Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1896-05-14

f ! i
Capt. F. L. Pitts, of Monroe Coun
Another Field For College Women.
The following will be of interest,
especially to those of our readers who
are acquainted with Miss Linnie ALI
sons method of teaching cooking at
Hardin College:
The modern development of nursing
as profession is notable instance
of the growth of supply in response
to a demand. The trained physician
called for the trained nurse. In an
swer to this call women fitted them
selves for scientific nursing; and as
the demands of the profession are met
most successfully by women OF char
acter and culture, such women are
now foremost in the ranks. A similar
demand has arisen recently in another
field. The scientific teaching of house
hold economies is felt to be need of
the time, and in consequence there is
a call for women of education and
special training in this subject. A few
able women have realized the oppor-
tunity afforded them in this field, but
the number of such workers is not
sufficient to meet the present need. 1t
is to be hoped that other women of
ability may come to understand the
possibilities of the new profession.
The demand is widespread and
urgent. In all parts of the country
educators are asking for women who
can organize and successfully carry on
departments of domestic science. The
calls come from public schools, man
ual training and industrial schools
and colleges. The Board of Education
in a Canadian town has applied re-
Gently for women able to initiate
work in domestic science in the public
schools. In Western University the
faculty stands ready to cooperate
| with woman who can develop
logical and practical course in house.
hold economics. Many such instances
could be cited to show the extent and
nature of the demand.
The work required in many cases
has all the difficulties of the initial
stage in any new undertaking. Pion-
eer work has still to be done, although
for number of years cooking, house,
hold hygene and sewing have been
taught to some extent under the name
of domestic science, domestic art or
household economics. The educational
value of domestic science, the logical
arrangement of the course and its
place in the curriculum are not widely
recognized nor even definitely de-
termined. A superintendent may be
sufficiently IN sympathy with the work
to introduce it in his school, but he
depends upon the special teacher for
the planning of the course and equip
ping of the laboratory; and he must
even turn to her for information as to
the scope of the subject, the grades in
which it should be taught and the
amount of time it requires on the
school programme.
1t is clear that such work as this
cannot be done by women unable to
take the initiative. Until the super
in.endent and the public know what
they want the teacher of household
economics must be able to enlighten
both, and she must be able to put her
ideas into effect. The woman in i'm
mediate demand has a clear mind,
liberal education, executive ability,
experience of life and technical train
| ing as a teacher. Too great emphasis
cannot be placed on the last named
requirement. To quote the principal
of Western school: "One year we
had in charge of domestic science a
woman who was good cook, but who
could not teach; the next year a
woman who discoursed learnedly on
scientific matters, but who was not an
educator" Another principal, in in
, auiring as to the ability of a teacher OF
cooking, writes: "Where did she OBJ
: tain her literary and professional
training?"
Educators are seeking for trained
women. Training schools desire
women of ability as students for this
line of work. If, then, college women
would recognize the necessity anc
dignity of household economics, ano
add special training in its teaching tc
collegiate training, they would fns
abundant opportunity for the use o
their best powers. The woman thu
trained will receive compensation
comparing favorably with that il
other fields open to women; and sh'
will find herself abreast of the bes
thoughts of the time and in touch will
its noblest acuvities-for such work i
becoming an essential factor in th'
modern movement toward better So
leial conditions.