The herald., 1894-10-11
trating its importance as a means of

trating its importance as means OF
| education.
Mira. Wadleigh OF Whittier impressed
the necessity of the library as a means
to promote culture. the educational
necessities being looked after by the
| school demands on 1t.
Mrs. May2aret Hughes spoke forcibly
OF the advisability of voting bonds for
| library use and Mre. Spulding closed
with g few trenchant words that it
should be drawn away from and kept
out OF roitics, Immediately after which
the meeting was adjourned until p. m.
Artsrnoon Session.
Standing room only was bo had
shortly after 2 O'Clock. Apparently the
American Kitchen was subject that
appealed directly to large number OF
hearts. Whether the hope OF learning in
what respect the American might differ
from the French or any othsr kitchen,
whether it was the sssbilty OF getting
some new recipes, whether it was be-
cause it was the last session. certain it
is that Music hall was crowded to euffo-
cation and, after prayer by Mrs. Nc
Lain. and the regular hymn, the only
speaker OF the afternoon was introduced,
Mrs. MA. Parker o. San Diego, who opened
her paper by saying that "The ideal
home of tho future would be home
without kitchen. That a majority of
Housewives, amid all the woes and
worries of modern housekeeping, doubt
less desired that such might be the
case. II once the question of the
Kitchen, with it's never-ending round OF
careg, could be disposed Of, life would
be worth living. The manifold perplex-
inies of modern housekeeping are not
exaggerations, they are literal facts, and
have a depressing influence on
woman'e life. But there is no condition
OF lie beyond possibility OF improve
ment. According to the theory OF evo-
ultion. without special Providencal guild
ance or human Intervention there, is gen.
eral progress. American Institutions are
not went to wait for the slow process OF
evolution, and the Arasfican kitchen aa
an institution that exista In the present
cannot be left to iteelf. It's most trouble.
some factor is the question OF servants.
1t Is no longer complaint, merely it
has become scourge, plague, the bane
OF domestic life. Before any successful
efforts can be made for improving the
inquiry regarding the causes that have
produced the existing conditions. Many
factors have entered into the problem,
viz: larger liberty, the equalization OF
classes, one-sided development in edu-
cational methods, and the lowering of
Homework to the plane of menial serv-
ice. Before education became general
among the masses q healthier sentiment
prevailed regarding manual labor,
and we can but deplore any bias in
education that makes us lose sight OF
the dignity OF labor. 1t doee not follow
that other forms OF labor are less honor
able because OF our preference for some
particular work, and why the sentiment
should prevail that housework is the
least honorable of employ for
women is beyond comprehension. Many
women prefer starvation OF crime to
household labor, and chooos what 10
called genteel labor at starvation wages,
to housework with tho stigma attached.
AS a consequence while properly quali-
fed servants arc becoming moro and
more OF q necessity they are correspond
ingly hard to obtain. Ii we expect work.
ing women to leave other avenues OF em-
ploy ment to enter our kitchens, we must
in some degree simpify our manner OF
living ana elevate homework to the plane
OF paid labor in other departments.
Painstaking effort with the simplest de-
tails is necessary to effect results in any
walk Of life, as necessary in the kitchen
as in other departments of labor. There
ia no labor more honorable, and none
that requires 90 little physical strain
where system and order prevail. There
is no valid ieaeon why this department
hAVx Il fN,r II
fusion, in the hands of unframed and
ignorant foreigners, while 80 many needy
women in every city could fill theso
places If they only would. When we
bring wisdom, intelligence and an en-
lightened conscience more largely into
our domestic life we may hope to see
the American kitchen elevated to the
plane possible for it and where il prop.
erly belongs.
Active and enthusiastic discussion fol.
lowed this paper, many devotses to the
subject giving each her personal ex-
perience with this complicated and
complex question.
The resolution drawn to express the
sorrow of the parliament for the death
of Oliver Wendell Holmes was rsad
and adopted, bv the singing of one
verse OF Nearer My God to Thee.
Annual election Of officers followed,
when the session adjourned.
THE NEW OFFICERS.
The election of officers resulted as fol-
lows:
President, Mira. Elmra Stephens; gen.
eral secretary, Mrs. Mary s. Gibson;
treasurer, Miss NJ. f. Wills.
San Diego couRty-District vice-presi-
dent, Mrs. Flora Kimball; district Sec
retary, Mrs. N. A. Parker.
San Observation-Disclosures vice. presi-
dent, Mrs. Margaret Howard White;
district secretary, Mre. R. B. Haddon.
Orange county-District vice.presi-
dent, Mrs. M. Tillotson; district secre.
tarv, Mrs. Lizzie H. Mills.
Ventura county-District vice-presi-
dent, Mrs. Letitia O. Tyler; secretary,
Mrs. Annie Baker.
Santa Barbara--Datrict vice. presi-
dent, Mrs. Emily G. Wright; district
secretary, Miss Susan Wade.
Los Angeles county = District vice.
president, Mrs. Emily Collin Brady; dis
trict secretary, Mrs. Marie G. Tslmage.
Riverside county District vice-presi-
dent, Mrs. E. j. Davis; district secre.
tary, Mre. w. E. Hewitt.
Reception by tho Friday Morningites.
The members of the Friday Morning
club last evening displayed their ap-
proval and interest in the Woman's par
lament, which has been in session the