Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-18
DOM ESTIC ECONOMY.
An Interesting Talk on the Subject by
Miss Helen Louise johnson.
The Hall OF Columbian University
FILLED With Ladies-The Need OF
Diet Kitchens shown.

Miss Helen Louise Johnson whose course
Of lectures on cooking at the Pure Food
Exposition at Convention Hail. have proved
such an attraction. talked before a large
audience of ladies this morning on the SUBJ
ject Of domestic economy. The address was
delivered in the lecture hall of Columbian
University at IL o'clock and every seat was
occupied. Her remarks, which were full of
practical and valuable suggestions, were
listened to with the closest attention. and
every housekeeper In the gathering went
home fully impressed with what she had
heard, and determined to put some at
least, Of the suggestions into immediate
effect.
Importance of the Subject.
Miss johnson began her lecture by re-
ferring to the importance Of the subject as
demonstrated by the effect that food.
whether good, bad or different has upon
the people. Good food. she said, is i'm
mediate cause of good morals. and great
good is being done in this matter by the
efforts of sanitary leagues. In the days
Of our grandmothers there was no room
in their education for the subject of do
nestle economy. but we are beginning to
realize something of its real Importance. A
womans home is her palace. and there is
ment here as there is in the running Of a
department. Scientific housekeeping is the
duty of the rich and the salvation of the
poor Girls should be educated well as
the boys. and from this standpoint WASH
irgton is far ahead of any other city In the
country, as ii should be. for the nations
capital ought to be the center Of culture
and learning. 1t is the duty of a college
girl to study scientiic housekeeping. for
upon her rests the safety of the Country in
x1<av for hor cfsta
Value Of Domestic Economy.
Domestic economy is of a practical. not
to say pecuniary value. This Miss johnson
proved by showing that. for example, a
miners family on a very limited income
live in an extravagant manner. not too WELL
but recklessly. Through ignorance and
waste more is spent on living poorly than
would be required to live twice as well II
discretion and education were used. She
would not be understood as saying that
all young women in the land ought to be-
come professional cooks. 1t would. for one
! thing. cease to be a paying business. even
| If 1t were practicable for all, but every girl
should be taught something Of the science
of good housekeeping.
As to Diet Kitchen.
The speaker devoted a good deal Of her
address to a consideration of the need for
starting diet kitchens In the large cities of
the land. In Washington the need especial
ly is for a sick diet kitchen where the poor
can secure good wholesome food when they
are sick. Medicine is Of no avail to a sick
person who is starving for proper nourish-
ment and these sick diet kitchens are of the
greatest assistance to physicians whose la
bors are among people who can not AFFORD
to get the best articles Of food.
Miss johnson spoke at some length of the
establishment of the Rumford Kitchen in
Boston by Mrs. Richards and Mrs. Abel. A
kitchen of this sort should be established in
! most. She also told OF the Rumford Kitch-
en- at the worlds fair where a beautifully
cooked luncheon, wholesome and attractive,
was served for % cents. The question of
cooking was also taken up at some length.
and Miss johnson prophesied that the time
would soon come when electricity will be
used entirely for cooking. 1t is the most
sensible and sanitary system and roasts
IL not consumed.
The Pleasant street diet kitchen is self
supporting. for the people in the neighbor-
hood realize the value of well-cooked and
attractive food and patronizef II freely.
They are taught cleanliness first Of ALL one
Of the first and most important lessons that
can be learned. Miss johnson went on to
talk Of the need for sanitary kitchens be-
ginning with sanitary plumbing. the substi-
tuition OF thing for wood on the floors and
sensible and fuel-saving cooking stoves In
Washington the cost of electricity is ex-
cessive, but IL all the women OF the town
would combine in a demand for electricity
for domestic purposes they would soon have
II at a reasonable price.
Some Quotations Answered.
At the close OF her more formal talk Miss
Johnson expressed her willingness to an
swer questions and many of the women in
the audience took advantage Of the oppor-
tunity to fire questions on all sorts of sub
jects at the authority. and with each ques-
ton as a text she made pleasant little
talks. giving her bearers a vast amount of
interestin Information. She took the
ground that men should know at least
something Of cooking subjects, For" said
she. the more a man knows about cooking
In his own home the less he talks about II. !"