The morning call., 1891-08-30
ABOUT PRACTICAL
EDUCATION.
Mrs, HGmGnWay'S Pioneer Movement in
the Art Of H0uSGWifGTy.
Overcoming Prejudice Against Sewing
Glasses in Schools as Introductory to
Teaching Girls How to Cook.
Written for THE SUNDAY CALL.

Wien the sewing class was established IN
the public schools of Boston one of its bit
terest opponents was Master Allen of the
cid Hancock School at the North End.
Teach sewingI' he exclaimed in tone
of the most utter contempt. "Well, the next
thing we know they will be setting up cook
stoves and teaching the children to broil
beefsteak."
1t is twenty years since Master Allen thus
turned the measure of his scorn on the new
movement in public school training and he
has been dead for half that time. but one
can but wonder whether he turned in his
grave when his unconscious prophecy was
fulfilled. or whether in the light OF new
life he has found wider vision.
1t would seem as though when once the
bright little needle in the hands of the hun
dreds of schoolgirls bad pricked its way
through public prejudice, that there would
have been no need of another industrial bat
tie But those who work in this world for
the worlds good and improvement soon
find that every step is a contest and that all
the way along it is a constant struggle with
tradition, prejudice and ignorance.
Delighted with the success of their one
branch of manual training the apostles of
the industrial education looked about for
another which they might introduce, and for
q time it was undecided what it should be
and how it should be managed.
There was one woman in the city who
thought that the best way 10 manage was to
begin the work first and argue the matter
afterward. But as the committee could not
introduce any such branch without an ap-
propriatiOn for 1t, she saw that the only
way was to make the experiment personal
one and pay for il herself.
frs or If.p1 r,ytr1t
a woman TO whom Boston owes more than
10 any other person for what she has done
for its public schools. and for the
BOYS AND GIRLS WHO ARE BEING TRAINED
In them. a woman of extensive wealth,
she uses II most wisely and in way that
Will make its influence felt through all the
future generations ot men and women.
The story of her bene efcence is well worth the
telling, but only one phase of it can be given
her, that Of her connection with the indus
trial training in the schools.
A few years ago she opened summer
vacation school in the Starr King School
house on Tennyson street There have been
vacation schools before. but this was more
comprehensive than any other had been,
ana was started for a definite hut unspoken
purpose. Il was really an experiment TO see
what OF the industrial branches 1t would be
wise to Introduce next into the school syS-
TEN.
Among the branches taught at this vaca-
tion school were art embroidery, designing,
housekeeping, modelling, Cabinet-making
and cooking. 1t was really astonishing TO
see how we'll the children took hold of all
the work. They became adopts in the use
OF toals and were enthusiastic over the cook
ing lessons. 1t soon became evident that
Only those specially endowed with talent in
that direction could succeed as designers or
modelerS. Some girls did not care Tor cabi-
net-maklng and were awkward about it,
while with scarcely an exception every girl
learned cooking easily. So il was decided
that the larger good would be done by the
introduction of cooking
Mrs. Hemenway, with the permission of
the School B0aId, had arranged a model
kitchen IN the basement of the school build
Ing. There was the range with its boilers
for hot water. closets fitted up with every
thing that could be required for use, and in
the center Of the room was q large semi
circular table, at which fifteen pupils could
be taught at one time. Each pupil had her
allotted space, and in front of her was a tiny
gas stove, on which she might boil water
and do various parts Of the preparatory
work before she should need to use the
range. Beneath the table was little cup
board, and tAis was furnished with every
thing that the girls would need to use per-
sunally.
THERE WAS A BREAD-BoARD,
One or two cutting boards, knives of all
kinds, spoons of all sizes, including wooden
D
tln spoons AID measuring spoons. There
was eaTtlen mixing bowls, plain bowls, egg
beaters, measuring cups, nutmeg graters,
everything III fact that the skilled house
wife will need for use in cooking. Besides
these there was a generous supply of towels
and holders.
Across the open bottom of this table was
the teachers desk, where she could stand
and superintend all the pupils at their work.
II cost quite sum of money to fit up this
han md y i-a fYi.,a 1tr
the committee with the provision that it
should be removed when the regular school
year opened. But it did seem pity to de-
moiish after so little use what it had cost so
much to establish. So one day Mrs. Hem
enNay invited the Committee on Manual
Training connected with the Boston School
Board to visit the kitchen and see the girls
at work. They came and were very much
pleased with what they saw, then the house
keepers class laid table very daintily in
their practice-roum. The dinner cooked by
the girls was served aud the committee par,
took of il while the housekeeping girls
waited at the table. 1t was a simple dinner,
but it was delicIously cooked, and it was
appreciated by those who partook of Z.
After the dinner~waS over plan was laid
before this committee. 1t was that Mrs.
HemenwaY should be allowed to keep the
Kitchen, and to provide suitable instructor,
and that classes from the public schools
should be allowed to come every morning
anu dlleIuOUu 10 TeC6lHS INSTRUCTION., MIS-,
Hemenway providing all the materials
This instruction should not cost the city
anything, except the rental of the basement
III Iennyson street, ali the rest the protector
OF the plan would do. She simply wanted
TO try the experiment thoroughly for one
year and then let the board decide whether
it vas practicable or not. Ali she asked
was perfect fairness and an unprejudiced
judgment regarding the result of the work.
1t certainly would have been ungracous
q rot fE n n r++ Nkrtr
was accepted, and
THE WORK WAS BEGUN.
A teacher was procured from the Liver
pool Training School, and with the begin
ming of the school year in 1885 the first regu-
lar school OF cookery, or, as il was called,
the School Kitchen No. l, was established.
AT ilrSt there were many opposed to the
movement, and the old arguments that were
used against the Introduction of the sewing
were again raised. But this time the num-
Der of persons in favor of technical instruc-
ton had increased, and all thoughtful peo-
pie were giving more consideration to the
matter. The press was most friendly, and
the Boston Herald, under the magnetic and
wise management Of Mr.. John II. Holmes,
spoke IN no uncertain tones regarding the
new movement, and was most important
factor in forming public opinion in tile right
mold.
Then, besides all this, there was about
that tins general revival of interest in all
domestic matters. Women OF society and
position were putting themselves under the
instruction of competent teachers to learn
better how to cater for their own households.
Miss Parloa and Mrs. Daniels had enthus-
iastic classes in cooking and DO young
woman considered that she was ready to
set up housekeeping until she had
mastered the mysteries of the cuisine. 1t
was no longer the sign of a lady to be
Ignorant of the detail of domestic affairs.
Only the vulgarian would stoop to the ad-
mission of such ignorance. 1t was 'the
thing" in fashionable circles to understand
the way to govern the household and to be
able TO administrate to affairs wisely and
iudiciously. One could almost believe that
SolOmon's ideal woman had become the
ideal of the nineteenth century. ''She
looketh we'll to the ways of her household
and eateth not the bread of idleness."
This revival came just in time to be of the
utmost benefit to. the new industrial move
ment. If It was to be the thing to know
how 10 cook, which the poorer classes must