The age-herald., 1902-01-19
Mrs. Morrissette on E Household Economies

It was announced some time ago in this department that the Alabama Fedora ton had called especial attention to the economies and that a committee had been appointed by Mrs. John D. Wyker the President, to outline plan of work. Mrs. D. P. Morrissette of Montgomery, one of the brainiest and most progress sive women in the South. was made chair circular letters to the leading papers in the State, in which she explains fully the work that is in the province of a com- mittee on Household Economies
 Mrs. Morrissette's report Is an able and brilliant resume of the work accomplish ed by similar committees throughout the country 1t comprises some four thous- and words and Is probably the most com prehensive and valuable paper ever sub- mitted to Alabma club women.
 Never before perhaps in the history of Alabama writes Mrs. Morrissette, ''has time been more propitious than the present for feminine effort in education- al lines of practical nature. The South ern Educational Board. composed of men whose success Is assured have address cN hhoAhoSiNco tO the tdSk or convert Ing our State and her neighbors to the theories and methods of education which have made prosperous States less rich than Alabama and other Southern states in natural resources. Now that we may confidently expect industrial schools to be established in the not distant future all over the South, it behooves the wo- men to see to it that we do our part in hastening the day of their establishment, and that we look to 1t that the special training for girls be as peculiarly suit ed to their future lives as the mechani- cal and technical and agricultural in- struction is for boys.
 There is a term used for this educa- ton of girls, future home-makers. It is Household Economies" If we enquire we will learn that women in nearly ev- cry State of the Union are interesting themselves to see that this education Is provided for girls It is not too early to study the subject and to make opinion favorable to such instruction By the time the finances of the State permit it's introduction, we can have the people so saturated with ideas of It's value and importance that it will be voted into ev- cry public school.
 Totally ignorant of the subject when our President asked me to serve on this committee, I set out to endeavor to learn all l could. Yet in the A. B, c class, de- sire to share with the clubs the informa- ton I have gained. and commence with setting out for them the most helpful and stimulating thing have discovered record of how other States took up the study and how they progressed.
 This record is found in the report made in 1900 of a convention of the Ma tional Household Economic Association. organized in 1S93 when every Vice Pres ident of States represented in the Asso- citation, reported each the study and work in her State.
 'The summary is as condensed as could make 1t without staying its spirits May I beg our club women to examine it, and ask themselves what we shall do?
 "There are so many sides to the sub Ject-practical, ethical, sociological. ar tistic and literary, that surely 1t cannot be barred by the constitution or by-laws of any club. The musical clubs can de. vote a day to music in the home and be in line with household economies Pure ly literary clubs can read Spencers biol ogy. many of Huxley's essays TyndoI on floating matter in the air. and other literary gems and be in touch with house. hold economies, and they can widen the influence by putting these books in thei, town libraries
 We are not ready to ask more thar we have asked for our public schools as MT. w. F. Johnston our forceful chair. man of education committee says Al ways we are ready and anxious to learn So my proposition is: Let us stud, household economies. It is ancient al Moses time, and new as the day of ths latest born infant which depends on it. mother for all the possibilities life holds
 Let us put ourselves in touch witt the Southern Educational Board, whose executive secretary, Rev. Edgar Gard. ner Murphy has in every Sundays Mont gomery Advertiser such luminous elo quent words about the duty of the houI as makes us thank our Heavenly Fath CT for answers to prayers, especially tn, prayer which is the work of Mrs Geo B. Eager, Mrs. A. H. Munger, Mrs. R. D Johnston, Mrs Erwin Craighead and al that band devoted heart and soul to thl children of our State"
 Then follows an abridgment of tn, report made in 1900 at the convention O | household economies association. | First, alphabetically, by her State. I name. and high on the list of Vice pres l idents by personal character and attain ments, Is Mrs. Jennie Beauchamp, O Little Rock, Ark Not seeking to forn State Association, but to interest tn State Federation already in existence, sh has induced sixty clubs representing 250 wom en, to study domestic science. Sucl is the uniformity. of opinion on it's i'm portance that the Legislative Committed | of which she is chairman, will petition the next Legislature for its introduc ton in to the public school system. Mrs. Beauchamp conducts a departmen of domestic science in the Little Rocl l Democrat which the editor sends ire | to every club in the State, thereby secur ing an uninterrupted interest and sh
 employed last year teacher who gay | lectures and demonstrations.
 She found an Arkansas girl eligible t the free scholarship (given a second tim 1 to the States in the Dread Institute l Worcester Mass..) domiciled her ther | and Is planning a teachers place for tn girl when she graduates.
 | Arkansas repeats record often mad that of a warm enthusiastic personal | ity becoming the author or an associa tion which gathers into itself the earnes actively good women of a community wh needed only the conditions brough about by the energy of one creative spir 1t to crystalize themselves into forcefu
 unit.