The Washington times., 1894-05-13
HUntEn1ilu'S 'Sldea

The domestic problem, like the poor, is al
ways with US. We all know that something
is away in the back basement, and that the
machinery of the household needs something
more than generous application Of grease to
make 1t run smoothly. Indeed, In the most
of our kitchens there is too much grease, too
much of the frying pan, and not enough OF
actual knowledge OF a way to do any better.
If the lady OF the house interferes, ten to
one she gives it up in despair after two or
three Intellectual trials. She knows she ought
not to give in to ignorance and impudence,
but rather than be deserted In the midst OF
house-cleaning, Spring cleaning, or Spring
sewing she shuts her eyes to many things
which rasp her temper and make housekeep-
ing n burden. 1t all comes through being
obliged often to employ unskilled and un-
teaehable persons, while the provoking thing
about it is that they are paid just as much as
though the service received was all 1t Is
claimed to be.
have written before OF how lamentable
this absence of training is, and that the or
binary cooking school does not meet the de-
mand, with its dainty dishes, and garnishes,
and sauces and preparations OF the luxuries
of the table, to which lcisurely housewives at
tend. look on, and write down in recipes,
while lady teacher expounds the theory OF
fancy cookery.
The cooking schools attached to the public
are object lessons rather than practical ex-
periments in cookery, such as good, plain,
honest everyday fare, without the frills and
furbelows of fashionable garniture. Think
of roses made out of turnips and marbles OF
carrots and radishesl They are better than
none. however
Well, the case is not so hopeless as 1t at
first seemed to me, for l have found one
woman in Washington, Mrs. A. L. Woodbury..
who has been working away at the true idea
idea of a cooking school Tor the common peo-
pie during the past fourteen years. She has
n mission school, non-sectarian, and it does
not draw the color line on any child, girl, or
young woman who wishes to learn how to do
plain cooking. 1t has a membership OF 100
and sometimes 200 during each school year OF
its existence.
Mrs. Woodbury's school wns the means OF
having instruction on this line of honorable
work introduced into the public schools, and
thus its influence has gone forth into thou
sands of the homes of the poor to render them
more comfortable, because of intelhgently pre-
pared food, and every now ana then kitchen
maids praises is sounded forth as n ''treas-
ure'' who traces her good qualities back to
Mrs. woodbacy's cooking school. where she
took her first lessons few years ago and
learned to regard with pride and pleasure
neatly-done kitchen work, well-prepared food.
Mrs. Woodbury's school did not aim to teach
scientific cookery. but simple methods OF pre-
pairing everyday dishes, and out of much
thought on this subject she evolved n manual
of domestic work and practical lessons in
cookery, just such ideas of the principles and
facts about practical cookery as every girl
ought to know.
OF course Mrs. Woodbury. has been aided
by the assistance of many of the best-known
ladies in the city. and out of the simple cook
ing school has evolved two or three branches.
all destined to bear the same kind OF improved
fruit, good housekeeping.
These are the Mission School OF Cookery
and Housework. established in 1880, and the
Training School Tor Household Manual Work,
ten years later.
There is also pay school of cookery for
ladies who wish to learn the art OF finer cook
cry or to have their servants trained. Miss
Adelaide Payne is the superintendent and
teacher of this department, and the other day
was much interested in seeing German
woman making blanc-mange under her
instruction.
Miss Clara Lewis is teacher OF the school OF
cookery and housework. This branch has
turned out some good workers, for this is en-
tirely a charity, dependent upon donations
for its support.
Being a preventive charity. helping others
to help themselves, it deserves all it gets and
I great deal more.
Recently another graft has been put upon
this thrifty plant, and in the very line most
needed. 1t is known as the mission en-
ployment bureau, and is calculated to re-
move some of the difficulties come cred with
domestic service
1t is bureau not run for the personal ag-
grandizement OF the ''agent," but for the
benefit of those seeking good service and
those seeking good places. "The references
of all applicants for places are inquired
into, and a record of them kept. SO that in
time reliable list of such as are good and
trustworthy is made up. A moderate fee is
asked from both employer and employe to
defray the expenses of the office.
The wears work on this line of endeavor is
most encouraging. and it is to be hoped that
references will eventually mean something
more than a good-natured effort to dispose
of one whom it seems cruel to withhold it
from, although the writer OF them well knows
they ought TO for the morale of the kitchen.
When one trial to either the lady obtaining
the girl or to the girl proves unsatisfactory,
they are each given another chance, and when
nothing is accomplished no fee is eyacted.
Now this strikes me rs good business, and
calculated 10 dignity domestic service into
something like trade or occupation to be
and to confer honor upon those who
chose domestic service as business.
1t should be matter of choice with girl |
who has to earn her living whether she shall |
choose this occupation or something else.
One day last week / visited the cooking |
school, which is located most excellently in an |
old house. 1928 street northwest, and l |
found a class OF young women from ST. Au-
gustine's school for girls Just about finishing |
their weekly lesson. They had made most |
excellent corn starch, blanc-mange, and |
poached eggs, and could tell about the why's |
and wherefores. They then put everything |
to rights, ready for another class. These |
girls had each one actually taken part in her |
lesson Of the day. and could do what She had |
been taught theoretically. They were a most |
promising lot OF young women. and some |
others who have been there have made up |
their minds to 20 into domestic service as a |
business, and now are taking special training. |
st. Vincent's Orphan Asylum. st. Roses In
dustrial School. and St. Matthew'S parish |
school each send classes for instruction each |
week, but there are as many Protestants as |
Catholics who are also in classes, and many |
little girls go who have to leave school before |
they reach the seventh or eighth grade. All |
this teaching is of immense advantage to |
these children, who will become helpers in |
the homes of parents whose necessities pre-
vent them from giving them further school |
ing.
1t does seem to me that Miss Woodbury's |
mission cooking schools and the other lines |
of work attached to it, with the one still to be |
attached of all around housekeeping. ought |
to commend itself to all who have su frered |
through the lack of well-trained domestics, |
so that they would rally TO its support. i
An ounce of preventive is worth pounds of |
cure. Any school which goes to the root of |
the matter, and endeavors to lift up domestic |
service into the plane of an occupation. will |
help to make an impression on the mass of
ignorant women who now pose as accom-
plished cooks and make life hardly worth |