The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-09-29
A School for Servants.

Women have been managing hus-
bands ever since the marriage of Eve,
but the founder of the Domestic Science
school at Syracuse set about to manage
the business men Of the city to put the
new venture on it's feet. The word chart
ty must not be connected with any such
school. or the prospective pupils would
tiout the project; therefore the business
principle Of Quld pro quo was adhered to
by Mrs. Larned. First, an equipped
kitchen of the latest pattern was need
ca. which luxury means an outlay of
$500 or $500. After a frank, practical
talk with the managers of the city gas
company, they decided to give to the
school the space in the back of their COM
modiOus store, and to equip it with gas
ranges and gas cooking tables, throwing
in the pots and pans as good measure.
The advantage to them was directing
the attention Of housekeepers to the use
| of gas ranges and of gas as a fuel.
The haphazard ways of cooking which
make an uncertainty of result, could
have no place in this scientific labora-
triumphantly wave a Drexel institute di-
ploma in the faces of the incredulous.
Her salary and her time were shared
with two other institutions for economy
was necessary in the experimental stage.
But money had to be raised, and this
is how it was done The local merchants
and newspapers were told of the scheme,
and were invited to contribute $40 each
the price Of years scholarship. BY
naming this for the donor, the money
was charged to advertising accounts. The
girl to whom was given the scholarship,
was living. cooking reminder of the
| firms interest in. the growth Of improve
ment. AS matter Of fact, it is not diff
cult to persuade man to help cause
ich hoe re- nhiact the elevation OF
the standard of his table.
HOuSekeepers, too, subscribed to schol-
arships in the experimental year of the
Syracuse school. and appointed women
to fill them. sometimes faithful servant
worthy the outlay. and sometimes the
daughter Of the house who contemplated
matrimOny. | saw one Of the latter at
work Oh her first lesson in frying. There
was every reason why she should know
how to cook, for her tance was to take
her to Il prairie ranch where she would
be maid as we'll as mistress. Her task
was to form some cold oatmeal into GRO
quotes, and coat them with the neces-
sary egg and crumbs, a performance not
above the ability Of the hOuSewOrker
and whose dough is moistened earth and
yet this young woman, blushing with
embarrassment, spoiled SIX croquetteS
before she rolled and fried one that was
catable.
The school opened with three classes Of
sixteen each, and many OH the waiting
list, and the pupils were from all classes,
the scholarship girls, many Of whom
were clerks in shops. young ladies Of So
ciety, one or two liberal-minded house
keepers, and many ambitious women
who were working at domestic service,
and who regarded the $40 course as Il
good business investment. This mixture
Of classes would make trouble if wise
head and kind hand did not do the guild
ing. AS it is in Syracuse, proficiency in
the class counts, and not social standing,
and the two great divisions Of house
keepers and house-helpers smooth over a
word that has unjustly become term of
ignomiEy. So long as the servility Of
domestic labor is pronounced, 1t is impos-
sible to secure operatives who have intel
ligence to succeed at anything else.
AS the school grew, waitress class
was organized. and one for dietetic cook
cry, which brought in group of nurses:
and these things still continue. Each
year there is rigid examination, when
questions are asked which few house
keepers could answer, and those who are
worthy receive dlplou'as.-Helep g. Can
dee IN AjuAlce'e,