The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-25
COOPERATIVE HOUSEKEEPING
FOR MINNEAPOLIS FAMILIES
Sanford Heads New Association Of Househers VIII
Will Solve Domestic Labor Problems by Cooperation.

of cooperation, and reports finding sue !
cessful cooperative work along several
lines. |
Central dining-roons, as is already we'll
known, very satisfactorily provide meals
for restricted number of families living
in certain apartment buildings, or In the
same square. At least one such dining
room is conducted as a private venture
in one of the best apartment houses In
Minneapolis. And in towns in the east
really cooperative dining-rooms are
managed very successfully and inexpen-
sively One housekeeper gives the use of
her dining-room and kitchen, all members
of the club furnish table linen, and add.
if necessary, to the dishes and kitchen
utensils, and the salaries of the one cook
and one waitress employed, and the ex-
pense of supplies are shared equally. In
one such club. seven families, numbering
twenty persons, are cared for by two ser
wants, at much smaller cost than when
each struggled on alone, employing one
servant when possible, but more often
without any. The larger wages paid the
two servants, each Of whom has her spec
ial work, which gives her evenings free
and permits her to live with her own
family, insures permanent help for the
little cooperative club, whose members
are thus entirely relieved of the thought
and time and labor involved In providing
supplies and cooking and serving meals.
Families where there are young chill
dren, or who prefer being served in their
own homes, are provided for by central
cooperative kitchens. A sufficient guam
tity of food is cooked In one kitchen to
supply any number of persons, as re-
ouired, and sent to the homes Of patrons
| in heated receptacles, which are so con-
! structed that a dinner of several courses
may be enclosed, and after being trans
ported a distance of from two to five
I, ~ jf1Sf fo q
| from the fire. The housekeeper has only
to set her dining table and serve the food
| in her own dishes, adding from her stores
simply the bread and butter I'd rel1shes.
| She is also spared all tb s land labor
of providing for the d. II lis. The
heated receptacles are ar avention,
having been in use about ars, but
have proved entirely satisft SFe
Cooperative laundries, in, ,.El1cL work
is done for families of contrihu, mem
bers only, are also successfully a.sl proht-
ably conducted. 81 .s.:<4
The Minneapolis association will inau-
gurate a new line of work, that OF cir
| culating" housenaids. The services OF
| trustworthy and especially careful and
skilled maids will be secured, each OF
whom will care for the houses Of GER
tain number Of families, giving to each
an hour or two of work each forenoon,
as may be necessary to put the house IN
| order, or as agreed upon, ana one dItei
noon each week will be given to the
weekly sweeping and cleaning. Several
housekeepers will thus receive much
needed help thru the services of one maid,
who, if outside of the cooperative asso-
citation, might be unable to secure any.
And if dinners are ordered from the CEN
trail kitchen, or meals taken In a central
dining-room the problem of daily living
may be easily solved. By these and SIM
liar methods Of cooperation it is the
aim of the Minneapolis association to meet
the requirements of its members, and, in
deed, of the public generally, for at pres
emit it is only necessary to send in names
and addresses to the secretary, stating
the kind of help desired, to be placed upon
it's list of members, and be considered
in the establishment of central dining
rooms or routes for the delivery of meals
? from the central kitchen and the circles
formed for the housemaids' rounds. AS
the work grows and the assistance Of a
, clerk Is required, a small membership
, fee may be necessary to meet that ex-
f pense.
Meetings of the association will be an
r nounced from time to time, to perfect a
more complete organization, to further
l present plans, and to consider any others
/ that may be presented; but at present
|, a. simple application to the secretary con-
r stitutes recorded membership and will
$ secure its cooperative help. 5 III