The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-28
Industrial Schools Will
Solve the Domestic Problem

At the recent meeting of the Brming-
ham Federation, the servant question was
under discussion, Mrs. E. T. Taliaferro'
principal of the Pollock-Stephens, leading
the discussion. Mrs. Taiaferro was uneX-
pectedly called upon in the absence OF Mrs
j. A. VanHoose, who was expected to talk
upon domestic problems. Mrs. Taiiaferro
spoke most Interestingly of this subject
which is SO important one to all women,
and in a subsequent interview she dwelt
upon the mission of industrial schools
which she says will do more to solve the
problem than any other agency.
LAS a matter of fact said Mrs. Talia-
ferro, 1.-THE comfort and well being of both
spiritual and physical depend on domestic
scince. This is a humiliating admission, but
it is true, and will remain true as long as
the social conditions are what they are.
Almost every family in the south keeps one
or more servants, and these servants, as
rule, are taken from the ranks of that race
whose ancestors were transplanted to this
sell as slaves to our forefathers. These
servants as a rule" she continued, "are
raw recruits, for the negroes have had,
since the emancipation of the slaves, little
or no training as domestic servants They
spend an idle youth and then when they
reach the age of self-support they fall in
trouble in every way, and the long-suffering
mistresses must take just what service
these psuedo servants will give"
Mrs. Taliaferro told an amusing story of
an old colored aUntie of Virginia, who de-
plored the inefficiency, deficiency and gen.
eral retrogression of the rising generation
of her own race. "De niggers," she said,
done turn such fools, I am sorry General
Lee ever sot 'em free"
II am not exactly prepared to agree with
this old auntie,' said Mrs. Talfaerro, ''but
her words raised within me another line
of thought, and that is, are the mistresses
all hat ch no 7 HOY
encouraged to think that a partial solution
at least of the difficulty is to be found
in the outcome of the industrial schools for
domestic servants that are growing out of
the needs of the times, and of the needs
of the people,
Mrs. Taliaferro referred to st. Marks In
dustrial School for coored girls which has
been established in Birmingham ut is the
result" she said, "of woman's sympathy
and generosity
"A New York woman became interested
in the plans of Mr.. VanHoose to provide
industrial as we'll as educational training
for worthy and deserving gils In all, she
has placed in the hands of the bishop,
through Mr.. VanHoose about $11 $780, of
which $1,000 was given last January In
the basement will be situated the kitchen,
pantry dining room, laundry, ironing and
drying rooms. On the first floor will be
the sewing room, parlor, library, Office and
recitation rooms. On the second floor will
be the dormitories, teachers rooms, bath
rooms, linen room, and lockers for the girls
clothing.
Cooking, washing ironing, dressmaking.
including cutting, fitting, trimming of hats,
care of the dining room, crockery, linen,
making up beds, cleaning and arranging of
rooms, the simple instruction in nursing
and caring for the injured, and sick, will
be taught"
During this summer continued Mrs
Taliaferro, "the interior of the building will
be completed, and the bishop hopes to have
the school in full operation by September
next.
There are fifty day pupils, the ages of
the pupils ranging from to IS years
Academic instruction has been carried on
in the school since 1891, the range of study
being from the primary to about the sew
enth grade in the public schools
These interesting statistics" said Mrs.
Taliaferro, have been furnished by Mr..
VanHoose."