The weekly intelligencer., 1899-01-28
HOUSEHOLD THEORIES.
scIentinc Knowledge Is Not ss vaiu-
able as Practical Experi-
RuaR

There is nothing in the world easier
than TO lay out the work OF ether peo-
pie automatically. according to set
rules and method, and there are .
great many people who foolishly em-
ploy themselves in this manner to the
neglect OF that work which has been
given them 10 do on their own account
II is doubtful IL the world was ever
benefited much by the theories OF peo-
pie without practical experience to
guide them.
The woman who has never cooked,
who has never catered to the needs OF
family. cannot teach cooking to
others or give lessons in household
economy which will be Of practical
value. All the knowledge of chemistry
and of physiology that can be learned
is not worth The practical experience
OF one intelligent woman who has
toled successfully. however humbly,
in her kitchen. solving these problems.
| Invaluable as science Is in solving tho
problems OF the household, lis CHIEF
value is as an assistant TO practical ex-
perience. The goud sense and instinct
OF true motherhood, when guided by
experience, have proved far less falli-
BILE method OF dealing with household
problems than science has yet given
us. There are reasons for this. II men
and women were machines II would
be quite possible TO serve their needs
by exact methods. Households are
composed Of individuals, sensate be-
inps whose needs and whose condi-
tlons often vary infinitely from each
other. The problem OF each household
Is TO meet these individual needs, and
II must be forever a problem which
must be solved individually. Science
deals only with the average man, and
fails TO touch the needs Of some individ-
uals. What is proved to be the correct
food for the average man may be some
exceptional mans poison. 1t has been
. repeatedly proved that established the
. ories of food must be abandoned before
practical experience in individual cases.
: There are persons 10 whom strawber-
: ries are poisonous. and others who find
wholesome meat. and even milk, ma
: ture's so-called universal food,' indi-
4 gestible. All household problems,
T. like the problem of food, are
also more or less individual ones.
/, II depends largely upon the moth
er OF the family TO decide what
> is best for her own. She knows by long
n experience the individual needs OF each
child. She remembers that this one has
l. delicate throat, another, perhaps,
I, weak digestion. II is the fact that sh'
treats her family and selects their foo'
: from her knowledge Of their individu
D. ality that will always render the hom
A. table superior to that OF hotel. Tn
r. home table may be plain one, but lov
guides the caterer and dictates the es
" = penditures. II is arranged TO suit tn
needs OF the individual family, not o
is any set theory, It's for that reason
To- Is the most delightful and most who'll
Of some table in the world.
,n One shudders involuntarily over Il
physical degradation OF family Il
y. by theory, each day on just the core
= = scieiif ifi4ic sIfowaiiSS' !. .'z.S q
3. starches and fats. as at the thought 0
~ the table OF the young bride OF tn
Of comic song. who cooked food by chen
II ical formulae." Men are not willing I
u be treated like machines In matte
!. so vital and so individual, though ther
are q great many well-intentloned pee
d. pie who are forever attempting to sol'
y the problems of home by some ru
a. that will apply to all, The fact Is ~
NJ coming more and more apparent, ate
'n' years OF foolish experiment. to u
~. contrary, that men aud women are u
IN willing TO give up the individuality
m home to meet any theory OF what
:, best for them. The day is further awi
" than ever when they will be willing
be fed, housed aud clothed on al
~ les cheap universal pau.-N. Y. Tribune