The Portland daily press., 1896-12-07
A COOKING SCHOOL.
A Strong Sentiment in Favor of One.

A Strong Sentiment in Favor of One.
The w. L, u Much Interested-What Mem
bers of the school Committee Say
About 1t.
There Is at the present tilae senti-
ment among the ladies of the Women's
Literary Union az to tie need and value
Of introd ucing as an adjunct to our sys-
tsm Of education i'll this city, school
iu which the girls of the first and second
grammar school cinsses can receive in
struction IN the art of cooking. The
ladies maintain that the boys have the
advantage of a manual training school
and point with IA certain degree OF pride
to the results accomplished in that
school. and argue furthar that the girls
should have similar advantages. The
question has been discussed at some
length by the school board, but no action
has as yet been taken by that BODY either
in the direction of recognizing the move
ment or Encouraging the project. The
PRESS wishing to present to its readers
au expression of the opinion OF the school
COMMITTEES a reporter was sent to inter
view the several members of the board.
The general opinion of the committee
is that school of this kind is good
thing, but that whether or not 1t should
be public institute n and maintained
by municipal funds is another question.
The prevailing opinion of the commit
tee seems to be that the expense Of run
ming schools of a technical nature is
great, and that the city would be called
upon to assume this additional expense.
;. They further believe that if the city
has any reserve funds for educational
expenses that the major portion of the
money should be used in the direction of
increasing the salaries Of the teachers,
the result of which would be to increase
the efficiency of our schools. from the
fact that teacher well paid for their
service have naturally an increased in
terest In their work, the result of which
is to obtain better scholarship. But to
the story obtained from the various
mem bers of the committee:
Mr.. Z. L. Talbot was of the opinion
that a cooking school would be good
thing. There is certain value obtained
from the. instruction of these technical
stud les. GAS to the city assuming sths
expense of maintaining such instruction,
said Mr.. Talbot, 81 am not inclined to
Thick that we are in position to do SO.
The expense Of equipping room as 1T
ought to bs would undoubtedly be about
$500 andsthe cost of employing .compe-
tent instructors would be great each year.
Properly these branches of technical In
struotion should be maintained by
private enterprise and certain qualidoa-
tions demanded of students wishing this
instruction. The ladies who. are interest
ed in this movement evidently are not
fully aware of the cost of maintaining
such instruction, in my opinion.
MIR. A. B. Hall said: 'sThe matter
has never been brought formally before
the committee, but if 1T is, as 1t proba-
bly, will be.soon. shall then be prepared
to speak more intelligently on the sub
ject after having learned more OF the
scope Of the work. The WORK is good
one end would be valuable help in our
system of education, but the question
hinges on the ability to provide the
funds for its maintenance.
Mr.. W. M. Bradley was asked to ex-
press his opinion and said; "The man.
ual training and the cooking schools are
good things for technical education. The
question is, first, as to how far and for
what q municipality is responsible In the
way OF education for Its students. Again
tha question of the ability of city or
state to provide the means for such edu-
cation should be considered, The state
is responsible for the education Of it's in
habitants and above all things should
give an education that will tend to make
better men and citizens. Thsre is danger
of drifting from the true education BY
introducing SO many OF these technical
studies into our system of education.
The manual training and cooking schools
are of great value but 1t seems to me
they should be maintained as private
enterprises. II the plan now suggested
by the ladies Is oarriedsout for year IL
is probable that thensths CITY would be
called on to support the enterprise and
| do not believe we are able to do that. "
MIR. George Fl. Allan said: "The idea
of establishing a cooking school is good
one but am of the opinion that the city
is not in a position to maintain such
course of instruction. If we have any
surplus funds they should be used insthe
direction of increasing the salaries OF
our tea cheers who are now underpsid for
their service 1t would seem that the
nroper move in this ma tier would be to
have spoial building erected in CEN
sral part of the CT ty, and ussd for In
truction in manual training, and in the
art of cooking. the pupils of the arstiand
second class grammar schools Ito be al
lowed one afternoon In every week or ten
days for instruction in these technical
branches of education; also, that the
students ofsthe fourth class in the High
school pursuing the English course y of