Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-10-12

Mrs. Kate ID. Estabiook Miss SawtclI,
being in Paris, where she is studying
The report on travelling libraries wa!
given by Miss Lucia Ii. Connor o.
Fairfield
The afternoon session was closed by
a discussion, Shall We Continue tt
Have Club Reports at the Annua
Meeting" the affirmative being led by
Mrs. Fannie l.. Crosby and the mega
tive by Mrs. j. A. Clarke Both sides
were handled in a very able manner
the ladies showing an unusual knowl-
edge of parliamentary law.
When the meeting was called to or
der, last evening, the house was filled.
Every seat in the gallery was taken
and more than that there was not Il
vacant seat in the body of the house
The club training of the women stood
| them in good stead for in every part
| they showed the men present that they
were not only masters of parliamentary
practices but more than that had al
most an expert knowledge of the affairs
| of every day life as well as the founda-
tions giving a more complete and
| thorough knowledge.
The organ prelude, Widor's "Serc-
made" was played by Mrs Wallace
Smith in her accomplished manner.
Mrs. Wallace Smith was then intro
duced and gave her poem The
Triumph of Freya." Not only was the
poem of unusual interest but more
than that it was more than unusual
literary merit. In the beginning she
spoke of the beautiful legend of Freya
and then went on To say that it was in
Il similar manner that the Christian
religion had spread all over the world
and drawn all men to it. Continuing
she said that ii was 50 with the Anglo
Saxon race, that they ought to carry
on the work to the newer countries and
until the whole world has the same
benefits that religion is row enjoying
Mrs. Hubbard and Mrs Flood then
sang duet ''Oh Lovely Peace" in
manner that quite carried the audi
ence by storm. This was followed by
the address Of the evening by Mrs.
Ellen II. Richards on Household
Economies An easy speaker and a
graceful presence she handled her sub
Ject in such Il manner that she had
everyone with her following every word
with the closest attention until the end
was reached. She said in substance:
The term household economies conveys
IDEAS of more or less hazy character to
the majority Of those who hear ii used
1t evidently has something to do with
housekeeping 1t suggests an unco,nfort
able counting Of pennies. 1t recalls sea
sons Of painful self denial. What wonder
that 1t Is not popular subject for club
study.
Since losing the active and interest
ing industries which were included in the
housework Of 80 years ago. the house has
sunk into a place Of toll ana drudgery
without attractions for 81 ful workers
parsimOny in money matters instead of
to indicate wisdom in the use of good
things y more scientific attitude of mini
toward our subject is necessary before
the full benefit of n discussion OF it can
he realized.
"Nutritious food is that which gives to
the human body that which il needs TO
enable il 10 do its best work, but the little
boy who defined ii as Something to eat
what amt got no taste to H." was not
in condition Of mind best calculated to
economics of the household includes
economy Of time, of health. of energy.
Of health as well as economy in the use
Of wealth.
AN article is worth what we are will
ing 10 pay for it. In our household man
aSement we have come to the point )f
asking. is it worth what is costs to keep
up the separate household? May there
not he some collective or Go operative life
which will serve the purpose with less
expenditure " time. energy and money"
why should 10 women work with 10
stoves on a cold winter morning in order
to make 10 pots Of coffee when any one
Of the fires and any one Of the women
could have made us much as the 10 to
gethcr. II is clearly waste Of fuel ami
woman's time. Why do we go on doing
IL?
mile radius perhaps 50 well furnished
rooms which are thoroughly swept and
busted once week, each by separate
person and that person either the mis-
trcss who follows the traditional methods |
of her grandmother, or by maid with |
out either skill or tradition. II is prob
able that two well trained women, using |
modern appliances ana methods, could do |
the work with half the amount Of energy |
and in less than half the time. Why then |
do we go on struggling to do twice as
unsatisfactory worker after another in |
stead of forming housekeeping trusts and |
putting all troublesome details into the !
hands of Il manager?
Because the purpose Of the home is |
not to make money but character, not to
produce goods cheaply, bu, to develop |
men and women Of the best type. The cup |
of coffee made by mothers hands tastes
more than coffee. The carpet that We
have swept. the ornaments that we have
busted for 20 years have for us a far
greater value than they would bring un-
der the auctiOneer's hammer. The ideals
that cluster about the humblest home are
above all material value. That household |
is economically run which yields The best |
results in its human products.
''lt is true, however. that many of Us I
might use in our households more of the
knowledge which modern science has
made available without losing the essen
tials of home life. That for the same
time and money We might make our fami.
lies more comfortable as we'll as secure
for them better health and al tho same
time find greater satisfaction in our own |
work
Home economies mean study of the |
affairs of daily lie which will give the
greatest returns in health, happiness and |
useful work. Ii is not the amount of |
money spent but the wisdom with which |
it is used that constitutes true economv |
What is the secret of this modern scien- |
tifc housekeeping? Jane Adams of Hun |
house tells the story of the woman who |
replied to one who WAS trying to show
her the value Of certain foods, II don't
want 10 eat what is good for me: I'll
ruther eat what Ia ruther. Scientific
housekeeping. is what is ,goo'! for us. a
systematic division Of the income be
tween the different departments Of ex
pendture; careful keeping Of accounts,