Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-20

MRS. FAY PIERCE.
learn that art under foreign chefs; those
with artistic taste in dress should become
the costumers; all to labor not for the
world at large. but for the cooperative
circle 1t was claimed that If each CO.
operator were to do her share only a few
hours daily labor would be required from
each.
Mrs. Pierce claimed that her plan
would solve the service question. as work
could be graded hours be made regular.
the supervision be more impersonal, and
that, as all the employees would reside In
the central building. containing the
kitchen. laundry and other offices, the
loneliness that attends the present system
would be obviated
A TRIAL OF MRS. PIERCES PLAN.
In 1870, two years after the appearance
of these articles in the Atlantic Monthly.
a number of women living in Cambridge,
Mass, among whom was Mrs. Fay Pierce
herself. actually began a trial of co-opera-
tive housekeeping
Forty shareholders subscribed $3.50 in
amounts ranging from SIS to $50 and
organized themselves into an association.
central building was fitted up for
laundry. kitchen. bakery, and store
The laundry was first started, and paid
its expenses from the beginning because
IL was carefully supervised. The store
and bakery were soon closed for lack OF
such supervision. AS most II the mem
bers became discouraged and Indifferent
after the first few weeks, the experiment
was, Of course doomed TO failure from
this, If for no other reason For, as Mrs.
Pierce says: How can cooperative house
keeping succeed If housekeepers will not
co-operate?'
At the end of a year the association
disbanded
THE EVANSTON EXPERIMENT.
The next effort OF any importance to
make cooperative housekeeping a success
was begun in Evanston. ILL.,. in 1880.
The Chicago papers contained at the
time full accounts of the inception and
development of the plan. and II was fol-
lowed with great interest by housekeep-
ers throughout the country.
In this suburb of Chicago lived many
wealthy people, to whom housekeeping
had become a burden because of the diff
ficuty of obtaining domestic service and
forty-five families were readily found to
unite in the experiment and 20 furnish a
capital of 5000. Two shares of $50. each
entitled the holder TO the use of both
kitchen and laundry.
The greatest number Of persons served
at any time by the kitchen was 26S and
this number grew rapidly less.
work OF It's oversight among the share
holders. A board of managers was APP
pointed and they engaged a steward for
superintendence OF the whole.
A matter Of prime importance was OF
course. the hot delivery of the meals
Wagons were made to order. into which
were fitted number of hot-water boxes
each TO hold the dinner of one family
But so great problem as hot delivery
al "A 81 vi al
The wagons did not keep the meals hot
and no remedy for this difficulty w1s
found.
In the first week also. the steward that
had been engaged on the highest recon-
mendations, was found 10 be variously In.
capable and was discharged. but as miscal.
culations regarding other important detail:
were soon discovered. and as the share
holders became rapidly disaffected, II was
impossible 10 save the experiment from
failure, although the promoters were I'M
usually intelligent and energetic women
CHARACTER OF OTHER ENTER.
PRISES.
Almost any one will tell us rumors OF
enterprises started here and there callei
cooperative housekeeping"
On examination they generally turn out
10 be cooperative boarding." a plan by
which number of families unite TO hire
housekeeper or caterer 10 furnish meals
10 be served In a common dning-room,
the bills being paid by general assess.
ment.
The privacy of the family table is
however, essential TO the idea OF CO.
operative housekeeping. and the hot de-
livery Of food TO large number OF fami-
lies at the same hour. many OF them
living at a considerable distance from the
central kitchen. is problem that has
not yet been solved, and perhaps cannot
be until the pneumatic tube becomes as
common as the telephone.
This difficulty and others. such as the
heating OF dwellings. could be obviated
IL. as has been often proposed. the CO.
operators were 10 live in a block OF houses
bu't around court which should con.
tain the common kitchen, laundry. and
ohces. together with the electric light
and heat plant. and rooms for the EN-.
ployecs.
MRS. srUcKERTs PLAN.
A detailed plan of this kind was pro.
sented last summer before the World q.
Fair Congress Auxiliary In Chicsso nv
Mrs. Coleman Stuckert. Of Denver Col.
IL rs asserted that the expense viii he
only one half OF what would be mecca
sary 10 furnish the same grade OF ser
vice In individual homes. but this state