The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-02
II AIMING SCHOOL FOR SERVANTS.
One Writer Thinks This the Only
Remedy for the Present Situation.
in the Century.

G. n. Whitcomb, in the Century.
Such a school should be we'll organized
and equipped for the thorough training of
servants in all branches of household
work. In the first place it should have IA
properly, to care for their own bodies and
for their own clothes. 1t should have diff
ferent departments of training, one for
laundresses, another for chambermaids
another for Mattresses, another for cooks,
and another for general homework SER
wants, the last, of course, requiring a spe-
cial condensed course. On entrance young
women or girls should be classified as far
as possible, according to their general in
ployment for which they wish to be fitted.
The first work given should be the wash
ing of the kitchen ware. the sweeping of
the kitchen. and the scrubbing of the floor
and tables-in short, every pupil should be
taught the work of a kitchen maid. After
that, even though she intends to fit herself
for a special department, she should be
aught to sweep and dust carpeted rooms.
and next to do plain washing and ironing,
domestic should know how to do well.
An ordinary dwelling house might be
which should be well lighted, could be fitted
up as a laundry capable of accommodating
a large number of women, to be classified
as they advance in skill in the department..
There must be a head laundreSS to look
after those under her and inspectors to de-
eide when a woman is capable of promo
ton. In a city of 5000 inhabitants such a
laundry might easily be made self-support-
The first floor of the training school
ment. 1t should have several kitchens
where the women in different stages of adj
vancement could work under an expert
leaders The different departments in cook
cry could be made se~lf-supporting by hav-
ing lunch counters where men could go in
with their dinner pals and have served to
them from the kitchens of the less skilled
pupils hot soup, tea, coffee and other plain
food, while a restaurant of a better class
might be sustained from the work of those
who were more thoroughly trained. An
Otner source OF income might be secured
by filling orders for special dishes or for
w whehing m fne china ae't andd glass T 5a 9nd n wiaifing;
silver could be taught in connection with
the restaurant
Tor, and various apartments. where ser
wants could be trained in cleaning, busting.
kinds of second work. From this depart
ment servants coula be sent out by the
hour or day to sweep, dust, or act as
With the training given in this way a
thoroughly competent laundress, if she
worker. should be graduated in perhaps six
months. After the first month she might
be paid a small sum for her services. The
after the first month. At least two years
would probably be required for a cook. to
her work. from caring for her range to do
ing fine cookery. Those who show special
capacity should be trained to take the
whole responsibility of tanning and cook
ing elaborate luncheons and dinners, as
well as the mastery of economical and
healthful cookery for everyday life. Wages
should increase with gain in skill. The
cook would find compensation for the long
err course in the high wages which her GER
~ti1cate would enable her to demand. The
time required for training in any depart
ment would depend upon intelligence and
adaptability.
The certificates given by the training
school should be proof of skill. competence,
and integrity; they should state exactly
what the servant is fitted to do. and they
should be so conscientiously given that a
h~ousekeeper might rest assured that she
knew exactly the capabilities of the ser
want. Throughout the course earnest effort
should be made to impress upon the pupils
the idea of moral obligation. Servants
should be made to realize the dignity of
their work. and the important part its
faithful performance plays in the happi-
ness and health of the home. and so of
the nation. They should be taught that
their work is as essential to the moral and
physical well-being of humanity as that of
the teacher, the doctor, or the minister,
and that it demands just as much unset
fshness and onscientiousness In this
connection it might be we'll TO establish a
training school for mistresses and other
members of the family, that the idea of
moral obligation might not be all on one
side.