The Republican journal., 1892-12-15
Domestic Science.

| they not only invite the ladies to recep-
ton and banquet, with al social enjoy
ments, but provide literary entertain
ment. domestic Science" was the sub
| ject selected for discussion by prominent
speakers, and it was an evening of import
ance TO education and society, to the
school and the home. There seemed to
be some doubt as to the practicability of
a new department of Domestic Science in
our schools and colleges, in which direc-
ton, however, there is a growing interest
and much being done. Mrs. Ellen A..
Richards, of the Institute of Technology,
spoke on the science of home life. Among
other things she said: ''We boast of our
education and we boast we drive our chill
dren to school and compel them to become
educated. but we compel them to spend
| six hours a daV in rooms the air of which
is enough to blast whatever ability they
may have in them. Then we send them
home to spend the evenings in houses
that complete the work of destruction.
| 1t is a disgrace to our civilization that
YOU can scarcely lind Il sehoohouSe prop
erly ventilated. 1t is one of the first
things to be attended to- and it is for the
parents to see TO it that the children have
| proper accommodations for their lite. -
| She argued for better sanitation, and said
it would be well to found a profeSsoIship
| .af Il,
how to take care of themselves. Mrs.
Mary Hinman Abel, of Ann Harbor,
Michigan, we'll known in Boston for her
efforts in establishing the New England
Kitchen and for her scientific expert
merts, read thoughtful paper upon the
Scope of Observation and Experiment
! in Domestic Life. Mrs Abel thought
that the management of the modern house,
with it's dozen trades carried on 'twiXt
garret and cellar, was drawing too much
upon the energies of one woman, and that
not enough intellectual force remains.
Some of the remedies We're then discuss
| ed. ''What of cooperative houSekeep-
ing, that sounds SO simple?" The speaker
gave various anecdotes showing that peo-
pie generally believed that every man $
home is his own castle, even though the
castle be a boarding house full of people
of various nationalitieS. AS one man said
of cooperative housekeeping, 1T won t
work. No one wants his soup made of
other folks bones. More thorough
| education was the true step i'll advance.
| The combination of housekeepers was re
commended. Clubs organized by women S
exchanges We're finally proposed. Mrs.
Alice Freeman Palmer laid emphasis on
the fact that too little is being done by the
| colleges in the matter OF sanitary educa-
| ton. there being but three competent
women instructors in this line in the coun-
try-Mrs. Richards, Mrs. Abel and Miss
Talbot, of Chicago University, who when
at Wellesley. taught the girls there to
study practical problems by going int"
| the houses OF the North End and Brook
line. Miss Talbot. said Mrs. Palmer,
''makcs heavy requirements III both the
courses She offers, but the interest is
great. and is not confined to the women
students. OF whom there are 40 ont OF the
600 in the university There is no good
reason WHY we shouid stand terrified in
fear OF pestilence when We have develop
ed the art Of nome life as we have other
arts. Mrs. Palmer spoke in closing of
the advance made in the higher education
OF women during the years past. \ letter
from Mr.. +. b. Pratt, of Pratt University,
| Brooklyn, \. Y. was read and is worthy OF
reproduction. Mr.. Pratt wrote
Cooking schools have been considered
| quite a fad for the past ten years OF so,
but how many have ever studied the
underlying principles Of which they are
but an imperfect and partial expression?
How many realize that Of all places in the
world, in the home, where training, men
tai, moral and physical should most
abound, it is lacking to pitable extent?
The place that provides shelter, food.
raiment-that caters to all our best bodily
needs-iS the most unecOnomcal, un-
scientific, and waSteful. How long would
a manufactoly permit the waste of sin
Gle product, capable OF any use whatever?
The waste is what often serves as the
source of profit where competition is most
active. And yet, can we blame the ladies
when there is no place where such train
ing can be obtained? 'Tis passing strange
that while for nearly every vocatic Il posi-
bic to woman instruction and training are
demanded they are for this natural, most
important and cardinal one deemed I'M
necessary.
If, then, Froebers maxim. that 1.-The
destiny of the world lies in the hands of
women" is to be realized to its highest
and most efficient degree, we must see to
be taught not only to the people at large
but to that smaller but more important
class, the college women.
Edward Atkinson was then presented as
a man who could speak on any topic and
keep on The even keel-a wonder of the
ninteenth century, Mr.. Atkinson is wide
ly know1 as a writer on political economy
and as the inventor of the Aladdin oven,
bv which the cost and labor of cooking
are reduced to a minimum. and better
results attained We give MI Atkinson :
remarks in full:
Ladies anil Gentlemen: was informed
few days ago that few remarks would
L., Il 4