Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-11-19
CO. Operative EATING.
GNFf SOLUTION TO THE VEXlNG SE:-
WANT GIRL QUESTION:.
Maals Ten Cents and No Care A MicEi-
gan village Teaches Lesson to thc
Big Cities - Problem of Economical
Living and Still Having tho Fest.

Decatur, a prosperous little village
twenty-five miles west of Kalamazoo
Mich, is the scene of an interesting
experiment with a plan to solve the
problem of economical living aid T.
dosSaway with the servant question
Briefly stated, the idea is the main
tenance Of a common table by some
twenty-five of the leading families OF
the town, about one hundred persons
being served In this way. A place for
the experiment was found in a vacant
shop building, which had been fitted
upsfor the purpose.
The first week tho cost averaged
IL 1-2 cents a meal for each person.
The second week the cost was 10
cents.
j.. G. Stewart, a merchant, first
thought of the plan. Mr. Stewart was
asked to tell about the undertaking.
There were two chief considera-
tions," he said. First, l thought it
would be a great convenience for the
business men of the village, who are
often hurried at lunch time, and do
not like to leave their stores.
Then, even in this little village,
the{servant question cuts considerable
of a figure. The girls prefer to work
in the shops or in the fruit fields and
il is difficult to get competent help.
| had experienced some difficulty in
these respects and so l began to fig
ure.-
THE result was the organization of
this. cooperative scheme. We do not
have a formal organization, nor keep
elaborate books. The best people in
The village are interested"
Nj. Stewart proceeded to explain
the practical working of the plan.
Two competent cooks were engaged
and sufficient number of walters to
serTe the different families promptly.
Each family has its table, except that
several families, consisting of only
two persons, may be seated at one
table.
A strict account of everything is
kept and at the end of each week all
bills are audited and the expense div
ided pro rata. In this settling of ac-
counts everything is included, such as
rent, fuel and lights. When the bills
for the week are settled the organiza-
tion owes nothing, and has as assets
whatever may be left over in the COM
missary department.
"WTe get the best of everything"
said MIR. Stewart, "the best groceries
and the best meats. Our butter is
creamery butter and all the rest Of
tn paterials are eGittee OF i've eiecT5'
mana aseneanAnd the menu for
ef-5p week is prepared by another
committee Of five.
II believe that the same plan could
be worked to advantage in the large
cities, and it would go far to solve the
vexatious servant question. 1t seems
to me that it would be feasible to Sc
cure some dwelling, fer instance, and
fit it up for the purpose. 1t would
then be possible to have private dim
ing rooms only the cuisine being COM
mon"
Mrs. H. C. Lamond who is a member
Of the executive committee was asked
for sample menu. She furnished
tho following:
Breakfast.
Breakfast Food.
Fried Potatoes. Eggs.
Cookies. Doughnuts.
Coffee. Chocolate.
Dinner.
Roast Beef. Roast Pork.
Gravy Dressing.
Green Corn. Boiled Potatoes.
Tea, hot or cold.
Tapioca Pudding. Apple Pie:
White Bread. Brown Bread.
Supper.
Cream Potatoes.
Cold Meats.
Warm Bread. Cake. Plum Sauce.
Tea, hot or cold.
She was asked if the plan worked
wei. and if it was economical.
1T has it's advantages and some dis
advantages, she replied. Whether
it is econmical or not depends some
wha. on the style in which person
is accustomed to live; whether one
keeps servants or not, for instance.
But, considering merely what is fur
nished it certainly is economical.
1--WE are able to get better dishes at
lower cost than if we set separate
table. The plan enables us to buy at
wholesale and we reap the advan-
tages.
"Take the matter of roasts, as a
point of illustration. A good roast of
meat Is not an economical thing for
O small family to bny. You cannot
get a good roast unless it weighs sew
eral pounds, and the small family
finds on it's hands large remnant.
not all of which can be we'll utilized,
no matter how clever the housewife
is in planning.
"By this method we get twenty
pound roasts lid of course we get the
best. Then our bread is baked fresh
every day in our own ovens and that
is fine feature.
"We have our individual tables. At
our table there are three families, each
consisting of husband and wife.
"We each furnish our own silver
and we have vase in the centre OF
the table which we keep filled with
flowers. We take turns in furnishing
the table linen. Our silver is taken
up, cleansed and put back in the
places we occupy respectively.
"You see, we save sood deal OF
work. we save on our linen and al
together | have found that the plan