The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-15

The greatest difference between the
house-mother's and the merchants
management Is in the matter OF sys-
tenn. While one should not be slave
to routine Of labor there is not the
least doubt that system lightens
housekeeping almost one-half. She
who knows just when piece Of work
should be done knows also how 1t
should be, and there will be no time
wasted, nor will there be any hurry
ing or confusion. The house where
the work is never done, where IRON
ing. sweeping and cooking come to-
gether, is the house without head,
for system is Of the head. 1t is the
application of brains to the task one
has to do. .,.- -.
Whether one is the fortunate
woman who does eson+,, her own ona
who has to depend upon one
or a dozen servants system Is equally
needed. If one lacks it let her cult
waite 1t diligently. 1t leads to rested
nerves, stored-up strength, and so to
happiness in the home. Its sole dis
advantage is one that applies to per-
sonal vanity The woman who labors
systematically, tho she will accom-
plish twice as much as another who
does not, never seems to the unob-
servant to be doing much because she
never has confusion about her, and
always has time for what she wants
to do.
There was a notable New England
housekeeper who was wont to say to
her daughters, Don't dawdle, make
every move tell, and you'll never be
too tired and never lack time. Ihat
way of working compels one to be
systematic, for the brains direct and
one follows the old adage, Let your
head save your heels
The theory Of doing a piece Of work
when it Is necessary sounds we'll,
but it's application is not usually pro-
ductive Of pleasing or comfortable re-
suits. Taking week in and week out,
each day has duties which should be
carried out on that day If the house
hold machinery is to run smoothly.
There may be exceptions for special
occasions. but holding to the rule
{, brings peace in the family and keeps
the strain of homework and its super
vision from being too heavy for the
housewife and the family.
The nearer ones daily tasks can be
brought to the point of being per-
formed automatically the easier they
become. Just as one must forget his
musician, one must have grown
wonted to the routine of the house
work, first to that planned for each
day and then to the division of the
tasks for each hour. The woman who
takes dishwashing, the daily sweep
ing and busting, lamp filling, etcetera,
In the same order each day will gain
ease and time over the one who some
times does cooking first, sometimes
last, and so on. Minutes are wasted
while one stops to decide what to
do next She does better to plan her
low persistently the course that she
has mapped out after due delibera-
ton.
There is no part Of the world where
housekeeping has been made such a
fetch as In the smaller New England
towns. and none where a woman's ap-
so. much upon her skill in house.
Wifery. She who writes or paints is
accounted failure if she does not
understand the art of housekeeping.
The New England woman Of a gen.
S:@tion ago did an immense amount
ernoon free. The explanation is sim
pie. She worked with system. On
Monday she washed. Tuesday saw the
clothes ironed, on Wednesday they
were looked over for rents, mended
and folded away; on Thursday win
dows We're wiped. silver polished,
closets tidied. or any other task that
came up was attended to; Weddings
parties and festivities Of all kinds
were set for Thursday, as it was the
leisure day Of the week; Friday saw
the house thoroly swept from garnet
to cellar, and Saturday was given over
to extra baking to save cooking on
Sunday and Monday. These were the
special duties Of the day. but every
day had it's share of dish washing,
ibedmal1ing, cleaning and cooking, Oh
lin its regularly appointed time, which
never varied except for sickness. or
other calamity. The method is as
successful to-day as it ever was, tho
it is harder to carry out. since the
workers of the kitchen to-day do not
work with brains as we'll as with
hands. nor take kindly to the intro
duction Of some one else's brains.
In many Well-run kitchens there is
provided a program Of the days work
in the order of its coming. When
there are several servants the sched-
u1e for each is provided and where
this is done, the work is as we'll Or
fered as Is that of the big department
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