Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-31
COOKING IN tbs SCHOOLS.
Shall This Necessary Art be TauGht?-A
Question for the school Board.
To NE Edirr If The Dispatch:

To NE Eiirr If The DiSDI'ch:
"Coul1 q man be secure
That his DAYS would endure,
A. Of old Tor a thousand lOng years,
What things might he know,
What deeds might he do.
And ali without hurry or care"
Bnt as our lives are but short. and the
time for acquisition peculiarly brlef-fOr
most of us-whO are directly or indirectly
responsible for the education of the chill
dren of our land, we must take heed, lest
we let some of the best things slip" or. to
use a word of Bacon's. now unfortunately
obsolete, we must determine the relative
value of knowledges." Now, have we in
our schools. public and private. selected
the most useful arts as first IN Importance.
and then added every accomplishment TOR
which wise instructors could find time and
money? Have We not regarded too much
the extrinslc effects" of education ION
Others and too little the intrensic val
ue" OF knowledge?
EveG the wiscst men and women are at
times almost overwhelmed by the difficult
ties which must be considered before they
can decide which things Il most concerns
us to know But in many schools the
decision has been reached already that the
act Of cooking must be taught whatever
may be omitted. Is 1t not the object Of
our schools to prepare our youth for the
duties of life. and should not the keeper
OF the house and the maker OF the home
have some idea how TO keep the one and
make the other? Even should girl never
he obliged to COO. sne will certainly be
called up TO tram rvants and probably
totally inefficient wants.
Many of US have cen hoping each year
TO see the art of cookery taught IN our
public schools, for IL they will set the ex-
ample the private schools will soon follow
in the same line, though their methods
may be different.
1t is all very well TO say. "a girl should
learn cooking in her home" Go visit the
families living IN one room, where nothing
is done "decently and IN order" where the
mother. if she had the time. could not
teach what she did not know.
Travel through the land, go 20 hotels,
tayerns and private houses, where bread
Is one fourth soda, and chickens and meat
are brought to the table swimming in
grease. Can the girls learn cooking there!
No. | have great faith in our girls.
know that, once let them realize the I'M
portance of a thorough knowledge of
cooking and the kindred arts, and in spite
of many obstacles, they will attain the
knowledge OF this art, at least In some
measure. But before they reach this
point they may lose health. and the know
ledge may come to them too late to bene-
tit those whom they would wish to serve.
DECIDE II now.
am told that Monday 2Sth August, there
will be meeting of our school board TO
decide whether cooking shall beintroduced
into the public schools of Richmond. If
this were known | believe that petitions
from many men and women would be sent
to these educators begging them TO decide
this matter now and in the affirmative.
hope that when the schools are opened We
shall see the announcement that cooking
will be taught during the coming session.
Such teaching would insure orderly, neat
habits of work and economy in using
materials, TO the best advantage.
/ know that every enterprise is affected
more or less by the financial condition of
the country, but the cost of outfit for a
class of Is TO so pupils would only be about
S50-certainly between $50 and $50. OF
course there would be the expense OF
materials for experimental cooking, if this
be undertaken and the salary of compe-
tent teacher. We have in our midst such
a teacher, there would be no importation
necessary.
/ hope soon to see cooking a part of the
regular course of instructions in every
school, public and private. When the times
are hard" young aud old need every pos
sible aid in the economical and healthful
use Il every dollar to be spent
RICHMOND.