Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-02-22
Cooking in the Public Schools.
The Young Ladies Cook and Serve a Luncheon
Before Public Visitors.
THESE ARE The WIVES OF The FUTURE.

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Last Friday afternoon the cooking class
of the City Public Schools gave a practical
illustration of their work by preparing and
serving a luncheon for the School Board,
Superintendent Bader and representatives
of the city press. 1t will be remembered
that with the beginning of this session there
was introduced in our public schools an
additional department for practical educa-
tion, consisting of instruction in cooking,
Miss Alice I. Bragg of Cambridge, Mass,
a graduate of the Boston Cooking School,
was put in charge of this department and
pursued her work with such immediate
success, that the School Board were soon
convinced of the wisdom of their new de-
parture.
1t was to demonstrate this more fully
and publicly, that luncheon was given
last week. Professor Bader having visit
ed other practical schools, is himself much
interested in this department of manual
training and wished the public to under
stand more fully what is being done for
the practical education of it's children.
When the visitors arrived at the Public
School Building they were told to "walk
right into the Kitchen" and so they did,
for they were to witness the preparation Of
the meal as well as the serving thereof.
Miss Bragg, the teacher, soon made US feel
at ease, and babe us be at home. We were
in beehive of workers in a kitchen, but
it resembled more well kept drawing
room, save for the cooking apparatus and
furniture. Everything was scrupulously
neat and the cooking utensils were bright
as new pins. The cooking school, ''-for
so it is calIed-is the old Office formerly
occupied by DR.. Shelton, to which an L has
been added, and it makes very comfortable
quarters. A long table stretched the
length of the room, in the center of which
were the gas stoves, a modern cooking
range, cupboard and other smaller furni-
ture. made up the interior of the de-
partment. When we arrived, the class Of
ten young ladies had already begun work.
They all-including the teacher-wore
white aprons, caps and sleeve protectors,
and with the back ground Of dark dresses
looked as neat as the mattresses at a
church fair. But as for that, everything
was neat.-tidiness seemed the striking
feature in fact-fitting here and there,
sitting flour, making bread, broiling meats,
frying potatoes, and everything else usually
done in kitchen, by so many youthful
cooks, and yet not a particle Of dust, OIL a
drop of grease could be seen. We under
stood then for the first time how some
northern families can cook and dine in the
same room and withal keep carpet on the
| floor. @@
Miss Bragg said she would explain few
points while the meal was being prepared.
sly GU see," she said, "there is no confu-
sion, and as 1 am merely experimenting
to-day, can look on with you. The young
ladies are preparing the luncheon without
assistance from me, and you will soon see
the old theory exploded, that too many
cooks spoil the BROTH. This class is from
Prof. Zerr's room and has had only 16 les
sons. Another class comes from MI.
Weaver's room, and then there are two
classes from the colored school-each class
having different days of the week. The
pupils in each instance are taken from the
high school, as it is in these grades that
the proper age and size is found that en-
ables them to become appreciative and eff
Gent There seems a general misappre-
hension as to the extravaganza Of running
cooking school,, fol- l am frequently ask
ed what becomes of the waste. Practical
ly speaking, we have no waste. Mere spec
| linen dishes are prepared, just enough to
serve the purpose of teaching, and when
the cooks have finished tasting, there is
nothing left. 1t would surprise you to
know that our grocery and meat bills for a
! whole month for all the classes, rarely
stoves never runs over $3.50 per month.
So you see that, considering the number of
pupils taught. the cost is reduced to
minimum. My pupils are taught to pre-
pare a meal, including dessert, in one and
half hours, while with unframed cooks a
whole morning is usually consumed.
"What we aim to teach, lis method in prac-
tical house work, economy of time, labor
and material, and neatness, efficiency,
and system in all things. Look at
them now, you will observe
they are as careful with their meas
urements in following recipes, as drug
gist is in compounding prescription.
And so it was, just as Miss Brag said
their exactness was most striking and that
too in the face of a critical company of
spectators, that, as she added, "confuses
them somewhat
The guests were so entertained that the
time soon passed, and when luncheon was
announced, were prepared to ''prove the
pudding by the tasting thereof The
luncheon was delightfully."- and daintily
served in courses. with the following
menu: Celery soup. Dreaded lamb chops,
with tomato sauce; potato croquettes,
Turkish pillau, turnips, biscuits; and prune
whip, apple fritters and lemon sauce for
dessert.
| After the meal the visitors thanked Miss
Bragg and Supt. Bader for the pleasant
and practical way they had demonstrated
the successful methods of manual educa-
ton.
Maj. Hotchkiss, in an informal talk to
the young ladies, expressed the sentiments
Of the company. In concluding he said
sin future [ shall suggest to the young
men that in selecting wife they make it a
sine qua non, that she shall have attended
tbo Stannton Puhlic (,ookinU School ;,
The course taught embraces two terms
and is complete. When not engaged with
the cooking school, Miss Bragg is engaged
with her sewing classes which are also
| n, inC ouoo1lant proerrocc T., tha ~, opno1