Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-01
Cooking and nou.ework in the schools.

Miss Parloa contributed an interesting
article on this subject to the October
number of the American Kitchen mag
azine. After some general remarks on
the value of manual training. she says in
regard to the teaching of domestic
Our homes are laboratories. where
chemical processes are going on every
day, and why should not the principles OF
chemistry and the knowledge of botany
the pupils are learning in their regular
course be made clear and abiding in the
mind by an immediate application TO
practical cooking and housework. The
theory and practical application should
be given in the schools; and stated
number of hours should be devoted TO
practice work in the home. and each
month there should be report from botn
pupil and mother. The aim of all this In
struction should be to make the woman
of the future broader. stronger and freer
than she now is; she should. through her
knowledge, be able to control hersen ana
the forces with which she has to deal,
and not waste herself and substance IN
vain experiments and failures. All work
should be idealized as much as possible;
so much depends upon the manner IN
which "A subject is presented. II the
young girl is brought to see the infinite
pains taken by Nature and man to pro-
duce the material which she manipulates
or cares for. shall she not treat 1t with
greater respect and care. and shall she
not feel the great responsibility OF being
the last one to give ii the master touch!
1t must always be kept in mind that
housekeeping should be fine art ana
that at some time every girl may he
called upon to help make the home. and
that she should not look upon the duties
of homemaker as irksome or beneath the
highest or best effort.
Miss Parloa thinks that housework can
be introduced into the public schools ~
the same way that cooking was-by pri-
vate experimental schools. She says:
1t would be both unwise and useless to
ask school boards to adopt a new branch
of education before its use and feasiDli,,
ity have been demonstrated by practical
working. Certainly it is not asking t00
much of school board that II should
consider the subject. and, If the future
of the schools and the country would O.
greatly benefited by this branch OF ed
tested in one or more schools. ms, l
think. should be asked for houseworK'
domestic economy. or domestic science
which ever term it may seem best 70 en-.
ploy: for after all, there Is something IN
name The work should be carefully
planned that 1t may mt into the scnv ss.
system without disturbing the re9ulaI
school work l would suggest that mousse
work come before cooking. or in the same
year with cooking.
The course of lessons as outlined should
include
1. The air we breathe: under which
will come: Composition of air: its uses
its relation to health; how to ventilate..
g Water: What constitutes pure wal
er; now IL Is OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
etc.
g. Houses we live in: situation; pure az
foundation sunlight; materials-Dufid-
ing; finish: plumbing.
l. Furnishing of the house: simple and
of kind that will not hold dust or odors;
some idea of the value of form. color anu
materials in furnishing. The genuine ar
ticie rather than cheap limitations OF !.
costly thing. Here is an opportunity 70
cultivate the taste for simple and honest
living.
5. HousewOrk: the treatment OF Wooa'
work. paint carpets. rugs. bare noCrs.
furniture, beds and bedding, cookins
utensils. table service. Some knowbe0se
of the work of the laundry.