The Advocate and news., 1899-01-25

I'D W OV WOuou anu 5AAAo WIZ WoAb uRS1
as many tables. He has to keep record
of the time Of each person, see that sub
stltutes are provided in case Of absence
from sickness or other cause, and In gen
eral spread such gentle and benign in
fluence being meanwhile so thoughtful
and proVident as to maintain constant
harmony, peace and plenty. In addition,
the stranger within our gates" Is his
especial care, and he sees that shelter
and food fall to his portion. From this
you can easily see that the position OF
landlord is no sinecure and IL you be
keen you will also learn that, whether
visitor or member, 1t is wise and well to
smile oft and sweetly upon this man OF
power.
Meals are served at a. M, II noon
and 5. p. m, the whistle blowing at each
named hour to indicate that it is time to
assemble.
Each table seats 10 people, and each
person has, by common consent, his OF
her regular place, families naturally
grouping together.
At the close of the meal each waiter
carries a pan of hot water to her table
and washes the dishes, Immediately re-
placing them where they belong. In
about 20 minutes all the mass OF dishes
is disposed of and order restored.
When one Is i'll, or for any reason
wishes a meal or meals at home basket
can be taken to the kitchen and supplies
Of all food prepared are given out. Sim
liar provision is made for mothers
/ taking home bread, milk, ETC., with
which to supply the needs Of small chill
dren in the intervals between the meals
Any one who gets hungry can at any
time obtain food by going to the kitchen
and asking for it. There is never need
for anyone to be hungry in Ruskin.
"And how does this cooperative
housekeeping wOrlI?" That Is always the
first question, as, indeed, 1t always Is in
regard to everything in Ruskin. Theo-
ries are all very well, but what are the
results of practical tests? OF course, we
do not feel that we have attained perfec-
tion. Many are looking forward to
time when our increased material re-
sources will render it possible to have
more and smaller dining-rOOms and
greater quietude-even separate rooms
for each family we hope some day to at
tain, and to be able like the people IN
Looking Backward" to order exactly
what we please, when we please, and
how we please, and have it served where
and how we please.
These, however, are dreams OF the fu-
ture and meanwhile we feel that we have
well solved the problem of Tightening the
awful burden that crushes the life and
spring out of the women OF the nation, by
the application of the principal for which
we in Ruskin stand--co-operatiOn.
We have proven that women as well
as men can work together with lessenine
of labor and advantage to themselves.
Under the old plan Of the isolated
kitchen each woman is by herself, like
lonely Robinson CrusOe on a separate
island working out her own destiny with
out companlOnship or aid.
In the far-away farmhouse where
thronging cares Oppress and little time
and great distance preclude communi-
cation with others, many fOrlorn crea-
ture might echo from the depths Of her
heart the cry:
Il am out Of humanity's reach,
must finish my journey alone,
Never hear the sweet music Of speech,
start at the sound OF my own"
Here, constant association gives inter-
est and warmth and brightness to life
while the continual contact with others
develops the adaptability and brOadens
the views and deepens the tolerance OF
such.
Working together each discovers that
her especial way OF setting a table, OF
peeling vegetable is not the only and
infallible method, and that from every
one she can learn something.
Woman as well as man is q social
animal, and for her cooperation is bet
ter than indlvidualism. We were never