The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-22

speaker before the Rhode Island Wo-
mans club at an "open meeting heio
i'm the Trocadero at o'clock yesterday
afternoon.
Despite the storm OF the early after
noon Prof. Atwater was greeted by
large and representative audience or ciup
women and others. who listened with de-
lighted attention TO his most nstruc-
tve. most practical and eloquent lecture
The meeting was called TO order by the
president OF the club. Mrs. George Il
Baker. after which she announced the
coming midwinter meeting of the Rhode
Island State Federation of Women's
Clubs. TO be held In rha Mathewson
Street NJ. 4. church on Saturday after
noon. Jan. 81. beginning at 2 o'clock. Mrs.
Baker named also the following ladies to
act as a nominating committee 10 choose
officers for the coming club year: MIS- MIS-,
Ee,Sher kn,sh, Mason Mrs ohear%as' ae.spb Sss VS.
Rich. After these announcements Mrs
Baker gracefully presented Prof Al
water
PROF. ATwATER's ADDRESS.
In opening his address the speaker ex-
pressed his qualification that so large an
hnsmee nciemeet a %aathssr s f Emtsrins ri T Into his
theme the lecturer called attention 10 the
Investigations which are being carried on
DN the &ONtTIlIntHl dt tic StNVioi
ment stations throughout the country for
the purpose Of learning the economic
value OF foods. As is well known. taof;
Atwater 10 the special agent In charge or
He characterized the American people
"a extravagant In the use OF food. we
buy more than we need TO do. and we
waste a good deal" he said: I'VE eat as
we ought not, too much OF one thing TOO
little OF another II is sale 70 nnnst sy tor
the people. morally and intellectually, is
tho better knowledge OF domestic science:
Time was when the spirstuai e,s,ai we,1are OF of
life, and 80 II should be today, out sciense
and experience have taught us mat ,ne
material things are ssa matters s,ai on ne things
we are likewise studying the spiritual
Prof Atwater continued In part as FOL
lows:
ESSENTIAL FACTOR OF LIFE.
"The title Of this address. Food and
Household Economics itself suggests
what I wish to say. II is that Just as
food is one OF the essential factors or
life so the right understanding OF lts
hygienic and pecuniary economy. OF the
WAYS OF fitting our diet to the demands
Of health and purse. and the ways OF
cooking and serving which help to make
the table and hence the home more at
trsctive form a subject OF great conse-
ouence in fits bearing upon our homo
and national life.
~ desire TO call your especial attention
to the means OF promoting better un-
derstanding Of this subject Or these
scientific research Is one and teaching IN
the schools by lectures and by the press
Is another But among the agencies Tor
the desired contamination one OF tne
most important Is the influence OF IN
telligent women.
when we consider that half the strug-
gle OF lHe Is struggle for food. that
half or more than half the earnings OF
the wage Garner Is spent for the nourisn-
ment of himself and family, that not only
mans power TO work but Also MS
health are largely affected by his food;
that some OF our most skilled .hygienists
are telling us that large part OF the
disease which embitters life ana hastens
death IS due 10 avoidable errors IN oiet.
that more harm comes to the health OF
the community from erroneous habits OF
eating than from the habitual use OF
alcoholic drink: that economists. philan-
thropists and divines are urging more
and more earnestly the need OF attention
70 such subjects. are we not justified IN
claiming that the science or 1000 ann
nutrition Is one OF the most important
branches OF home economics.
NO LONGER FAD.
Domestic science Cali no iOhe''
called a fad. II is upon us as 1act ana
believe that tendencies arc at work
which arc putting II upon a rational
be sis Our wisest teachers tell us that
place can be made for 1t In the curricula
OF the schools. If the wives and mothers
and home makers VINO are hhewiss
leaders In our social and intellectual ana
moral life, insist upon II. II VIII ne
nIaoed in our schools and in the form In
wSich IL will he most useful.
prof Atwater advocated the esAblish-
mept OF experiment stations Tor nome
economies for the instruction OF tne noIIie
makers. IN the same manner that aeri-
cultural experiment stations are estab-
lished for farmers
oNE-srpED EDUcATIoN.
The most important suggestion tnat
the speaker made to his hearers was az
he declared a bold one He said In sub
starco "Fducatton In our colleges Tor
uoren is now one-sided One thug ~
J needed 10 round 81 out and make ~ wei
| balanced and this Ia the developrnent OF
those branches OF knowledge wnich are
! Included In home science or nome econ.
| o,nics During n number or years past
| h,ya had frequent opportunity To
| meet young women who were students
ana GRADUATES OF several or our leadins
| colleges especially those for women !
| have asked a number OF them their opin-
ion as 10 the tenden Y OF thef 'oi'
| life and college education as reiatso W
| tho taste for home life. In almost every
| Instance the answer has been that. on
the whole. this tendency has been away
from rather than toward the home
This seems very natural, our hlsher
educa tion for young women has been cop
| ied after that which the experience of
centuries has led educator. 10 believe "
the best for young men. One main on
iect OF college course is and has been
10 M men for the struggle of active hfe'
| that. Is. for competition with other men
in mems work.
u r. true there always must be srest
| number of women who cannot he home
workers II is equally true that much ot
the professional and other work which
! in times past has been done mainly or
wholly by men can he done just rs well
| and sometimes better ny women ~ Is
right that many women should he es-