ACCOM-
plished by the House Schools.
LONDON GAVE BIRTH TO THE IDEA.
Work Of Emily Huntington in the Field Of
the Kitchen Garden.
SCENES AT AN ANNUAL RECEPTION
rwRrrrES roR THE DISPATCH. 4.


but have noticed with satisfaction the grow
ing interest which is being taken in the sub
ject of training schools. 1t is not so long
since the subject with US was a novel one
assuredly so in this country-but the objects
sought to be attained in these schools, and
the advantages resulting so obviously from
them, wherever they have been established,
have commended them so fsyorably to in
telligent people that it is not to be won
dered at that they have already in many
cities come to be regarded as permanent in-
stitutions
the first domestic training school in the
modern sense was established in the Ken
sington Museum, West London, England,
some 16 or II years ago, under the auspices
of a certain benevolent society. At that
time the high price of provision and the
low rates for labor, together with the i'm
providence noticed among the laborlng class,
made their condition very deplorable. The
object of the association was to fit teachers
for the special purpose of going among the
people and of giving them, in turn, prac-
tieal lessons. The instruction was at first
attempted to be given by lectures, but
it was soon found that this method
was inadequate to meet the desired end.
Something more was necessary to make the
project successful. Hence the happy expedi-
ent was devised of getting the material and
utensils necessary and of joining with the
verbal instruction the practical application.
The school was henceforward successul be-
yond all former anticipation. 1t was at
tended by all classes of people, was literally
supported, and, in no long time, schools
were established in various parts of England
and great good was done.
PROGRESS IN AMERICA.
In the city of New York there have been
established for IL or 13 years past number
of training sehools-sometimes called
kitchen garden or house schools. Much in
terest has been taken in them, and it is safe
to say the efforts put forth to make them
successful have not been in vain. MANY of
the churches support their own school, and
for the elevation OF the children, within
certain limits, it is considered an adjunct
not less important than the Sunday school.
The founder OF kitchen garden is Miss
Emily Huntington, a lady eminently
adapted for leadership. She conceived the
idea that the homely art of houseWork could
be made interesting and attractive to chill
dren by the use of appropriate songs and
games, much after the method by which in-
struction is impaired in the kindergarten
her school Is the mother school of these
training schools, or all schools of like sort.
Probably the scope of this system of in
struction can be better conveyed in the
words of the Rev. DIR. Bellows, who says,
I in writing of Miss Huntington's plan.
'What idea of a more valuable or urgent
character has lately come into any woman's
head or any mans, than the idea that girls,
poor or rich, could be taught in great
L IL l.
of setting the family table, of serving the
food, OF cleaning knives and forks, of wash
ing dishes and clothes, of sweeping rooms
and dusting closets and ceilings-how to
handle knife and fork, broom and duster;
how and in W which order to take hold of all
forms OF household work? There is a best
way of doing these things, and only trained
and experienced housekeepers, by expen-
sively trained servants, have hitherto been
able to practice it. Most domestics have
proved incapable of learning it-because
they began too late"
RICH AND POOR ALIKE.
With US, therefore, the chief end Of these
schools is to furnish instruction to all classes
of children in the necessary arts of house,
keeping, and further, but in a somewhat
different way, to train grown up girls to
housekeeping, or to fit them as skilled serV-
ants. Both kinds of these schools were, at
their foundation, benevolent in character.
As to the Kitchen Garden schools, it was
the intention of the founder to bring to-
gether, particularly, the children of the
poor who were willing to be thus instructed,
and although these schools still retain this
important characteristic, they have in
creased in the scope of their usefulness, and
are now patronized by all classes. In some
of the most successful of them you may see
the children OF the richest and of the poorest
working together with hearty enjoyment in
their occupations" es it is called. The
beneficial results of these schools are obvi-
Gus, where they have been tried, and there
is the most conclusive ard satisfactory evil
dence of substantial good traceable to them.
One of the most interesting and success
full training schools was established some
years since at THE Old Brewery Mission"
Five Points. A teacher relates that among
the pupils was a bright little girl scarcely
wears old. This child had listened at
tentively to the match Lesson" and one
day, not long after, she found her mother
lighting a match Gin her usual way) on the
wall. The little one said to her, reprovingly,
and with an air of great importancel
Mamma, you
Are not to light it on the wall.
Nor on the carpet let it fall"
This was a new lesson to the mother who
was so delighted with the child's knowledge
that she lost no time in finding the teacher
to inform her oil the fact.
LIKE A BOWER IN EDEN.
1t was the writer's pleasure to visit, not
long since, one of the most fourishing
House schools in New York city. 1t was
the annual reception day OF this Mission
school, and the room was like unto bower
in Eden. Flowers, the gifts of friends,
were everywhere and seemed to shed their
sweetest fragrance for this occasion. Choice
books were piled high ready for distribution
to these pupils who were about to acquit
themselves with so much credit There
were "a children present, and it was only by
their plain clothing that one could tell
that they came from the homes of the poor.
A number of the children, some of them
yery Young, did the houors upon this oc-
casion. and their manner of receiving and
retiring puests reflected much credit upon
Themselves and the cultured ladies who
had so kindly trained them. The clsalli-
ness of the children and the good repair Of
their clothing. without any exception. was
a subiect of much comment among the Wis
itors. especially when we had been told that
tbe majority of these children came from
most wretched homes.
During the year, the teacher said, not
one child had been reproved for untidiness,
nor had one button been missing from gar
ments or shoes. These rules for cleanliness d.
and the care of buttons were Nrigidly en-
forced. The teachers in their weekly visits
ro these children of unfortunate circum-
stances provide all articles necessary to
keep them clean and their clothing in
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