The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-02-10
COOPERATIVE COOKING.
A Kansas Experiment which Seems to
Work Successfully.

Topeka, Kan, Feb. kansas boasts
of one of the most successful cooperative
cooking clubs in the United States. 1t
is not SO extensive as some, but it is
complete success. junction City, town
of /, 500 people out in Central Kansas,
is the location of this club. 1t is known
as the Junction City Cooperative Cook
ing Club. Financially, it is an unquali-
fed success It's membership is full all
the time and it's machinery is said to run
easier than ever before, experience hav-
ing taught the executive committee how
to avoid numerous STUN bling blocks.
Many letters are received blythe manag-
ment asking: "Why is it you succee
where SO many others fail? Please give
us your modus operandi." To answer all
inquiries of this character would require
I the services of secretary all the time,
so, as a rule, no replies are made.
The society was formed because Of the
ever-increasing difficulty of securing
sufficient competent household help.
There are at present thirteen families
and a few individuals connected with
the club, making in all about thirty
memb ers, who, during the year just
closed, have shown an average attend
ance of thirty-five. Ten of these fami-
lies have belonged to the club from the
beginning. All are of the highest social
standing, with fully equipped homes
they SO desired return to the old way of
living.
The clubs rooms are commodious and
centrally located and comprise kitchen,
dining rooms and sleeping apartments
for servants. A cook. assistant cook,
dishwasher and two mattresses are en-
ployed. III are excellent servants, the
success of the club being in large
measure attributed to its good fortune
in securing faithful help. There has
never been any difficulty experienced at
any time in employing young women OF
intelligence to fill all of the positions in
the gift of the clubs managers. Coun-
try school teachers unemployed or those
wishing to earn money with which to pro-
secute their studies have been willing to
work in the dining room. This desira-
bic class of employees has been obtalna-
BILE pro badly because of the thorough
manner in which the affairs of the club
have been systematized, making the
duties of all easy of accomplishment,
and the character of the mem bership,
which insures respectful treatment. The
furnishings of the dining rooms have
all been brought from the homes of the
mem bers and are as dainty and tasteful
as the groups at the several tables desire
to make them.
Two hours are allotted to each meal,
but as a rule the members are on hand
promptly when the dining room is
thrown open, in order to share the social
chat. which at some of the tables is fire.
quently up to the standard of Holiness
Autocrat. The committee, which is
composed of the matrons of the ember-
ship, meets every Saturday after LUNCH
to audit the bills of the week, make con-
tracts. interview employees, make chang
es in the bill of fare and attend to such
other business in connection with the
management of the club as may come
up. The dues are only three dollars a
head each week and are payable in adj
vance to the secretary. Occasionally
assessments are made when the regular
!. charge fails to meet the requirements.
During the year just ended it has not
been necessary to levy single assess
ment, and there is a small balance in
| tine treasury. Deductions are made for
absences and guests of members are
paid for at the usual rates. The dining
| rooms are in no sense pub
lie, only members and their guests being
admitted. The committee spares no pains
| to please and the mem bers try to be
reasonable. This is the cause they assign
| for the success of the institution. They
| say they have solved the problem of
| getting the most comfort out of life for
| the least amount of money.