Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-01
SCHOOL 70 TRAIN SERVANTS.
One Writer Thinks This the Only Rem
edy for the Present Situation.

lied and equipped for the thorough
training of servants in all branches oi
household work. In the first place II
should have facilities for teaching pu.
pills how to battle properly, to care for
their own bodies and their own clothes
1t should have different departments d
training, one for laundresses, another
for chambermaids, another for wait
resscs, another for cooks and another
for general homework servants, the last,
OF course, requiring a special condensed
course. On entrance young women or
girls should be classified as far as pos
sible, according to their general in.
telligence and ability as well as the en-
ployment for which they wish to be
fitted. The first work given should be
the washing of the kitchen-ware, the
sweeping of the kitchen, and the scrub
bling of the floor and tables-in short,
every pupil should be taught the work
of kitchen maid. After that, even
though she intends to fit herself for q
special department., she should DO
taught to sweep and dust carpeted
rooms, and next to do plain washing and
ironing, these being among the things
which every domestic should know how
to do well. ...
An ordinary dwelling-house might be
| utilized for the school, The basement,
which should be we'll lighted, could be
fitted up as laundry, capable of &C.
| commodating a large number of wom-
en-, to be classified as they advance in
skill in the department.. There must be
head laundress to look after those
under her, and inspectors to decide
when woman is capable of promotion.
In city of 5000 inhabitants such u
laundry might easily be made self-sup-
porting.
The first floor of the training school
should be devoted to the cooking de-
pal tment. 1t should have several kitch-
ems where women in different stages of
advancement could work, under an ex-
pert leader. The different departments
in cookery could be made self-support-
ing by having lunch counters where
men could go in with their dinner-pails
and have served to them from the
kitchens of the less skilled pupils hot
soup, tea, coffee and other plain food.
while restaurant of better class
might be sustained from the work Of
those who were more thoroughly
trained. Another source of income
might be secured by filling orders for
special dishes, or for whole meals. Set
ting a table, washing fine china, and
glass, and polishing silver could be
taught in connection with the restau-
rant.
The upper floors should consist of
parlor and various apartments, where
servants could be trained in cleaning,
busting, Misunderstanding, care of
lamps and all kinds of second work.
From this department servants could
be sent out by the hour or day to sweep,
dust or act as housemaids.
With the training given in this way
thoroughly competent laundress, If
she were fairly industrious and intel
perhaps six months. After the first
month she might be paid a small sum
for her services. The cooks might also
begin to have small wages after the
first month. Al least two years would
probably be required for cook to be
thoroughly trained in every branch Of
her work, from caring for her range
to doing fine cookery. Those who show
special capacity should be trained to
take the whole responsibility of plan
ming and cooking elaborate luncheons
and dinners, as we'll as in the mastery of
economical and healthful cookery for
everyday life. Wages should increase
with gain in skill. The cook would find
compensation for the longer course in
the high wages which her certificate
would enable her to demand. The time
required for training in any department
would depend upon intelligence and
adaptability.
The certificates given by the training
school should be proof of skill, COM
petence and integrity; they should stat,
exactly what the servant is fitted to do.
and they should be so conscientiously
given that househeeper might rest as
sured that she knew exactly the capa-
bilities of the servant. Throughout the
impress upon the pupils the idea of
moral obligation. Servants should be
made to realize the dignity of their
work, and the important part it's faith
full performance plays in the happiness
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 min
lister, and that it demands just as much
unselfshness and conscientiousness.
In this connection it might be well to es-
tablish training school for mistresses
and other members of the family, that
the idea of moral obligation might not
be all on one side.-Carrie Niles Whit
comb, in Century.
Her Dog az Baggage.