The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-12
SUMMER SCHOOL.
Dread Institutes Spe-
cial Course to
Begin.
H. D. PERKY TALKS.
Most Successful Nations
Are Those Having
Best Cookery.

science, will close Wednesday, June 2S,
and one week later, Thursday, July 6,
a summer school of six weeks duration
win begin. Already preparations are
under way which bid fair to prove es-
pecially popular with the housekeepers
Of Worcester and vicinity, as its course
is to include practice work and demon
strations in cookery and lectures on
the history of food, physiology, sani-
tation, the feeding Of infants and chill
dren and other features of household
science. AS many Worcester women
have already expressed a desire to at
tend the summer school the utmost
possible will be done to make the school
of especial service to those who are
not so situated as to come for the en-
tire regular school course.
AS The Spy has previously said the
existing first term of the school is
proving brilliant success. The stu
dents representing as they do most of
the states of the union, are unreserved
in their praises of the institution, its
teachers, Worcester and it's people,
One thing is particularly noticeable
and that is the enthusiasm of the stu
dents for their chosen field of study
and work. They recognize that domes-
tic science in America is at its best in
crude and undeveloped condition and
that the field offers the widest oppor-
tunity for trained and intelligent work.
ers.
Speaking of American household sci
ence and the degree of its intelligence,
there Is widespread expression
throughout the country for more and
better information on the subject and
wider recognition of the fact that the
science is one of the fundamental fac
tors OF the country's material life
In his lecture on the history of foods
at the Dread President Henry d. Per
ky has pointed out that those countries
possessing the Wisest and most pro-
gressiYe domestic science are the
strongest and most prosperous. The
stagnant, unprogressive and standstill
nations of the world, says President
Perky, are those which have no intel
ligent domestic science. The fact is
pertinent to every one who will give
the subject moments thought.
Continuing, President Perky said:
China is a dying nation. Already the
stronger powers of the world are how
ering over her like so many vullures
getting ready to dismember her ere the
breath of life leaves her. Now China
has no domestic science Were the Chi
nese women good housekeepers the
history of the world warrants us in say
ing that she would not be today dy-
ing nation. Her neighbor, Japan. is
wonderfully alive and progressive.
That country's women are in a sense
smart housekeepers They provide diff
ferent and far better food for their
households than do the Chinese.
To come nearer home, reference need
only be had to the current literature
of the day to learn that the political
world regards the condition of Italy
as simply desperate. She is a country
to which nature has given, seemingly.
every bounty; yet we have it on the
testimony of her own writer's and off,
Gals, that the people are miserably and
insufhciently fed. Flour pastes such
as macaroni, spaghetti, and vermicelli.
constitute their chief living. The flour
pastes of the Italians can only be made
by the removal of the wheat's most nl1-
tritive principles, and as if this was not
bad enough in itself, the Italians pre-
fer these pastes and practically all their
other foods sour, rancid and fermented
Every one acquainted With Italian
life in America knows how large is
their quest for stale bread. This is not
because of a possible cheapness of such
bread, but because it is sour and on the
high road to putrefaction. Practically
all writers on Italy and it's people tell
that it's households are reeking masses
of filth and nastiness. In short, Italy
is a country without a domestic science,
and the only thing that ywill save her
from utter destruction is the establish
ment of an intelligent household
science. A little the worst comment l
have ever heard on Italian cookery is
by the writer and traveller, De Aniicis,
an Italian himself, who says ne has
known many Spaniards to have their
stomachs turned at the sight Of italian
macaroni and gravy. Now If there is
anything in the way of food that will
turn a Spaniard's stomach, it must in
deed be bad.
The writer's of all nations are practi-
cally a unit in saying that Spanish
cookery is abominably bad. Alexander
Dumas, the French writer, tells that
he preferred to go hungry in Spain, and
such is the testimony of others. Ac-
cording to its own statistics, Spain has
no homes in the true sense of that
word. OF its ten or more million wO-
men, only 100000 can read or write.
The cities of Spain report that they
have 51,946 professional women beg
gars. While three-fourths of the people
are compelled to follow agricultural
pursuits, they detest the life and the
agriculture of the country is deplorably
bad.
Holland is a country that presents
the other side of the picture. She has
a domestic science, and, with one pos
sible exception the best in the world
No people have done more for human
ity and civilization than the Dutch.
Rev. DR.. Griffis told in Piedmont
Church, the other evening. of their in
calculable service to this country.
Holland is strong, progressive, pros
porous. Above all, her people are SUI
premely happy and contented. His
home is all in all to the Netherlander.
Housekeeping is an exact science there,
and even the young queen, Wilhefmina.
was early taught all that in any man
ner pertains to household life.
The foods of the Dutch are in the
main of the kind that properly build
the soul. body and mind. No matter
where you go if this feature of proper
food is lacking. ultimate bankruptcy of
manhood and womanhood results. 1t
is true of Italy and Spain. The re-
verse are the conditions in Holland and
Switzerland.
Domestic science is not as it should
be in this country. 1t is extravagant,
careless and lacking IN direction. What
are the mothers of the land going to do
in this matter? Rather what are they
doing to make their daughters good
and efficient housekeepers? A nation
or country is but a collection Of homes
and individuals. The home is the unit.
If it Is a well managed home, the COM
munity and country is the stronger
thereby Any woman who marries and
begins life's battle with a thorough
knowledge of what constitutes correct
housekeeping. is not only OF worth to
herself and family, but to the COM
munitv and nation