The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-15
DOMESTIC SCIENCE.
Its Importance, n How 1t 10 Taught
at Purdue University.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
For three years Purdue University has
offered a course in domestic scfence In con-
nection with the Winter School of Agricul-
ture. The first two years there was no
response and the management was some
what In doubt as to whether this kind of
instruction were desired by the people Of
Indiana. With the beginning OF
the present term of the winter
course-Jan. S-a class of twenty ladies in
domestic science was formed. This course
as 1t is now being given covers eleven
by Prof. Severance Burrage. bacteriology
Of yeast and bread by Miss Katherine
Golden, chemistry Of domestic life
by Prof. w. E. Stone, and twenty
by Mrs. c. H. Robertson. The
lectures Of sanitation include personal
health, house sanitation, impurities of air
and water. milk and other foods, infec-
tious diseases, consumption as a conta-
gious disease. school sanitation. accidents
and emergencies. The lectures on bacter-
iology include nature and effects OF fer
mentation, the kinds of ferments and their
application to bread making, nature. use
and properties of yeast, forms on the mar
ket and methods of determining good yeast,
bread, its relation to -four and yeast;
causes of sour and heavy bread, etc. The
work in domestic economy includes both
lectures and practice work in cooking. TIL
general scope of the course will be seen
from the following outiine: Botany, chem
istry and nutritive properties of foods. Sc
lection of meats, and the cooking
and serving of different foods; arrange
ment. ventilation and plumbing Of the
dwelling, and the sanitary care of cellar.
k..chen. dining and sleeping rooms. etc.;
practice in cooking and serving of foods
and in the care and decoration of the din
ing table. In addition to the foregoing
the young ladies receive instruction in for
i~culture. horticulture n farm dairying.
and tney also take many of the practical
lectures by specialists.
The course Is a very practical one In
character and limited in scope as yet.
Should there be a desire for an extension
of this work provision will be made for
Its enlargement in future.
The women of Indiana, especially those
of the country, have seemed somewhat
backward in their attitude toward indus
making decided progress in this direction
and many of them are far outstripping the
Hoosier State. TIL Ohio State University,
Agricultural College, Iowa Agri-
cultural College and others have had for
some lime fully developed women's courses.
including domestic science and the other
subjects named above. 1t rests with the
women of Indiana to say whether they will
have such a course at furoue. Women are
now entering almost all the professional
and business callings and public sentiment
perm4sS tnlS without protest. women
should therefore be broadly and thorough
ly trained that they may enter upon LIES
work with the same opportunities for sue
cess as the men. A great majority Of wom-
en- will. in the future as in the past. find
their proper sphere in the home. and all
thoughtful persons will agree that the
woman who is a true homemaker and
thoroughly trained for her sphere is of
more importance TO the welfare of the
country than the women In business or pro-
fessional life. This being true. a thor
ough, scientific training in housekeeping
and homemaking will at once be recog-
nized.
The present course In domestic science
at Purdue, planned to meet the needs OF
farmers daughters. should steadily grow
into a complete. rounded collegiate course
which would combine a general education
In English. mathematics. literature, his
tory, general science, music and art with
a thorough technical training in the SCI
ence and art of housekeeping and home
making. Such a course would tend TO ele-
vate housekeeping and homemaking to
heir rightful position among industries
for women. and prove of inestimable ben
ent to the home. the community, the State
and the Nation. w. G. LATTA-
Purdue University. Lafayette. Feb. IL.