Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-18
COOKING SCHOOLS.

N@NN~SA~No @]NON@C'
COOKING SCHOOLS.
Miss Anna Barrows, of the North Ben
net Industrial School, has made such a
success of cooking as an industrial force, as
well as an industrial activity, that her
work deserves study and demands the
respect of the most devout student of ped
agogy, as well as Of specialists. To spend
a halliday with her class is to know how
completely she aims at the full develop
ment of the child's activities, rather than
merely to teach the art of cooking. She
has, during the week, nearly 200 pupils in
classes of about twenty each. These chill
dren are from the first classes of the
neighboring public grammar schools.
They have one lesson week for the year.
The work is not compulsory, other than
that after pupil has started in the work
he must continue, unless for some special
reason the parents request his discontinue
ance.
The room is fitted up like chemical
laboratory, each desk being supplied with
the necessary utensils and a gas-burner
(Which is used for all cooking except bak-
ing), refrigerator, range, dining-table,
blackboards and well-flled closets. The
outfit of each pupil is complete. The
room is large and airy, the chairs for reci-
tation occupying about one-half the room.
A quarter of beef hangs upon the wall,
and although made of paper and plaster,
the coloring and shape are so perfect that
marketmen are deceived. The textbook
of the class is "The Boston School of
Cooking Kitchen Textbook" of 24O
pages, by Mrs. d. A. Lincoln. But while
the class all have this book, Miss Barrows
has published series of cards giving the
essentials of each lesson.
THE FIRST LESSON
Is on building fire, and the pupils learn
that all drafts and hampers are built on the
law that hot air rises; all various drafts
are taught, and reason given for every
thing. Personal neatness is demanded
from each pupil. The hands are carefully
washed at the beginning of the lesson.
After the pupils are in their seats the les
son of the previous day is reviewed and
the principles especially emphasized. They
then work in groups, and the lesson closes
in reading from Mrs. Lincoln's book of the
lessons for the previous and following day.
This reading is one of the most interesting
exercises, and is as intelligent as one often
hears under the most favorable circum-
stances. They would not read so intelli-
gently had they literary theme, neither
would they have read story with the
same interest hut they were genuinely in
earnest in the reading of these pages.
The educational value of cookery is
greater than it gets credit for in the popu-
lar mind. 1t is practical application of
the principles of chemistry, physics, physi-
ology-thing that would never be studied
otherwise by the pupils. The teaching is
highly philosophical; it establishes methods
of study; it is, indeed, the science of COM
mon things. The attention is cultivated,
habits of observation formed, perception
awakened, and the ability to concentrate
developed.
The geography phase of the lesson is in
teresting, as the pupils learn all they can
of the countries from which the materials
used come-especially the climatic in
fuences, character of inhabitants as well as
of vegetation After geography, language
lessons ale admirably taught through the
daily practice of dictation. The receipts
are written on blackboards, as well as in
notebooks. These are not always taken
from the book. but are made up from what
class also furnishes the best of opportunity
for work in numbers. 1t makes little
difference how well child has been taught
Il. l. I'll IL
public school, he rarely knows enough to
divide receipt by 2. A combination
which has perplexed many student we'll
up in textbook arithmetic is the receipt
calling for one and one-half cups of milk
with directions to use one half. The aim
in these classes is to teach
HYGIENE COOKERY,
But Miss Barrows is by no means crank
in that direction Girls will rarely learn
these things at home. In no phase in life
has tradition and superstition so strong
hold as in the kitchen. People talk about
luck in cooking who would scorn the idea
in any other branch Of business. Direction
in cooking is economic, scientific and sani-
tary, and is not extravagant or epicurean
No other branch will influence the home
<tuu lllc iifdiNluddi VIC tudu lllS. OOU
is the pivot upon which the tenn perance
and labor questions revolve. Wholesome,
well-cooked food, and the better use of
money will solve many problem.
Nothing is more significant of the social
condition of people than the training OF
its girls in domestic life. In Germany the
daughters of the nobleman, of the prince,
and of the small shep-keeper learn alike
to cook, to sweep, and to keep house. After
the training in books is over, Fraulein
Lena and her Royal Highness Princess
Sophie both begin their home education.
There are establishments where they
are taken by the year, as in a boarding
school. la one month they wash dishes,
and polish glass and silrer-ware; in an
other they cook meats; in another bake
and in the next "lay down" meats for
winter use, or preserve fruits, make jellies
and pickles, sweep and dust Plain sew
ing, darning and the care of linen are also
taught and taught thoroughly. The Ger
man "betrothed" is thus almost always
thorough housekeeper, and spends the
time before marriage in laying in enor-
nous stores of provisions and napery for
future home.
In France girl begins at twelve years
to take part in the household duties
Being her mothers constant companion,
she learns the system Of close, rigid
economy which prevails in all French
families If there be but two sticks of wood
burning on the hearth, they are pulled
apart when the family leave the room,
even for half an hour, and the brands are
saved.
English girls of the educated classes
seldom equal the German and French in
culinary art, but they are early taught to
share in the care of the poor around them.
They teach in the village school or they
have industrial classes; they have some
hobby-such as drawing, riding, or ami
mals-to occupy their spare time with
pleasure or profit.
These hints are for the girls. They can
draw their own lessons.
SPRING GREENS.
Our grandmothers knew the food value
of "spring green's" whether by intention,
acquired knowledge or otherwise, and the
oltIio for,,a1 a reofrIar mart of the hill of